The Washington Redskins are going to be without Trent Williams for the start of training camp, according to reports.
It was already well-known that Trent Williams wasn’t happy with the Washington Redskins. Reports that he was unhappy with the team’s medical staff and/or wanted more money from the team.
Whatever the reason, it seems that Williams isn’t bluffing. And now, the Redskins are going to be without him for the foreseeable future.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Trent Williams is not expected to report to Redskins training camp on Wednesday. He will remain away from the team and Garafolo said it “could be quite a while” before Williams returns to the squad.
#Redskins LT Trent Williams is not expected to report to training camp with the rest of his teammates this week, sources tell me and @RapSheet. He didn't show for minicamp in June and it could be quite a while before he's back with the team.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 22, 2019
Of course, this was always expected to be the case when Williams’ issues with the team were revealed. Now, it becomes a reality. But as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network pointed out, Williams also has to be cleared to play upon his return after his medical concern this offseason.
When discussing with @MikeGarafolo the expectation that #Redskins LT Trent Williams holds out, it was also important to note that Williams must be cleared to play. And considering the seriousness of his medical scare (with subsequent scalp surgeries), that is not a given.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 22, 2019
That certainly is a concern, but there hasn’t been anything concrete to indicate that Williams won’t be able to go upon his return. We’ll keep an eye on that but while Williams is out, this will be the secondary storyline.
While Williams is out for now, there’s a good chance that he will return to the team before the start of the season. After all, he’s a 31-year-old with a history of knee problems and will certainly want to collect his game checks.
That said, the Redskins can’t treat Williams’ return as a given. They should work towards finding a mutually beneficial resolution. That could involve giving Williams a small raise they could try to move him to a true contender in exchange for a draft pick. The former option would be the most beneficial for the team, as they have little depth at tackle and the idea of starting Geron Christian to begin the year should make the team more than a little bit nervous.
Williams’ situation will likely drag on for at least a few more weeks. At some point, a resolution will likely be reached. But for the time being, he won’t report to the team as the stalemate continues.