Tag: Trent Williams

Jason Peters could have an AFC North suitor at the start of free agency

Browns will explore LTs Trent Williams and Jason Peters now that Williams can seek a trade and Peters will be free

[jwplayer PO4jv6y1]

Jason Peters is set to test free agency and the Eagles left tackle is expected to have his list of suitors on the open market.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com is reporting that the Browns will explore trading for Redskins left tackle Trent Williams or signing Peters outright as the team continues to search for a left tackle.

Williams, 31, has been given permission to seek a trade, while Peters, 38, will become a free agent after the Eagles announced Thursday the sides have “mutually agreed” to let him test the open market.

Browns General Manager Andrew Berry has familiarity with Peters after having spent time in the Eagles personnel department.

Peters and Williams also share the same agent, so things should get interesting.

[vertical-gallery id=630954]

Redskins inform Trent Williams he is free to seek a trade

The Redskins have informed Trent that he is free to seek a trade.

Another saga in the Trent Williams situation has now taken place, as the Washington Redskins have reportedly informed the left tackle that he is openly free to seek a trade with other teams.

This comes after the new regime, headed up by head coach Ron Rivera, worked for a while to try and repair the relationship with Williams, who held out from the team for most of 2019. The two sides were unable to come to terms on a contract extension, and now Williams is likely to be shipped away.

It will be interesting to see what type of trade market there is for Williams, who is soon to turn 32 years old, and has not played in over a year. Still, when he is healthy, the seven-time Pro-Bowler is one of the best LTs in the NFL, and he is hoping to get paid as such in the future. A rumor has been swirling in Redskins’ circles that Trent could desire a new contract that sees him paid $18-19 million per year, at a very minimum.

 

Why Trent Williams has some leverage over Redskins

Something to keep in mind with the star left tackle.

The standoff between the Washington Redskins and Trent Williams is one of the most interesting sagas in sports over the last year or so.

Williams missed most of last year and it seemed like he’d retire before he played for the Resdskins again. And after a brief, fleeting feeling Williams might return thanks to Ron Rivera, he’s a longshot to return again because he wants a massive contract.

J.I. Halsell, who used to work for the Redskins and is now an agent with SWAY Talent, told ESPN’s Jon Keim one point of leverage for Williams:

“The Redskins need to make a compelling [contract] proposal that makes sense for Trent to give up [free agency in 2021]. [Otherwise] if you’re Trent, why not roll the dice on yourself and wait for next offseason to have someone pay me $19 or $20 million?”

It’s an important thing to remember as Williams apparently looks to be one of the league’s highest-paid tackles.

For all the drama, Williams could merely bet on himself and wait things out another year, banking on the Redskins not continuing to hold his rights and doubly banking on another team paying up on the market.

It’s not a likely scenario — the Redskins will probably trade Williams to end this — but it’s something to keep in mind.

Thanks to this factor and others, the standoff figures to continue for some time.

[vertical-gallery id=31288]

Will potential Trent Williams departure make Redskins reconsider Chase Young at No. 2?

The Redskins’ roster needs only get bigger if Williams isn’t on the field, and addressing them in the draft means passing on Chase Young.

It doesn’t look like the Trent Williams situation is going to be resolved any time soon, and recent reports suggest that a marriage between him and the Washington Redskins will not be in the future, as the two sides remain far apart when it comes to a financial agreement.

So with Williams demanding top-of-the-market money, and the Redskins refusing to pay that price, the two sides are in yet another staring contest that could last throughout the offseason. I’m not sure which side will break first, if either, but it brings up an interesting question that needs to be considered in Washington.

Does the potential loss of Williams make the Redskins reconsider who they pick at No. 2 in the NFL Draft?

The two may seem unrelated, and you may think it’s a crazy idea to pass up on Chase Young if given the chance to select a perennial pass-rusher. This, though, has more to do with what the Redskins plan to do at the left tackle position should Williams be traded away, and whether or not Washington would consider using their draft leverage to fill a need rather than build on an already solid position group. The Redskins don’t have any depth at the position, and the free agency market isn’t ripe with offers that blow you away. That leaves the draft.

Over the past week, the Redskins have created some buzz by kicking the tires on Tua Tagovailoa, which is likely being done in order to keep the trade value of their No. 2 pick as high as possible. Fans of the ‘best player available’ draft model believe that Young is the clear-cut answer, but supporters of the ‘draft for need’ strategy may have a strong case here.

Should Trent be traded away, the Redskins NEED a left tackle, and one who can start right away — not someone drafted in the middle to late rounds. If Washington were to trade the No. 2 pick to Miami, for example, they may be able to get the No. 5 overall pick, as well as another first-rounder, and potentially a whole lot more. With one of the first-rounders, likely No. 18, the Redskins could draft an OT who has a high upside and a chance to become the teams’ next great lineman — think Andrew Thomas, Mekhi Becton, or Jedrick Wills. With the No. 5 pick, they could take Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons, the draft’s best linebacker who has seen his stock continue to soar through the NFL Combine. These two selections would go a long way in filling two of the Redskins’ biggest needs on the roster.

