The Washington Commanders have made some genuinely abysmal transactions throughout the franchise's modern history. Dan Snyder's overbearing incompetence plunged this franchise to rock bottom or worse, and even though things look more stable now, it's been a return to the norm that demands a positive reaction during the offseason.
Washington's decision to trade premier left tackle Trent Williams was among the most inexplicable choices made by a disastrous bygone era. The organization got almost nothing in return for one of the league's best blindside protectors. And his latest prestigious accolade provoked Jay Gruden to confirm what fans have known forever.
That this trade was, and always will be, a complete disgrace.
Jay Gruden knows trading Trent Williams was a massive mistake
Williams has been nothing short of sensational once again this season. The San Francisco 49ers could make some noise in the postseason once again, which is remarkable when one considers how many injuries to key personnel they've had to deal with. And the dominant lineman has been at the forefront.
Unsurprisingly, this earned Williams another Pro Bowl selection. It's his 12th — a new NFL record — of an illustrious career that will one day end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Washington got what turned out to be center Keith Ismael and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in return for an elite performer, making it one of the most lopsided trades in league history.
It speaks to the dysfunction in Washington at the time. Nobody really knew what they were doing, and Williams became another example of how poorly the franchise treated its cornerstones.
Those in power handled Williams' health issue horribly at the time. He wasn't happy and made things difficult, prompting Washington to accept the first offer that came along. Hindsight is 20/20, but nobody thought this would benefit the NFC East club at the time.
Williams went on to achieve even more greatness while the Commanders floundered. They have solidified the left tackle spot now after trading for Laremy Tunsil, and general manager Adam Peters would be wise to give the former Ole Miss standout whatever he wants on his next deal in 2026.
As for Williams? He's proving that there is plenty of life left in his career. He proved Washington wrong for letting him go almost immediately, but his constant stream of accolades only makes things worse.
The Commanders have a lot of hard work ahead this offseason. This project regressed considerably after reaching the NFC Championship game in 2024. Hopefully, this is the wake-up call Peters needs to make the difficult choices necessary to get things back on track.
And thankfully, Snyder isn't around to complicate matters.