There has been some optimism that Trent Williams could smooth things over with the Washington Redskins now that Ron Rivera has taken over as head coach, but the All-Pro offensive lineman has apparently not changed his stance much from last season.
While Williams and Rivera have been in contact with one another this offseason, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported on Thursday that Williams told the Redskins recently that he wants to be traded if they’re not going to give him a new contract.
#Redskins coach Ron Rivera says he’s had good talks with Trent Williams but sources tell me and @RapSheet there’s still work to be done on that front, as Williams has communicated to the team he wants a new contract or a trade. pic.twitter.com/SG7EYDmuNR
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 27, 2020
It’s possible that Williams had some issues with former Redskins head coach Jay Gruden and his staff, so Rivera taking over may have changed Williams’ mind about never playing in Washington again. However, Williams is heading into the final year of his deal after he was placed on the non-football injury list amid his holdout last year. It’s understandable that he wants a new contract, but it would not be a surprise if the Redskins are unwilling to give one to a 31-year-old player who just took a year off.
Williams says Washington’s team doctors misdiagnosed a medical condition he was dealing with for several years, and the way they handled the situation could have cost him his life. Williams says he discovered a growth on his head in 2013 and asked Washington’s medical staff to remove it several times, but he was repeatedly told it was benign. In January 2019, Williams had a biopsy of the growth and was informed it was cancerous. Doctors told Williams the cancer cells were just weeks from penetrating his brain.
All of the allegations Williams has made against Washington are incredibly troubling, and he is not the only player who has accused the team of mishandling a medical situation. The damage may still be done at this point, especially if Williams wants a new contract.
