Redskins: How good Trent Williams is shouldn’t be up for debate

The saga surrounding Trent Williams and the Redskins has thrown the fan base into a fierce debate, and no conventional wisdom is safe.

The deliberations have been ongoing since the saga was kicked off, with an obscure report earlier in the offseason stating that Trent Williams was holding out from the Washington Redskins organized team activities.

Since the initial report, the story has developed further. There were rumors that Williams was not only concerned about a new contract, but also frustrated over the team’s handling of his recent medical issues, pertaining to both football injuries and a growth on his head that was misdiagnosed.

The Williams debacle has slowly crescendoed, and now, it’s impossible not to have a side. There are various arguments for and against the retainment of Williams, but Williams’ individual skill level should not be a subject of clarification.

Some view Williams as a Hall of Fame player, and thus deem the discussion a no-brainer. Williams is not a Hall of Fame player. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler, and while he has garnered All-Pro consideration several times, he’s never officially been on that team. His lack of team success also hurts his case for the Hall of Fame. He’s just not there yet, and he may never be.

But whether Williams is a Hall of Famer or not, that doesn’t matter. Because he’s still a very, very good offensive tackle when healthy, and he’s a potential buffer between the Redskins and a dangerously thin tackle group. At the same time, the Redskins now have Donald Penn, a veteran who can help stymy any developmental consequences of Williams’ absence incurred on Dwayne Haskins.

There are a number of factors that deserve to be a part of this discussion: Williams’ age, the potential cost of a new contract, the potential returns in a trade, how reconcilable the team relationship is, and others. But Williams’ physical utility as an offensive lineman, in his current state, is not up for debate. He’s the team’s best player, Hall of Famer or not.

But sometimes, a deal just has to be done.