With the Oct. 29 trade deadline a mere day away, the time is running out for teams to bring that lost piece to town in pursuit of bolstering the roster. One of the biggest names out there is tackle Trent Williams, who has been the focus of trade rumors despite the Washington Redskins saying that a move won’t happen. However, the situation changed on Monday when NFL insider Ian Rapoport revealed that the team is now open to a potential deal.
“At long last, the Washington Redskins, sources say, are open to dealing Trent Williams, their franchise left tackle who has been holding out since forever,” Rapoport said on Monday. “[He’s] frustrated with the team’s medical staff, frustrated with a lot of things regarding the team. Obviously, [he] wants a new contract as well.”
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At this point, the potential compensation is unknown, but the Redskins could be searching for an early draft pick in return for Williams. The team is out of playoff contention due to a 1-7 record, so they are now focusing on building for the future and accumulating picks.
From NFL Now: The #Redskins are finally open to trading holdout and LT Trent Williams with 24 hours to go before the trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/skXjB7Yzdk
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 28, 2019
If the deal is possible, which team will make the move? Rapoport said that no specific team has been mentioned as a possible destination just yet, but the Redskins are currently examining all options.
The most likely candidate at this point is Cleveland. Back on Oct. 19, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Browns’ GM John Dorsey had been calling Washington every single week in pursuit of a potential trade. He had been shut down every time, but that didn’t prevent him from continuing to reach out.
Williams has not been in the lineup due to holding out amid frustrations with the team and the medical staff. Back in July 2019, it was revealed that Williams “did not like how the medical staff handled his cancer scare last year.” He eventually went to his own doctors and learned he had a precancerous growth on his scalp. The left tackle underwent surgery and later declared that he was done playing for the NFC East team.
The 31-year-old Williams has made the Pro Bowl seven consecutive seasons despite not having played in all 16 games since the 2013 season. This streak will end this season given that he hasn’t suited up, but the Browns and other teams will hope that Williams can immediately step into the starting rotation and make a difference.
(Photo Credit: David Banks/Getty)
