Trent Williams holding out for new deal

If he sits for 2 years, isn't he still obligated to the Redskins for 2 years? I thought if he sits out the 2 years, he's pretty much retiring unless he comes back to the Redskins. Do I have that wrong?

Yes you have that wrong. The contract binds Trent to the team for two years. If he doesn't attend mandatory team events per the contract (Camps practices meetings and games) then the Redskins can withhold pay, per the contract.

But once the two years are up, he's a free agent, regardless of whether he played or sat.

The franchise tag is the element in this that really takes all of Trent's leverage away. While Trent may appear to have some strength in threatening to withhold his services, he'd have to sacrifice $21M to do so, and STILL may not reach free agency because the Redskins could just tag him. Then he'd have to sit out his age 34 season, too.

And by that point you might as well be retired. His realization will come any day now. He will realize he either plays with the Redskins for the few years he has left in his career, or he will have to effectively retire.

Bruce is right, I don't see Trent retiring. And that's the crux of it. When you hold the ultimate hammer in the franchise tag, even principled stances can't hold up.

Yes you have that wrong. The contract binds Trent to the team for two years. If he doesn't attend mandatory team events per the contract (Camps practices meetings and games) then the Redskins can withhold pay, per the contract.

But once the two years are up, he's a free agent, regardless of whether he played or sat.

The franchise tag is the element in this that really takes all of Trent's leverage away. While Trent may appear to have some strength in threatening to withhold his services, he'd have to sacrifice $21M to do so, and STILL may not reach free agency because the Redskins could just tag him. Then he'd have to sit out his age 34 season, too.

And by that point you might as well be retired. His realization will come any day now. He will realize he either plays with the Redskins for the few years he has left in his career, or he will have to effectively retire.

Bruce is right, I don't see Trent retiring. And that's the crux of it. When you hold the ultimate hammer in the franchise tag, even principled stances can't hold up.

OK, thanks.

That all said, I don't have great confidence that he's maintaining a good relationship with Trent. So I worry what will happen when Trent reaches free agency. He may walk.

But if there ever was a player the franchise tag was meant for, it's probably Trent.

This is where my issue is. I believe that TW started this to make a point as a team leader, that he was ok missing reps that for him were fairly meaningless, and he would have been back. BUT I believe (no proof) that BA went to TW in early August, after JG's press conference at the start of training camp, and said that the Skins could and would fine him regular season game checks for missing preseason games(allowable under the current cba), and THAT is when the conversation turned sour. There was a clear point that AP and Morgan Moses came out and drew the line, I believe that's when TW said f you to BA.

This is where my issue is. I believe that TW started this to make a point as a team leader, that he was ok missing reps that for him were fairly meaningless, and he would have been back. BUT I believe (no proof) that BA went to TW in early August, after JG's press conference at the start of training camp, and said that the Skins could and would fine him regular season game checks for missing preseason games(allowable under the current cba), and THAT is when the conversation turned sour. There was a clear point that AP and Morgan Moses came out and drew the line, I believe that's when TW said f you to BA.

But how 'loud' a F YOU was it?

Loud enough to give up $21M and risk still getting franchised?

At 50million earned, assuming he didn't fritter it away, which is a big assumption, I think he will walk away. Luck just did. This isn't the NFL where star players make 12M over a career. He has been hurt the last few years, played through serious issues, IF he feels like he isn't being respected (note not fairly, not decently, but respected and that is where BA loses the guys because he does things that are clearly disrespectful) then TW is not going to come back

Also we have not heard one peep from Trent himself on Social media or any quotes from the media. He has not said anything about "Not playing for the redskins" . Unless I missed it.

That gives me some hope.

A while back, Sheehan said one of his friends who is a lawyer suggested that the reason Trent hasn't spoken publicly is that the reports simply aren't true. If the medical staff DID handle his situation appropriately, and Trent himself accused them of not doing so, the skins could (and given their litigious nature, likely would), sue him for libel.

The fact that the skins have not made any changes to, and continue to support, the medical staff lends to the belief that they did their jobs exactly like they were supposed to.

Which means there are only two possibilities which i consider realistic:

1) This is really ALL about money, in which case I applaud Allen for not caving. Trent will either show up and get paid or he wont. Either way, Allen is smart for not setting a precedent where players can hold out, leak false stories to the media that make the team look bad, and then get rewarded for it.

2) The medical issue is really of primary concern to Trent, but he's unreasonable in his criticism. In which case I still applaud Allen for remaining loyal to his staff.

Regardless, the team - and Allen specifically - has showed tremendous loyalty to Trent over the years. Its a shame Trent is choosing not to reciprocate that loyalty, but at the end of the day, this is a business and all sides are going to act in ways which they believe are for their own best interests.

This is the Bruce Allen who completely mismanaged The Kirk cousins issue AND who is considered the least prepared and least TRUSTWORTHY GM in the NFL. I don’t see this ending well for the Redskins.


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At 50million earned, assuming he didn't fritter it away, which is a big assumption, I think he will walk away. Luck just did. This isn't the NFL where star players make 12M over a career. He has been hurt the last few years, played through serious issues, IF he feels like he isn't being respected (note not fairly, not decently, but respected and that is where BA loses the guys because he does things that are clearly disrespectful) then TW is not going to come back

Luck walking away because he doesn't want to go through the pain, and Trent walking away out of spite/anger over what he sees as mistreatment are very, very different.

Luck said he had reached the point where the joy of playing the game is gone. Trent has given no such indication that his passion for playing football is gone. Would you spend the last 3-4 good years of your career sitting out, if it was still a passion for you?

"Schneed was right."

- everyone on The Warpath on 9/8/2019

A while back, Sheehan said one of his friends who is a lawyer suggested that the reason Trent hasn't spoken publicly is that the reports simply aren't true. If the medical staff DID handle his situation appropriately, and Trent himself accused them of not doing so, the skins could (and given their litigious nature, likely would), sue him for libel.

The fact that the skins have not made any changes to, and continue to support, the medical staff lends to the belief that they did their jobs exactly like they were supposed to.

Which means there are only two possibilities which i consider realistic:

1) This is really ALL about money, in which case I applaud Allen for not caving. Trent will either show up and get paid or he wont. Either way, Allen is smart for not setting a precedent where players can hold out, leak false stories to the media that make the team look bad, and then get rewarded for it.

2) The medical issue is really of primary concern to Trent, but he's unreasonable in his criticism. In which case I still applaud Allen for remaining loyal to his staff.

Regardless, the team - and Allen specifically - has showed tremendous loyalty to Trent over the years. Its a shame Trent is choosing not to reciprocate that loyalty, but at the end of the day, this is a business and all sides are going to act in ways which they believe are for their own best interests.

Nailed it