Random Commanders Thoughts

[Boone]

I'm rapidly approaching Ax-level disgust.

'Why are you returning the jacket sir?'

'Spite'

'I'm sorry sir - we can't accept a return based on spite'

'Okay. Well, I just don't like it then'

'I'm sorry sir, but you already said spite'.

Screw Trent Williams. I think they should bench him for the year, franchise tag him and bench him again in 2021.

 

[Bulldog]

The thing I don’t want to do is just give Williams what he wants, his unconditional release so he can stick out his middle finger at us after a year of this nonsense.

If he doesn’t report we put him on the left camp/retired list and effectively end the prime years of his career.

He can be a 35 year old free agent.

 

[Ax]

He can never be allowed to suit up again. Even if it means an outright release.

If we can shelve him, I have no problem sitting him, with pay. After deducting every penny he's accrued in fines.
Holding him and forcing him to play out his contract only gets us a 5th round compensatory pick. We could get that today.
The argument that somehow forcing him to play is good for Haskins is a kinard. Didn't keep Smith from getting injured. Or Colt. Or Bob. Or Butt Fumble, etc...
Hopefully we can frustrate him into retiring. I believe we would still hold his rights, should he wish to return.
We need to **** him every way possible. Do maximum damage to his money, and career.
His reputation is already shot.

 

[Boone]

I mostly agree. But the point about Haskins protections is off-base. Was Trent Williams the one who let those defenders unleash on our QB? If none of the drama-associated with TW had not occurred, would anyone be suggesting he was a weak link on the OL?

No.

Even now - he would easily be the best OL player we have. And it's not close. And having him protecting the left side doesn't guarantee Haskins stays healthy. But the odds are better with him in there than they are without him in there. I've about had it with Williams. But that doesn't mean that we wouldn't be a better offense with him out there than without. Difference between being upset and done with his antics, and being delusional

 

[Ax]

Even if not his fault, his being on the field didn't insure a thing. That's just a fact.
And how could anyone trust his effort.

I still believe he will never play another games here. He won't, out of spite. All he has to do is report, then claim his back hurts. Sit on his ass, and collect a check.
All the while talking shit to every Olineman on the team, trying to gain there support. Dividing the locker room as much as he can.
I can't see any rationalization for having him play here ever again.
He's worth nothing more than a 5th round pick. Cause that's all we get, if we let him play, and advertise himself for another team.

 

[Bulldog]

How do we know Williams would only fetch a #5 comp pick if we keep him and he leaves as a FA after 2020?

The pick is based on his contract compensation.

 

[Boone]

One thing I've heard no one talk about - not even DC sports media folks.

What culpability does Dan Snyder hold for the current Williams debacle?

I think he has played a big part in it. He promotes an environment where star players not only feel entitled, but know they can leverage their 'buddy status' and disregard the chain of command. They don't have to respect the coaching staff, do what's right for the team, or act responsibly. Because Snyder has their back. There's a reason why the only person Williams doesn't have a problem with in the Redskins organization is Dan Snyder.

For me, this speaks volumes. This entire dysfunctional episode starts and ends at the top. With Dan. ****ing. Snyder.

 

[Ax]

How do we know Williams would only fetch a #5 comp pick if we keep him and he leaves as a FA after 2020?

The pick is based on his contract compensation.

Keim and Finlay have both stated, emphatically, that because he's a 10 year vet, the most we can get in a compensatory pick, is a 5th.
I'm simply relying on them knowing more about it than the average Joe.
BB may be able to shed more light on it.

 

[Ax]

One thing I've heard no one talk about - not even DC sports media folks.

What culpability does Dan Snyder hold for the current Williams debacle?

I think he has played a big part in it. He promotes an environment where star players not only feel entitled, but know they can leverage their 'buddy status' and disregard the chain of command. They don't have to respect the coaching staff, do what's right for the team, or act responsibly. Because Snyder has their back. There's a reason why the only person Williams doesn't have a problem with in the Redskins organization is Dan Snyder.

For me, this speaks volumes. This entire dysfunctional episode starts and ends at the top. With Dan. ****ing. Snyder.

That's the easy target. I'd suggest the only reason The Cancer still sucks up to Snyder is because he's trying to get him to step in and order that Williams be released.
Of course, if he did that, Rivera would likely resign 5 minute later.

ALL the blame rests with The Cancer. IMHO

 

[Boone]

The point is - Williams likely belief that Snyder would back him, intervene on his behalf, open up his wallet again despite TW being under contract - is what likely spurred on this whole episode. Snyder has created this kind of dysfunction for decades.

Easy target? Yes - he is. Because he's been at the center of almost every dysfunctional mess we've had since his sorry ass bought the team.

 

[Bulldog]

According to ESPN Williams was willing to go to Minnesota and play off his contract but then saw the deal Tunsil just received and changed his mind and now wants to be a free agent this offseason and will be as disruptive as necessary to achieve his end.

In reality I was wrong this is not like the AB situation, it tracks more closely to that of Albert Haynesworth.

Once Haynesworth became disenchanted he lied and acted like a 10 year old to force his way out of DC.

And like Haynesworth Williams had been given a record contract but in the end result acted as if the team had wronged him.

