Redskins training camp is almost here. And Trent Williams‘ holdout hasn’t yet ended. Here’s how that holdout could impact the Redskins in training camp.
The Washington Redskins have a tackle problem on their hand. They have two good starters in Trent Williams and Morgan Moses, but they have little depth behind them.
Normally, lacking depth wouldn’t have the makings of a major problem this early in training camp. However, Williams is electing to hold out from the Redskins at this point in time. There’s no knowing how long he could choose to sit, so the club could have a catastrophe on their hands if he doesn’t show up.
Even if he does show up before the regular season, they will still have a problem to deal with a training camp, as their lacking depth could be tested. And if, god forbid, one of their players suffers and injury or misses time for any reason, they could be without any quality players at a key position.
Needless to say, the Redskins are going to miss Williams in training camp. Here’s the impact that his absence could have on them in both the short and long term.
Williams’ 2018 season
Last season was a trying one for Williams, but the 31-year-old still proved to be one fo the best tackles in the NFL.
Though Williams was active for 13 games, he struggled with injuries throughout the year. He dealt with a knee injury that had given him issues in 2017, and that’s what caused him to have to provide maintenance on knee and take some games off.
Despite his injury issues, Williams was still solid on the field. He finished the season ranked as the No. 21 tackle per Pro Football Focus. Considering his injury issues, that is fairly impressive and indicates that he should be able to still be one of the league’s better options when fully healthy.
Of course, being fully healthy may never happen again, so that may be an unrealistic goal. But even if he is banged-up, he still proved that he can be a good starter and he did continue his streak of consecutive Pro Bowls.
On a Washington line that hasn’t been deep in recent seasons, having Williams is a major boon. But the big question is whether or not the team will have him. And that will be spotlighted at training camp.
What Williams must show at training camp
At training camp, there’s only one thing that the Redskins will want Williams to show.
Up. They want him to show up.
At this point in time, it’s unclear whether or not Williams is going to do that. He is reportedly holding out from the team. Some have reported that it was due to an issue with the team’s medical staff. Others have said that Williams wants a raise after seeing some new tackle contracts. But, whatever the reason, Williams may not be at the start of training camp as he holds out. And that’s something that the ‘Skins really won’t like.
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The Redskins don’t have a lot of depth at tackle (more on that later) and without Williams, the team could be shorthanded. That won’t be a good thing, especially if they’re forced to use Ereck Flowers at tackle. Having Williams return at least early in training camp or the preseason would give them some more certainty on that line, so the team will hopefully work out his contract situation soon.
Elsewhere, the other big thing that the Redskins will need Williams to do is be healthy. Williams has impressively gutted through injuries in recent seasons, sacrificing himself to help the team win, but he hasn’t played a full season since 2013. He has still played in double-digit games every year, including 13 last year, but Washington would like to see him on the field in 16 games. And at the very least, they’ll want to ensure that his knee is in good shape so they can have a maintenance plan for Williams during the rest of the offseason and regular season.
But again, there’s no guarantee that Williams will show up during training camp. He may wait until the preseason. Or maybe he won’t come back until the regular season. And if that happens, the holdout will have a major impact on the Redskins.
The impact Williams’ holdout could have on the Redskins
If Williams doesn’t return before the start of the regular season, the Redskins are going to be very thin at tackle. On the right side, they will be set, as they have Morgan Moses. Moses has started all 16 games in each of the past four seasons and has been one of the more solid right tackles in the league.
But beyond Moses, there is a lot of uncertainty.
With Williams out, former 2018 third-round pick Geron Christian will be the starter at left tackle. And that’s a big risk. While the Redskins invested a Day 2 pick in Christian, he didn’t look ready for the NFL last season. He struggled in the preseason and barely played in the regular season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He was limited in OTAs and minicamp this year as a result, so he’s still coming back from that as well. The team will probably keep a close eye on him in training camp, as they won’t want their projected swing tackle to reaggravate that injury.
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And if you thought the dropoff from Williams and Moses to Christian was big, just check out the dropoff after that. The team’s fourth tackle is likely to be a battle between human turnstile Ereck Flowers, who the team wants to move to guard but may have to play at tackle because of their lack of depth, and a plethora of unproven, undrafted players like Tyler Catalina, Timon Parris, Brian Wallace, and Blake Hance. It’s possible that one could emerge as a solid contributor, but at this point in time, that is far from a guarantee.
Of the bunch, Catalina and Parris have the most experience in the Redskins system with two and one years on the squad respectively. Catalina got some praise during OTAs, so maybe he is making the leap.
In terms of actual NFL experience, Flowers has the most with 59 games (55 starts) mostly at left tackle. But again, he has struggled immensely at that position and the team wants to move him to left guard. So, he can’t be counted on.
Unless one of the Redskins’ deep backups shows very well, the team won’t be in good shape without Williams. Trusting one as a fourth tackle is one thing. But utilizing one as a swing tackle, even in the preseason, could be a disaster as the team looks to protect their rookie quarterback, Dwayne Haskins (or whoever the starter may be).
2019 outlook for Williams
It’s tough to say what the exact outlook for Williams will be, as much of it depends on exactly when his holdout ends.
If Williams returns to the team before or during the preseason — or even just a bit before the start of the regular season — he should continue to be one of the better left tackles in the NFL. He has proven to be consistent throughout the years even when fighting through injuries. So, there’s no reason to expect a massive dropoff.
However, if Williams holds out into the season, the Redskins are going to lose a lot of value from his lack of presence. They will be forced to play inexperienced players at the position and could find themselves behind the eight-ball before Williams even plays a snap. And if that’s the case, even getting him back midway through the season won’t help much if the team isn’t at least staying somewhat competitive.
And if that happens, the team could just opt to try and offload Williams in a trade, as a contender may value his presence more than the Redskins.
Figuring out Williams’ situation is going to be important for the Redskins. They will start to feel the pressure about reaching an agreement with him once training camp begins. Perhaps that will be a catalyst for the team in regards to bringing him back into camp.