AP source: Trent Williams ends holdout, reports to Redskins
WASHINGTON – Trent Williams is back with the Redskins after not being traded.
A person with knowledge of the situation says Washington’s starting left tackle has reported, ending his lengthy holdout. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team had not announced Williams’ return.
Williams had not reported all season because of a dispute with the team over the handling of a medical situation.
The Redskins did not deal the 31-year-old before the NFL trade deadline, which prompted Williams’ return. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection needed to be eligible to play at least six regular-season games to accrue a year of his contract and not have it tolled.
Because Williams can be kept off the 53-man roster for up to three weeks after reporting, this week became something of a deadline. It’s unclear when the team will activate Williams.
President Bruce Allen said as recently as Oct. 7 after firing coach Jay Gruden that the team would not trade Williams, who has yet to report because of a dispute over the handling of a medical situation. Allen said at the time Williams “is not here, and really there has been no dialogue with any other team.”
Except, the following week, Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey acknowledged having conversations with Allen about Williams. When asked if there would be a deal, Dorsey said, “it takes two to tango.”
Dorsey, who pulled off a blockbuster trade for Odell Beckham Jr. in March, couldn’t get the Redskins to dance, leaving the Browns to solve their left tackle situation in the offseason. Washington had been looking to acquire a first-round pick or a playmaker for Williams.
That did not happen, so the 1-7 Redskins stood pat and did not trade Williams, cornerback Josh Norman and running back Adrian Peterson, who drew interest from around the league. The lack of action came amid uncertainty in the Redskins locker room about the future of several veterans with not a lot of time left on their contracts.
“Yeah, you have that uncertainty,” Peterson said Monday. “You’re 1-7 and you’ve got teams that are out there that are in a lot better positions than we are in. I’m sure they’re looking like, ‘Hey, we can use this guy, we can use that guy’ to see if this team and other teams are interested.”
AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Berea, Ohio, contributed.