Trent Williams - Pro Football Rumors

Jets Not The Frontrunner For Trent Williams

April 22nd, 2020 at 10:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Jets remain interested in Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams, they are not considered the frontrunner for the veteran lineman, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Washington is attempting to move Williams ahead of the draft this week, and they’ve apparently taken over complete control of the process by “closing the window” on allowing Williams and his agent to speak with other clubs. The Redskins are reportedly speaking with multiple teams regarding Williams.

New York has been tied to a Williams acquisition since early March. However, later reports indicated the Redskins were holding out for a second-round pick. The Jets, who hold the 48th overall selection, decided that was too rich an ask.

The Jets made several additions to their offensive line during free agency in signing George Fant, Connor McGovern, and Greg Van Roten, but none are on the level of Williams, who would immediately become the best Jets lineman in quite some time.

Latest On Trent Williams

April 22nd, 2020 at 10:30am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins have “closed the window” on allowing Trent Williams and his agent to seek a trade, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets, Washington has had “some really good constructive conversations” and there is “hope” a trade can be worked out shortly.

So, what does this all mean? It’s possible the Redskins gave Williams and his agent a timeline during which they could attempt to find a trade partner, and it would make sense if that deadline was the week of the draft. That time may have come and gone, so Washington is now asserting more control over the process.

As of this morning, the Redskins are still discussing Williams with multiple teams. They’d likely want to have a trade in place by draft day and acquire as many 2020 selections as possible. Of course, dealing Williams is no easy task: not only does he want a new contract, but, given his health issues, he’ll be subject to a robust physical, which isn’t a small hurdle thanks to COVID-19 concerns.

Williams, 31, has one year and a $12.5MM base salary remaining on his current contract. While some reports have indicated he wants to become the NFL’s highest-paid tackle with a new deal that averages something near $20MM annually, Williams’ agent has denied those claims.

Bucs Nearly Traded O.J. Howard For Trent Williams

April 22nd, 2020 at 10:08am CST by Dallas Robinson

Now that Rob Gronkowski has joined Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, incumbent Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard has become an even more obvious trade candidate than he previously was. Turns, out, the Bucs already tried to deal him earlier this year.

Two months ago, Tampa Bay nearly traded Howard to the Redskins in exchange for offensive tackle Trent Williams, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. It’s unclear if the proposed swap would have involved other players or draft picks, but in either case, the deal fell through.

Williams, of course, has been on the trade block for some time, and may still be moved this week. Had Tampa Bay been able to acquire him, Williams almost surely would have taken over at left tackle, allowing the Buccaneers to move Donovan Smith to the right side and improving their offensive line in one fell swoop.

Notably, talks involving Howard and the Redskins occurred before Brady decided on Tampa Bay and before Gronkowski came out of retirement to join him. That’s perhaps not altogether surprising, as Howard was reportedly available since the 2019 trade deadline. But a Howard deal makes all the more sense now given that Gronk has made his way to the Buccaneers.

Howard, who’s posted 34 receptions in each of the past two seasons, has one year plus a 2021 option remaining on his contract. Tampa Bay — or whatever team potentially acquires Howard — has until May 5 to exercise that option, which would be fully guaranteed.

Redskins Discussing Trent Williams Trade With Multiple Teams

April 22nd, 2020 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are talking with multiple teams about a potential Trent Williams trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. If a deal is going to happen, they’d like to get it done ASAP in order to recoup draft picks for this weekend. Of course, any Williams deal would require a thorough physical, and that’s trickier than usual.

The Browns have been keeping a watchful eye on the situation and they’re not the only team that would be interested in picking up the multiple time Pro Bowler. The Jets, in theory, would love to add the veteran left tackle, though they’ve been unwilling to cough up a second-round pick thus far. Even if they changed their minds, a second-round pick might not be enough.

As it stands, Williams is set to earn $12.5MM in base salary under his current contract, which expires after the 2020 season. Any team that acquires him will have to negotiate a new long-term pact with the standout offensive lineman and that deal would probably be a market shifter. In addition to his medical history, there’s also his age to consider. Williams will turn 32 in July.

The Vikings have also been connected to Williams as they look to better protect Kirk Cousins. It’d be a logical fit, especially given their history together. For now, the Vikes have Riley Reiff penciled in at left tackle, though they’re still exploring their options.

Trent Williams “Still On The Table” For Browns

April 21st, 2020 at 9:17am CST by Ben Levine

Trent Williams could still be an option for Cleveland. ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that the offensive lineman is “still on the table” for the Browns. While a deal isn’t imminent, the Browns front office continues to monitor the situation.

The Browns have shown interest in Williams for months, but there were rumblings that the Andrew Berry-led regime wasn’t as infatuated with the player as the John Dorsey-led regime had been. The Dorsey-led regime had offered Washington a second-rounder back in October, but the Redskins declined that offer. It’s uncertain (and unlikely) that that offer is still on the table.