You can’t reason with people like this.

Two years after starting his terror campaign Haynesworth was finally traded by new coach Mike Shanahan to New England where he got bounced by Belichick.

A period of years after that he declared bankruptcy.

The truth is Trent is a prima donna whose feelings were hurt that Rivera talked to a player he coached for 10 years Greg Olsen before he spoke to Trent himself in January.

Let’s face it, Trent is a lot more past than future as an NFL player. His accolades were largely from 3-4 years ago.

His mistake was not signing a shorter term deal and betting on himself for a future payday when salaries would escalate, but he took the big money at the time and now has to live with his own decision.

 

[Elephant]

Just to piggy back on Boone here, it's less about worrying about injury (you simply can't play the game worrying about injury) as it is forcing Williams to earn his next contract, as it is to give the kid the protection to feel comfortable in the pocket to get his "sea legs" if you will, under him.

The kid will not succeed if he is not protected.

 

[Boone]

I think there are only two possible trade scenarios left to end the TW debacle. If Joe Staley ends up retiring, Williams would almost certainly go to San Fran, probably for future picks. The other scenario is a major pre-season injury. Other than those two scenarios, it's hard to imagine an easy exit from this mess.

I see no evidence Staley is about to retire. He IS coming off a broken leg last September but has another year on his contract. He is only 35 so it's not like he's a dinosaur. If the 49ers were to be interested in TW, it would more likely be an insurance signing. I consider that unlikely but you never know.

 

[Ax]

Just to piggy back on Boone here, it's less about worrying about injury (you simply can't play the game worrying about injury) as it is forcing Williams to earn his next contract, as it is to give the kid the protection to feel comfortable in the pocket to get his "sea legs" if you will, under him.

The kid will not succeed if he is not protected.

Well, it's about time you got out of bed.

We can't force him to earn squat. He'll simply feign a back injury, and ride the pine, laughing all the way to the bank. While trying to poison every mind on the team that he can.

So, I've still yet to hear a good reason for keeping him around.

now go take a nap before the draft starts.

 

[Boone]

It's possible he'd do that Ax. But in terms of his ability to get one more big contract (and let's face it - that is his ONLY priority right now), it would absolutely crush any chances he had of that.

That's not a small factor. No way if he were forced to play for the Redskins this year, that he would sandbag it imho. Every GM in the NFL would see it for exactly what it is - a childish lack of professionalism and giving up on his teammates.

And you have heard a good reason - he'd immediately be the best OL we have on the roster. You just don't want to hear it

 

[Elephant]

Well, it's about time you got out of bed.

We can't force him to earn squat. He'll simply feign a back injury, and ride the pine, laughing all the way to the bank. While trying to poison every mind on the team that he can.

So, I've still yet to hear a good reason for keeping him around.

now go take a nap before the draft starts.

Haha! I have been in the field since 8am, ya jerk!

If he rides the pine, he won't get all 12. And more importantly, he won't get his new contract.

You can discount the importance of keeping your 2nd year QB upright, but I won't. And F**K Trent Williams, if he doesn't play he doesn't earn...he's not thinking long term.

Keep him in house at this point until there is a valid trade, a time we can screw him the best we can, or trade him in the pre-season without needing him to sign long term because a team like MN, SF, or another has an injured player, or an LT draft pick looks horrible, and a team is desperate. Hopefully by then Saddiq Charles can step up as a rookie.

 

[Bulldog]

Why give Williams what he wants?

If a guy spits in you eye are you going to be moved to look out for him?

If the time for a trade for a good pick is past then fine we need to move on with Day 3 of the draft and post draft free agents.

Williams may have screwed us in terms of one pick but we hold his immediate future in our hands.

In the long term one second or third round pick isn’t going to make or break Rivera’s tenure here in DC.

Heck Beathard regularly blew #2 picks on guys like Tory Nixon and Walter Murray. Never played a regular season down here.

At 32 this coming year is more important to Williams future.

What kind of a deal is he going to get in 2021 if he sits out another year or as indicated fakes an injury to get on IR?

We can simply ignore him for now and move on.

Trust me, with his ego, being ignored and merely being told to report or lose money will be the best lesson for him.

If you are Rivera you don’t care about what Williams and Bruce Allen did or didn’t do.

You have 21 other starting spots to evaluate and make some hard choices for 2020.

The premise that Haskins has to have Williams or a HOF left tackle to improve is an over reaction to the situation.

We can make do at LT for one year and then draft a tackle first in 2021, which is what I would have suggested anyway for the long term.

This wasn’t a one year rebuild to get to the Super Bowl.

A team coming off 3-13 is looking to move to respectability with a young roster, not go 14-2 and challenge the Chiefs.

With that in mind we can take a tackle today and see how that prospect develops before next year’s draft.

Williams to me is now largely irrelevant.

If we put him on the shelf and as Boone said a team suffers an injury we can then consider dealing him later. Otherwise he can report or not get paid.

And one thing we know is that Trent loves the coin more than anything else.

 

[Boone]

In the end, we can either try and get something for the loser, or we can make him suffer. I'm good with either outcome

 

[Boone]

Trent Williams traded per Josina Anderson, no details yet.

 

[Boone]