Trent Williams, it appears, will not be purifying himself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka. The disgruntled Redskins tackle has been on the trade block for months and found a potential suitor in the Vikings Friday, though obviously that swap never came to pass.
NFL Network reported that was because Williams, a seven-time Pro Bowler who sat out all of last season following surgery to remove a cancerous growth on his head (lingering scalp soreness ultimately caused him to fail his Redskins physical), had no intention of suiting up for Minnesota. However, the talented 31-year-old, who has been at odds with the Redskins (and particularly the team’s medical staff) for the better part of a year, has since refuted that claim, telling ESPN, “That’s not true.”
Provided he’s healthy, the veteran blind-side protector would have been a great get for the Vikings, who failed to adequately protect Kirk Cousins (Williams' former Washington teammate) in 2019. However, the Vikes acted quickly once the Williams ship sailed, enlisting the services of Boise State tackle Ezra Cleveland with the 58th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Minnesota got great value for Cleveland, a two-time All-Mountain West performer who many pegged as a potential first-rounder before his surprising plunge into the latter half of the second round. Josina Anderson of ESPN reported earlier this week that the Browns were hot on Williams’ trail, but that proved to be a dead end with Cleveland instead opting for highly-regarded Alabama tackle Jedrick Williams, the 10th overall pick in Thursday night’s draft.
There was some hope of reconciliation once Washington hired a new coaching staff headlined by former Panthers bench boss Ron Rivera this offseason, but Williams, who formally requested a trade last month, apparently still wants out. Williams’ trade market has been slow to develop but given their lack of leverage (the 2010 first-rounder has made it abundantly clear he won’t be playing in Landover this year or ever again), the Redskins will have to lower their asking price at some point. The contentious standoff between Williams and Redskins management will continue until that day comes.
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