This all becomes irrelevant if the Redskins are able to work out a future with Williams, but that doesn’t seem likely at the moment. Washington has an easy fix to some of their roster problems; they just have to pass on Chase Young in order to make it work.

That’s a big risk to take.

[vertical-gallery id=31288]

 

Report: Redskins unwilling to cave on Trent Williams’ money demands

The OT wants a massive new deal.

So much for Ron Rivera being able to fix the gap between the Washington Redskins and Trent Williams.

Williams wants a new deal or a trade. The latter probably isn’t happening because there doesn’t appear to be a market for it. That leaves the Redskins with a few options, which we’ve outlined in-depth.

And according to a new report, the marriage will remain over because the Redskins aren’t interested in budging.

Per NBC Sports’ Julie Donaldson: “Sources tell me Trent Williams may be done in DC. He’s looking for a long term deal at top of the OT market, something the Redskins are not willing to do. If talks stay this way, a trade may be the best option.”

The Redskins refusing to go higher on a Williams deal makes at least some sense as the star left tackle has had spotty attendance on the field and is already set to be a cap hit of $14.5 million.

Then again, Williams has an argument that his deal is outdated compared to market value. He would also seem to have some leverage as the Redskins need as much help as they can get protecting Dwayne Haskins.

This has the look of a staring contest yet again and the only out might be a trade. Perhaps it’s a mid-draft deal that finally ends the standoff.

[vertical-gallery id=31288]

What are the Redskins options when it comes to Trent Williams?

There’s no easy solution for the Redskins when it comes to dealing with Trent Williams, but they do have a few options.

As is usually the case in Washington, the most pertinent news is regarding Trent Williams, and what the Redskins plan to do with him going forward.

The last week of Trent Williams updates has been a bit wild, and it’s ranged from him having a solid relationship with Ron Rivera to him requesting a trade should the team not give him what he desires — a lot of money. Though we don’t know the details of the conversations that are taking place behind closed doors in Washington, there are seemingly a few ways that this situation could play out over the coming weeks and months. Let’s break them down.

Agree on a Contract Extension

This seems like the most likely course of action, though it will be the riskiest solution for the Redskins as well. As it stands now, Washington doesn’t have a plan at the left tackle position outside of Williams, and it would be the easiest fix to pay him a mega-contract and bring him back into the locker room, giving them one of the best LTs in the game back on their front line.

This, of course, comes with a couple of downsides. For one, Williams reportedly desires to become the highest-paid LT in the NFL, which would likely mean receiving $19-20 million per season. At the moment, that highest-paid title goes to Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson, who signed a $72 million deal with $25 million guaranteed. Houston Texans’ Laremy Tunsil is also set to be extended soon for a similar deal, which could only raise Williams’ price.

Secondly, there is no guarantee that Williams will be one of the best blockers in the NFL when he returns, even if the Redskins pay him as such. The last game he played was in December of 2018, and that was before having surgery to remove a cancerous growth on his scalp. Williams would undoubtedly be a huge improvement on whatever backup plan the Redskins have for the left tackle position, but he’s no guarantee to return to his Pro Bowl level of play.

If the Redskins don’t offer an extension to Williams ahead of the 2020 season, they could be facing another holdout, unless they decide to find a trade partner.

Look to Trade Him

There has been an active trade market around Williams over the last year as his relationship with the Redskins was publically frayed, though there seems to be tempered interest at the current moment. It’s extremely possible that the Redskins could deal Williams this offseason and get back a package of draft picks or maybe a player in return, but that doesn’t solve any issues in Washington. Should you go this route, what’s the next step of your plan? Who do you have to play LT?

With the expected selection of Chase Young at No. 2, and no second-round pick, the earliest that Washington could draft an LT this season would be in the third round, and you’re unlikely to find a first-year starter that deep into the draft. The Redskins could choose to trade back and select a top-end LT in the draft, but then they would miss out on Young and the hype that comes with him. The Redskins could also look for a left tackle in free agency this year, but nobody on the market comes close to rivaling Williams’ talent.

Play the Waiting Game

This seems like the least likely option for the Redskins, but it could potentially work out in the end. Should Washington choose not to extend Williams, they could keep him on the roster and hope that he’d be willing to play, though that seems unlikely. The team could then look to draft a tackle in 2021, and they would likely get a valuable compensatory pick for Williams once he leaves in free agency.

This seems a bit negligent, though, as the team arguably played the waiting game in 2019 and it didn’t work out too well.

