Who do you think is going to blink first?
It’s obvious that both the Washington Redskins and veteran left tackle Trent Williams have been in a staring contest for the past year or so, seeing who would break and give in to the other’s whims. The latest installment of this game came on Tuesday morning with Vincent Taylor, Trent’s agent, posted to Twitter, calling for the Redskins to trade or release Williams.
He also claimed that the team has been unwilling to accept a trade and that they have not been acting in good faith, having inconsistent demands on what they would take in return.
If you were to read between the lines of Taylor’s post, it seems that Williams and his representatives have brought a few trades to the feet of the Redskins, but Ron Rivera and the rest of the group said no, likely due to the lack of compensation. Washington has long been rumored to desire as high of a pick as they can get for their blue-chip player, which is likely to be a second- or third-rounder. The problem, though, is that any team who trades that high of a pick for Williams will then have to turn around and pay him an extension, where he is demanding between $18-20 million per season. If a team is going to pay him that, they might also be unwilling to give up so much for him in the first place.
So basically, Trent wants the Redskins to lower their asking price, and accept a mid-level draft pick in return. Washington in return likely wants Williams to lower his own price, so that they can keep their value high. It’s unlikely that Trent will A) be traded for a high-round pick, and B) sign an extension that sees him become the highest-paid tackle in the league. Something’s got to give, so now it’s a matter of who gives in.
The Redskins have the upper hand, as they’ve shown that they’re willing to be patient when it comes to Williams, allowing him to hold out for most of the 2019 season. Williams is also getting older, and another season lost would be detrimental to his career. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement also is harsh to players who hold out as well.
So, will the Redskins show some kindness to this letter from Taylor and give Trent what he wants? It’s possible, but not probable. Will Trent lower his asking price in order to make a deal more likely? Seems like a last-case resort, but we might be getting to the last case. Williams has been quiet about this situation for a long time, and now we hear his side speaking up. It’s likely because they see it going down a bad path for the veteran LT, and they need to speak up before it gets out of control.
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