Redskins: Five takeaways from Day One of legal tampering
By Ian Cummings
No. 2 – A Trent Williams trade needs to happen fast
One surprising development on the first day of unofficial free agency was the presence of trades, and not just run-of-the-mill, middling deals — but blockbuster negotiations sending All-Pro-caliber players across the country for massive heaps of draft capital.
The presence of trades on Monday showed that, while the primary focus is on players with expiring contracts, teams are looking to improve in any way possible not that they have the freedom to do so, and they’re willing to explore multiple avenues to do so. The Redskins need to take advantage of this situational urgency, and push the envelope in the Trent Williams situation.
Washington reportedly has been asking for a second-round pick for Williams, but Williams’ age, combined with his desire for a deal nearing $20 million annually, has soured teams on the value of that agreement. As teams grow more desperate with their options dwindling, such as the New York Jets, that could change. But Washington must be proactive in emboldening that desperation. Otherwise, they could find themselves too far behind to nab peak value.