[vertical-gallery id=31288]

Report: Potential trade market for Trent Williams may be quiet for now

Williams made it clear that he wants a trade if not given a new contract, but there may not be a strong trade market for the 31-year-old.

Washington Redskins’ left tackle Trent Williams made his intentions clear on Thursday when he reportedly told the Redskins that he wished to either sign a new contract — one that would likely make him the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL — or be traded to another team.

While the Redskins weigh their decisions and figure out if they want to pay a 31-year-old who hasn’t played in over a year top of the market money, it would seem plausible for Williams to search around the league a bit and figure out what the trade market held for him.

According to a new report from Sports Illustrated’s Michael Silver, the trade market might be a little barren for Williams.

“Has there been any trade interest around the league? So far, no,” Silver said on NFL Network Friday. “Nobody has called Washington saying ‘We’d like to talk about coming and getting Trent Williams.’ Maybe that’ll change.”

The Redskins tried to trade Williams before the trade deadline in 2019, and they reportedly had a suitor in the Cleveland Browns, though the asking price was too high to get a deal done. Now, should Washington make it clear that they don’t intend on giving the seven-time Pro-Bowler an $18 million contract, it could force Trent’s hand.

Should this report hold true, and Williams struggles to find a trading partner, it may possible that gives the Redskins a bit of a break on that new contract.

[vertical-gallery id=31288]

What would a new deal for Trent Williams and the Redskins look like?

Trent Williams is likely to garner top-of-the-market type money, but the Redskins need to decide if they’re willing to make that commitment.

The only thing standing between Trent Williams and a reunion with the Washington Redskins appears to be money, and as some would say, it’s been that way for a while. Though there was some bad blood between the seven-time Pro-Bowler and the old regime, at the core of the dispute between the two parties has always been about cold hard cash.

So, in order to bring the veteran left tackle back to Ashburn, the Redskins will have to sign him to a new deal, as was reported by Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo earlier on Thursday. But what would that deal look like? Well, despite approaching 32 years of age and not having played in over a year, Trent Williams still desires to become the highest-paid tackle in the league, and the Redskins would have to make it so if they desire to keep him around. That means shelling out Lane Johnson money; more than $18 million per season.

That type of commitment can seem scary to some Redskins fans, and rightfully so. There is no guarantee that Williams will ever return to the type of player that he was before the litany of injuries sidelined him for over a year, and carrying that size of cap-hit makes him a liability to the team should something happen and he can’t play, assuming that much of the contract is guaranteed.

With decisions to make on Brandon Scherff and Ryan Kerrigan, the Redskins will now also choose whether or not they want to cough up this chunk of change for Williams as well. I don’t envy the decision-makers in Ashburn.

[vertical-gallery id=31001]

Trent Williams tells Redskins he wants a new contract, or to be traded

Williams talked to the Redskins about a return, and he has reportedly made it clear that he wishes to be traded if not given a new contract.

The Washington Redskins are reportedly close to getting a deal done with Trent Williams, bringing him back to the team for the 2020 season. Redskins coach Ron Rivera said earlier this week that he had met face-to-face with Williams, and felt good about where things stood.

According to NFL Network, there is still some work to be done before the two sides can reach an agreement, however, as Williams desires a new contract before he will agree to anything. He reportedly has told the team that he would either like a new contract or to be traded.

This isn’t anything that we haven’t heard from Williams before. In 2019, he requested to be traded from the team after the relationship with the medical staff, as well as Bruce Allen, had gotten to a point where it was unfixable. This came after he had reportedly been negotiating on a new contract with the Redskins — one in which he would be playing for guaranteed money.

When healthy, Williams is one of the most talented left tackles in all of football, and he hopes to get paid as such. It may be a risk for the Redskins to do so, seeing as he has now gone over a year without playing, but its a risk that they’ll have to take if they hope to get the seven-time Pro-Bowler back in the locker room.

[vertical-gallery id=31001]

Money might be the only thing standing between Trent Williams, Redskins

Trent Williams and the Redskins could be headed toward a reunion.

The mood has all changed between the Washington Redskins and Trent Williams over the last month or so thanks to Ron Rivera.

While things sound like they could be headed for a reunion, it’s starting to make its way public that money could be the final hurdle in the way.

“We’re working through the details,” Rivera said at the combine, according to ESPN.com’s John Keim. “We’re in a good place, a good conversation and we’re going to go from there.”

But Keim goes on to note he’s been told Williams wants to be the NFL’s “highest-paid tackle.”

It’s an odd impasse from one perspective because Williams just missed an entire season. But on the other hand, he’s one of the best left tackles in the league, has one year left with no guaranteed cash and only checks in as the 10th highest-paid tackle on the market in 2020.

But at this point, after massive changes to the coaching staff and front office, plus plenty of cap space, it’s hard to imagine the Redskins don’t take this final step and make something happen on this front.

[vertical-gallery id=31046]