Jan 7, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams watches pregame warmups prior to the game against the Detroit Lions in the 2011 NFC Wild Card Playoff game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

For Redskins and New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, has been reinstated to the NFL and he may now join the Tennessee Titans who were hot on his trail.

Williams was widely believed to be the mastermind behind the now infamous “Bounty-gate” scandal that got Saints Front Office, coaching and certain defensive players in extremely hot water from the league.  While Williams was banned indefinitely  the head coach Sean Payton was banner for only one year.

Williams will not prepare to head to Nashville to head up the Titans defensive unit.

The Titans announced today that they have hired Williams, and that the league office has confirmed to the team that he has been reinstated and is welcome to return.

“Commissioner Roger Goodell today notified Gregg Williams and the Tennessee Titans thatWilliams’ contract with the Titans has been approved and that he has been reinstated,” the team said in a statement. “The commissioner cited several reasons for the reinstatement, including Williams’ forthcoming acknowledgement of and acceptance of responsibility for his role in the bounty program at the Saints, his commitment to never again be involved in a pay-for-performance or bounty system, and his pledge to teach safe play and respect for the rules at all levels of the game. The commissioner emphasized that Williams must fully conform to league rules and will be subject to periodic monitoring to confirm his compliance.”

This is Williams’ second stint with the franchise, having previously worked from the team from 1990 to 2000. His new title will be senior assistant for defense, and head coach Mike Munchak said he’s excited about what Williams can do for his team.

“I have known Gregg for over two decades and have seen him work his way up from a quality control coach to a head coach,” Munchak said. “He will bring a great deal of defensive knowledge and energy to our staff. The decision to bring him here only came after going through a thoughtful and thorough process.”

With Williams back, all of the suspensions for both players and coaches handed out in the Saints’ bounty scandal have come to an end, concluding one of the most controversial chapters of NFL history.

August 12, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams during the first half of a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Louisiana Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Allstate gives people second chances on their car insurance… they call it “accident forgiveness.”

Kids try to get second chances in games they play with their friends… they call it a “do-over.”

Chris Brown got a second chance with Rihanna… while I call it stupid, they call it “starting over.”

But what about Roger Goodell? (more…)

You most likely know by now, but the New Orleans Saints were found guilty of running a “bounty program” with their defense from 2009 to 2011, with former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams at the reigns. He is accused of paying players for “taking opponents out”, sometimes extra if that player was carted off the field. The Redskins are now also being linked to the bounty system, as Williams was a coach in Washington from ’04 to ’07. But, most ESPN analysts are saying the Saints will face a much “harsher” penalty, mostly because of evidence(50,000 pages) and it occurred in the last couple of years,  while the NFL has been attempting to take those kind of hits out of the game.

Now, the question is what will the penalty be? How hard is the NFL going to hit the Saints?  Will coaches and/or players who participated get suspensions?

I personally believe the NFL will make an example out of the Saints, a big one. A couple first round picks, all 22-27 players involved fined, then suspended for at least one game, and a huge fine for the team. Now, what I say next may upset the Who Dat nation, but it could very easily happen: Sean Payton suspended for 2-6 games due to his role in the “bounty program”. No, it wasn’t a major role, or even a direct role, but he did nothing to stop it when he learned what was happening.

So you may be thinking again, how does this relate to Washington?

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is not only known for his amazing play, but also his squeaky clean image. Let’s say Coach Sean Payton gets hit with a 6-game suspension, and the team loses key defensive players for a few games due to thier roles in the “program”. Being that the Saints and Brees are currently in disagreement about a long term contract, Brees may want out (this is just a prediction people). That’s is when the Redskins and swoop in and offer Drew a contract he can’t refuse. Sure, it’s unlikely, but think about it. This could easily tarnish the Saints reputation, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this scandal pushes Carl Nicks and Marques Colston out of the door, both of whom are on the Redskins’ radar. Yes, Brees loves the city, and the city loves him more, but he may not want to stick around for the heat the Saints are set to receive in the aftermath of this situation.

The odds of Wasington landing Brees aren’t big, but it could happen. I think it’s safe to say all of the free agents with the Saints are now reconsidering signing with the team. This could end up being huge for the Redskins, assuming they are not punished as well.

So what do you think? Brees? Nicks? Colston? Could all possibly have a chance of landing in Washington? We’ll definitely find out in the coming weeks, and see what “the harshest penalty ever handed down to an NFL team” will be.

What do you think Redskins nation?