In fact, it sounds unlikely that the Redskins will be able to acquire a first- or second-rounder from any team. We heard earlier this week that the Jets, who have also been connected to Williams, are still unwilling to part with a second-round pick. The veteran’s commands for a new contracts are somewhat complicating trade negotiations, especially if Williams is adamant about getting paid $20MM/year. There’s some belief around the NFL that the Redskins will ultimately cut the disgruntled 31-year-old.

Former Redskins GM Scot McCloughan is among those who believe the lineman is worth the asking price. Speaking to Team 980’s Kevin Sheehan, McCloughan said Williams would still be taken in the first round of the upcoming draft, even at his current age.

“He’d be the first tackle taken this year in the draft, hands down — even at his age (31),’’ McCloughan said (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “You know what you’ve got. You bring him in, you’re going get three to four years out of him, and it’s going to be Pro Bowl years, that’s legit one of the top five tackles in the NFL, hands down, right now.’’

AFC East Notes: Jets, Williams, Thuney, Dolphins

April 19th, 2020 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Throughout the offseason, the Jets have been unwilling to part with a second-round pick for Trent Williams. With days to go before the draft, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY hears that their position hasn’t changed.

And, even if the Jets were willing to cough up a second-round pick, Vacchiano doesn’t think that would be enough to bring the Redskins’ left tackle to Gang Green.

More on the Jets and the rest of the AFC East:

The Jets want to keep Jamal Adams for the long haul, but they’re also willing to slow-play negotiations to get the best possible price, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes. Meanwhile, Adams’ camp has not set a deadline for talks, so the Jets don’t feel rushed or pressured to get something done. As it stands, Adams is under contract through the 2020 season, and the Jets also hold a fifth-year option on his deal that could take him through 2021.
If rival teams call with trade interest in guard Joe Thuney, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss expects the Patriots to pick up the phone and listen with an open mind. The Pats stunned everyone by using the franchise tag on Thuney, cuffing him at a $14.78MM rate for 2020. That’s not Bill Belichick‘s style, of course, so Reiss thinks he’d consider dealing Thuney if they’re offered a second-round choice or even a high third-rounder.
The Dolphins have done lots of homework on mid-round running backs and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wouldn’t be surprised to see them come out of draft weekend with two new RBs. They’ve also done lots of interviews with kickers like Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship, which could spell the end for Jason Sanders.
After undergoing wrist and groin surgeries, Jerry Hughes says he’s “on schedule” for the 2020 season (via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News). That’s fantastic news for the Bills, who hope to feature Hughes at defensive end alongside Trent Murphy and newcomer Mario Addison.

East Notes: Williams, Mills, Flowers

April 1st, 2020 at 11:52am CST by Rory Parks

Trent Williams has been one of the most-discussed players in the NFL for about a year now, and it presently does not sound like the Redskins are close to trading their disgruntled left tackle. One of the more overlooked talking points, however, is what happens if a trade is not completed?

We recently heard that the team does not plan to release Williams, which means he would remain under contract with the Redskins through 2020. And holding out wouldn’t earn him any leverage with the Redskins or with a team interested in trading for him, so as Albert Breer of SI.com writes, Williams would have no choice but to play for Washington next season. He clearly does not want that to happen, but at this point, his clearest path to a lucrative new deal may be to stick it out for one more season with the ‘Skins and prove he is still a top-tier LT.

Let’s round up a few more items from the league’s east divisions:

CB Kendall Fuller is back with the Redskins on a four-year deal, and he tells John Keim of ESPN.com that a number of factors brought him back to D.C. The Baltimore native played his collegiate ball at Virginia Tech and was drafted by the Redskins in 2016, so Washington is home for him. He also cited new head coach Ron Rivera and Rivera’s reputation for developing CBs as a draw, along with the defensive staff as a whole. Fuller indicated that he does not know if he will play primarily in the slot or outside the numbers (Twitter links).
The Eagles brought back Jalen Mills on a one-year, $4MM pact, and the club plans on transitioning him from cornerback to safety in the wake of Malcolm Jenkins‘ departure. Mills says that Philadelphia was the only team that wanted to move him to safety (Twitter link via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP), but obviously that switch was agreeable to the 2016 seventh-rounder. It’s fair to wonder, however, exactly how much interest Mills was generating as a CB on the open market.
Ereck Flowers couldn’t hack it as an offensive tackle in the NFL, but he has reinvented himself as a guard and parlayed a strong showing at LG with Washington in 2019 into a surprising three-year, $30MM contract with the Dolphins last month. This will not come as much of a surprise, but Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald says Miami intends to have Flowers line up at guard, though his experience at tackle made him attractive to head coach Brian Flores, who clearly targeted FAs with positional versatility.
The Bills opted against giving WR/KR Isaiah McKenzie an RFA tender, but they did re-sign him to a one-year pact just the same. McKenzie told Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News that he did have other free agent offers, but despite the fact that he is unlikely to see more playing time with the Bills in 2020 than he did in 2019, his preference was to return to Buffalo (Twitter link).

Trent Williams Not Asking For $20MM/Year?

