Answering the biggest questions about Redskins potentially trading Trent Williams

Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - JANUARY 10: Tight end Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins celebrates with teammate tackle Trent Williams #71 after scoring a second-quarter touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at FedExField on January 10, 2016 in Landover, Maryland.(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Washington Redskins are reportedly considering trading Trent Williams. Here are answers to some of the biggest questions about any trade.

The Redskins have been busy over the course of the past week or so. Since training camp began, they have been shuffling their offensive line quite a bit. They have added three new players to the mix while cutting ties with Tyler Catalina and Casey Dunn in recent days. And, there is a reason why.

At the moment, the Redskins’ star left tackle, Trent Williams, is holding out of camp. Depending on who you listen to, it’s either about money…or he has vowed never to play for the team again. But either way, he’s not in camp and there’s no end in sight for his holdout.

As a result, the Redskins have reportedly had trade discussions involving Williams. It’s important to note that these could be exploratory, and the front office may just be trying to see what they could get for Williams if he does, in fact, decide not to show up. But, after signing so many players on the offensive line, it is notable that they are at least looking into a Williams trade.

The ‘Skins well could end up keeping Williams, but if they do decide to trade him, they will have to answer some questions and weigh whether or not a deal is truly worth it.

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 11: Trent Williams #71 of the Washington Redskins reacts after Robert Alford #23 of the Atlanta Falcons returned an interception for a touchdown in their 25-19 loss at Georgia Dome on October 11, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

What could the Redskins get for him?

So, let’s take a breath and contextualize things before we jump to conclusions. Williams is one of the best left tackles in the NFL — if not, the best — so he should fetch a solid return. However, there are some concerns with him that need to be monitored.

The first is that Williams has dealt with injuries over the course of the past few seasons. And last year, he dealt with a knee issue for a second consecutive season. That said, Williams has been able to play through the injury, so it appears to be a pain management issue. Still, he has missed 13 games over the course of the last three seasons, so the injury concerns are there.

Additionally, Williams is entering his age-31 season. While he still could have a handful of great years left in the tank, he is at the age where he could begin to fall off. This is especially worrisome when coupled with the injury issues, so that could drive down his price a bit.

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Okay, so those are the negatives. Now, the positives. Williams is still one of the better blocking left tackles in the league. When on the field, he has been a force for the Redskins and he should be able to succeed elsewhere. In a league where offensive line performance is key and developing younger players is difficult, Williams could represent the perfect veteran upgrade for an offensive line-needy contender.

The last time a franchise left tackle was traded came when the Houston Texans traded Dwayne Brown to the Seattle Seahawks. Brown isn’t quite as talented as Williams, but he is as solid as they come. Brown was sent to Seattle along with a fifth-round pick in exchange for second and third-round selections. Williams could fetch something similar as a high-end estimate. But, his medicals could come into play. Still, the team should get at least a Day 2 pick in exchange for Williams and likely, more.

Williams won’t quite fetch a first-round pick in a deal unless several teams got into a bidding war. But recouping the second-round pick the Redskins lost in the Montez Sweat trade would certainly be nice. Now, it’s just a matter of finding the right trade partner. That shouldn’t be too hard, given the number of teams that could use offensive line help.

HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 25: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans is contratulated by Julie’n Davenport #70 and Senio Kelemete #64 after a touchdown pass in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at NRG Stadium on October 25, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Which teams might be interested in Williams?

Frankly speaking, most teams would be interested in adding a franchise-caliber left tackle to their squad. Of course, because Williams is 31, he only seems likely to draw interest from contenders. And Williams would probably want to play for a contender if he leaves Washington.

Here’s a look at a handful of teams that could benefit from targeting Williams.

Houston Texans. The Texans have one of the worst offensive lines in the league, and it could cost them big-time. Deshaun Watson was sacked a league-high 62 times last season, and that’s unacceptable.

Washington Commanders

To fix their issues on the line this offseason, the team signed Matt Kalil (a bad blocker), overdrafted Tytus Howard in the first round of the NFL Draft, and selected Max Scharping in Round 2. That doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of hope. If the Texans were to dangle a second-round pick and another late-round pick, they could potentially get Williams, who would be a massive upgrade at left tackle for the squad.

Cleveland Browns. The plan this offseason was for the Browns to have Greg Robinson and Desmond Harrison compete for the starting left tackle job. Well, that didn’t go as planned. Harrison was waived by the team for showing up late to team events, so they only have Robinson now. Williams would be an ideal blindside protector for Mayfield and would push Robinson into the swing role he’s better suited for. Plus, getting Williams would offset the loss of top-tier guard, Kevin Zeitler.

Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings would have to get creative with their cap space to add Williams, but never underestimate teams’ ability to create space to add talent. Williams would be an upgrade at left tackle and could allow the Vikings to move Riley Reiff to right tackle, strengthening two positions in one fell swoop. Perhaps offloading the expiring contract of Trae Waynes to another team while offering up a Day 2 pick for Williams could get the job done.

New England Patriots. Right now, the Patriots have Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon penciled in as their starters at the tackle positions. But Wynn has been somewhat limited in camp and former undrafted free agent and journeyman Dan Skipper has taken a good chunk of the snaps in his place as a result. Yodny Cajuste is likely to start the year on the NFI list, so the Patriots need some tackle depth. Williams would give that and more.

Williams’ presence would allow the team to bring along Wynn, who missed his rookie season with an Achilles tear, as a top swing tackle and super-sub on the offensive line. That could be beneficial for his development. It’s all just a matter of whether or not Bill Belichick would want to pay the price for a guy like Williams.

TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 30: Tackle Donald Penn #72 of the Oakland Raiders catches a touchdown pass in the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to tie the game at 10-10 at Raymond James Stadium on October 30, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Joseph Garnett Jr. /Getty Images)

How does the offensive line shake out without Williams?

If Williams is, in fact, traded, the Redskins would have a new look at the offensive tackle position and on the offensive line in general.

Let’s start with what would remain the same. On the right side of the line, Morgan Moses would remain at right tackle and Brandon Scherff will stay at right guard. Both are very strong at their respective positions, so there is no need to move either. The same can be said of Chase Roullier, who played every snap for the team last year at center and was solid.

The left side of the line is where things will change. Donald Penn will likely duke it out with Geron Christian for the starting left tackle job. At this point, Penn would be considered the favorite solely because his extensive starting experience at the position. But Christian has the athletic upside needed to make a case for himself in the preseason, though he’s still more likely to be the swing tackle in this scenario.

Would the Redskins actually trade Williams?

Before the Donald Penn signing, this answer would have been a resounding no. The Redskins had almost nothing at tackle when Williams was out to start camp. With Christian limited in the early going, Ereck Flowers had to play some left tackle, and that went predictably poorly.

So, in essence, Williams had the leverage. Now, he doesn’t.

By signing Penn, the Redskins have ensured that they have insurance if Williams does leave. Penn can be a nice stopgap at left tackle and bridge the gap either for Christian or for a top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now, they aren’t as reliant on Williams and they don’t necessarily have to play the waiting game with him.

Still, it’s not a foregone conclusion that Williams will be traded. The Redskins could just be doing their due diligence and exploring what the market might be if they can’t get Williams to return. Either way, doing that is a smart move, as they can truly understand how he is valued in league circles.

For the time being, we will be in wait-and-see move with Williams. This stalemate still has no end in sight, so we’ll keep an eye on the situation as training camp continues.

Jacob Camenker