Surprise, surprise: Trent Williams reportedly ends holdout, reports to Washington
There weren’t any blockbuster trades on deadline day, but there was one surprise move: Trent Williams has ended his holdout and reported to Washington.
Former Washington cornerback and current NFL Network analyst DeAngelo Hall was first to tweet that Williams reported to the team facility, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter followed with the same news.
What happens next remains to be seen, but under league rules, players must be active for six regular-season games to earn an accrued season. Williams is currently in the fourth year of a five-year contract extension he signed in 2015; had he held out for the entire season, his contract would have tolled and he still would have had two years remaining.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Williams will immediately improve the Washington offensive line if he’s in game shape and plays.
He has stayed away from the team for months, largely because he’s unhappy with Washington’s medical staff.
In August there were multiple reports that Williams would not play for Washington again “period,” and that the reasons were deeper than money.
Williams’ mistrust of the organization and training staff revolve around a situation earlier this year, when Williams found a growth on his head that scared him. Williams believes medical staff mishandled things. He has since had the growth removed and it was found to be benign.
Team president Bruce Allen reportedly had discussions with two teams about trading Williams over the final 24 hours before the trade deadline, notably the Cleveland Browns, but his asking price was reportedly too high. NFL Network said Allen wasn’t just looking for draft picks, but a player like Browns corner Denzel Ward.
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