March 26th, 2020 at 2:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

A quality back-and-forth battle between the Redskins and Trent Williams‘ camp has formed over the acclaimed left tackle’s asking price for what would be his third NFL contract. Team Williams insists it is not as high as what has been reported.

While Williams is believed to want a new contract post-trade, Williams’ agent, Vince Taylor, said — during an appearance on 106.7 The Fan — reports of his client wanting a $20MM-per-year deal are “totally false.”

Multiple reports this month linked Williams to seeking a tackle-record contract; SI.com’s Albert Breer reiterated this as an issue for teams during a Wednesday appearance on 106.7. Williams’ contract demands are believed to be a bigger impediment toward a deal than the Redskins’ asking price of a second-round pick.

However, Taylor said multiple teams called Washington’s asking price “outrageous.” He hopes the Redskins will release Williams, but a report earlier Thursday indicated that will not happen. One year and $12.5MM remains on the soon-to-be 32-year-old left tackle’s contract. Taylor added that a $16MM offer would not be out of step. With Williams having not played since 2018 and having run into injury trouble on a few fronts over the past few years, that price will probably be too high as well.

“If we could get to a point where we could talk about those numbers, that would not be a holdup for us,” Taylor said. “The contract has never been the holdup. The Redskins prior to the Combine put Trent on the trade market. They had him on [the trade block] maybe 10 days, and even through the Combine, which is the biggest business platform for teams looking to wheel and deal. Upon leaving the Combine, the Redskins had not gotten one offer that they could bring to Trent and I so that I could negotiate our side.”

The Browns, Jets and Vikings have been mentioned as interested parties, but it does not look like a deal is close at this point.

Latest On Trent Williams Market

March 26th, 2020 at 9:12am CST by Sam Robinson

Thursday marks three weeks since the new Redskins regime gave Trent Williams permission to seek a trade, but he remains on Washington’s roster. The Redskins’ search continues, however.

Some teams around the league appear to believe the Redskins will end up cutting their longtime left tackle, but John Keim of ESPN.com notes the team will not do that. Washington remains intent on prying a second-round pick from a team in exchange for its disgruntled blocker. Williams’ contract demands have likely interfered.

Mentioned from the jump as a Williams suitor, the Jets remain uninterested in surrendering their second-round pick (No. 48 overall), and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes Williams’ hopes for a raise have hindered Jets-Redskins trade talks as much as compensation has. Just as contract demands played a role in lessening the compensation the Steelers received for Antonio Brown and, apparently, what the Texans got for DeAndre Hopkins, Williams’ aims have impacted the Redskins’ trade talks.

He may want a deal in the $20MM-per-year ballpark, Mehta adds. No offensive lineman currently earns that, though Laremy Tunsil‘s Texans extension may make him the first. Williams is set to earn $12.5MM in base salary under his current contract, which expires after the 2020 season. Although Williams is a seven-time Pro Bowler, he will be 32 next season and has experienced steady health issues over the past few years.

A new suitor may also be in the mix. The Vikings have expressed Williams interest, Keim adds. Williams blocked for Kirk Cousins for the better part of his three-plus-season run as Washington’s starter, and the Redskins have pegged the Vikings as a team in a win-now window and, thus, one that would be a logical Williams destination, per Keim. Minnesota still has Riley Reiff penciled in at left tackle, though he has been mentioned as a cut candidate.

The Browns continue to show interest, but Keim cautions that the Andrew Berry regime does not look to be as interested as the John Dorsey-led front office was. Cleveland offered Washington a second-rounder for Williams last year, but then-Redskins president Bruce Allen turned that down.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Ravens, Steelers

March 23rd, 2020 at 9:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns have long been mentioned as the primary suitor for Redskins left tackle Trent Williams, and while no trade is on the immediate horizon, Williams does remain an option for Cleveland, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. At the moment, Washington is asking for too much in trade compensation, while Williams is demanding too expensive an extension. If either of those prices drops, the Browns could make a move for a (much-needed) new blindside protector.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

While the Browns are still considering Williams, Vikings safety Anthony Harris –= whom Cleveland has reportedly considered in trade — is no longer an option for the Browns, per Cabot. Minnesota apparently wants at least a third-round pick in order to part with Harris, while the 28-year-old defensive back would want a new deal to supersede his franchise tag. Instead of pursuing Harris, the Browns signed free agent safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo.
Franchise-tagged edge rusher Matthew Judon is not close to reaching a new deal with the Ravens, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Judon will earn $15.828MM in 2020 if he sticks on the franchise tender, but he was reportedly asking for $20MM annually earlier this year, per Zrebiec, who adds that asking price may have since come down. The 28-year-old Judon played 80.8% of Baltimore’s snaps last season and posted a career-high 8.5 sacks.
Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has been eyeing an extension since at least January, and according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the 30-year-old should receive a new deal “soon.” Heyward, is set to earn $9.5MM and count for ~13.25MM on the Steelers’ salary cap in 2020. An extension would give Heyward more immediate cash but likely lower his cap charge for next season.