Trent Williams - Pro Football Rumors

Vikings Still Pursuing Trent Williams

April 24th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings are still in the mix for Trent Williams, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Earlier this month, the Vikings offered up a Day 3 pick to the Redskins, Cronin hears. Heading into Day 2 of the draft, the Vikings still have the draft capital in place to put a package together, so a deal remains possible.

Of course, it all comes down to what the Vikings are willing to offer for Williams – who would require a sizable contract extension upon arrival – and what the Redskins are willing to accept. Throughout the offseason, they’ve indicated they wanted at least a second-rounder for the multiple-time Pro Bowler.

To our knowledge, no one has met that asking price. But, after several suitors and potential suitors found left tackle help in the first round, the Redskins will have to dial back their expectations. The Browns were the frontrunners for Williams; they took Alabama standout Jedrick Wills Jr. with the No. 10 overall pick. The Jets, who were never willing to send a second-round pick for Williams anyway, grabbed Louisville’s Mekhi Becton at No. 11. The Buccaneers almost traded tight end O.J. Howard for Williams earlier this year, but they moved on and likely slammed the door shut with their move up for Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs.

The market for Williams has shrunk and chances of a reconciliation seem remote, so the Vikings could get one of the league’s premier protectors for pennies on the dollar.

Eagles Not Interested In Trent Williams

April 23rd, 2020 at 8:06am CST by Zachary Links

Michelangelo supposedly carved his statue of David by chipping away the pieces of marble that did not look like David. That, perhaps, will be the method to figuring out Trent Williams‘ next destination.

A rumor circulating on Thursday morning linked the Eagles to the Redskins left tackle, but they are not interested in acquiring him, a source tells PFT’s Mike Florio (Twitter link). That source says there’s “zero truth” to such talk.

Florio speculates that the initial rumor could have been planted by Washington to drum up a larger market than they presently have for Williams. So far, the Browns have been the most aggressive club in talks, and they might be the only team making a serious offer.

Plenty of teams would like to have the multiple-time Pro Bowler, but few clubs seem willing to part with significant assets, since they’d also have to give Williams a massive new contract. There’s also his age (32 in July) and medical history to consider.

To recap: The Eagles are not looking to acquire Williams, who would be largely redundant given the availability of Jason Peters and 2019 first-round choice Andre Dillard. The Bucs, who nearly traded O.J. Howard for the veteran left tackle two months ago, haven’t revisited discussions with the Redskins. Ditto for the Vikings, who showed interest in March. The Jets, unwilling to cough up a second-round pick, are not the frontrunners.

As far as we know, the Browns are in the driver’s seat. With ample leg room.

Buccaneers Haven’t Pursued Redskins’ Trent Williams This Week

April 22nd, 2020 at 3:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Two months ago, the Buccaneers nearly shipped tight end O.J. Howard to the Redskins in a deal that would have landed them Trent Williams. However, there are no active talks on Williams between the two teams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.

Taking finances out of consideration, the Howard-for-Williams scenario would make more sense than ever right now. The arrival of Rob Gronkowski arguably makes Howard an expendable luxury and the Bucs still need quality protection for Tom Brady. Meanwhile, the Redskins are still looking to solidify the tight end position after parting ways with Jordan Reed. While sensible – again, when taking cap limitations and Williams’ demand for a hefty new contract out of the equation – nothing seems to be in the works between the Redskins and Bucs at present.

Instead, the Redskins could look to mid-round tight end options in this year’s class, or explore the late wave of available veterans. Last week, the Bears put Trey Burton on the free agent pile – he could be a low-risk option on a one-year deal with a modest base and incentives.

For the Bucs, the lack of Williams talk may signal a trade up for one of this year’s best offensive linemen. Bucs GM Jason Licht is already burning up the phone lines to explore a move, one that could put him in range for Mekhi Becton (Louisville), Jedrick Wills (Alabama), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa), or Andrew Thomas (Georgia).

Vikings Expressed Interest In Trent Williams A Month Ago

April 22nd, 2020 at 2:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Vikings have previously expressed interest in Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams, but the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement, as John Keim of ESPN.com reports. Minnesota’s interest came about a month ago, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.

Per Anderson, “nothing has transpired” between the Vikings and Redskins since that initial interest is conveyed. But it’s entirely possible Minnesota could continue to work the phones on Williams as we head into draft day. The Vikings currently hold five picks within the top-105, so they should certainly have the draft capital to make a move for Williams if they want to.

Riley Reiff has manned left tackle for the Vikings in each of the past three seasons, but he’d presumably move to guard if Minnesota were to acquire Williams. The Vikings’ front five was an above-average unit in 2019, ranking seventh in Football Outsiders‘ run-blocking metric and 14th in FO’s pass-blocking charting.

Washington has reportedly taken over the Williams trade process from Williams and his agent. Any club that picks up Williams will need to put him through an exhaustive physical exam, and will probably need to extend his contract. He’s currently signed only through the 2020 campaign.

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.