Last season, the Ravens benched safety Marcus Williams in favor of Ar’Darius Washington after Week 10,at which point they were ranked last in pass defense (294.9 yards per game).

During the season, Williams didn’t discuss much regarding the change. But in an interview last week with former New Orleans Saints teammate Terron Armstead, Williams discussed what led to the rough defensive start last fall.

“There’s a lot of stuff on my side that I could have done better,” Williams said. ” I take accountability for whatever action I did that they didn’t like, but I didn’t know what actions those were. But I take accountability for them. Maybe missed opportunities, maybe missed plays I could have done better on.”

After benching Williams in favor of Washington, the Ravens’ defense became one of the NFL’s best. They were ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, team defense, and defensive EPA (expected points added) per drop-back. They were No. 2 in pass defense, allowing 171.2 yards per game, a 123.7-yard difference.

“They could’ve communicated properly and effectively so that there was no missed communication when the switch was going to occur,” Williams said. “I mean, I’ve played football for a long time. You don’t just get bad overnight. And most people on the outside will believe that plays that were given up may have been on me, but they don’t really know the depths of the coverage or what we were actually running, what we were told. They don’t really know, but as a safety, my responsibility is to do whatever I can to show up in the [television] screen and maybe, possibly make a play.”

With it all in the past, Armstead asked what Williams, who is still a free agent, would like to say to the organization and Ravens fans.

“I appreciate all the fans,” Williams said. “I appreciate the coaches. I appreciate them giving me the opportunity. I appreciate them blessing me. It’s a blessing to be able to play for the Ravens, a great organization. Many greats have come through there, and I’m very appreciative of them. I mean, they blessed me and my family, and I wouldn’t change doing any of that for the world because, ultimately, I got paid. I feel like I played through injuries over there. I went through a torn pec, I dislocated my wrist, and I still played. And I still had great plays, so to have a dislocated wrist, come back in the same year, get a pick the first game I come back, then the next year, tear my pec, no surgery, only miss three games, come back. I put it all on the line for the Ravens.”