Does move for Trent Williams still make sense for Browns?

The cost of Williams

Washington is reportedly seeking a second-round pick for Williams. This seems more than reasonable given the caliber of player Williams is. But his age, injury history, pending mega-extension and the lack of leverage for the Redskins makes a second-rounder likely unattainable. If that is in fact the asking price, the Browns should hang up the phone.

Cleveland Browns

The Laremy Tunsil trade may be the closest thing to what’s going on here; the Dolphins netted two firsts, a second, and two players for Tunsil, Kenny Stills, a fourth, and a sixth. However, Tunsil was 25 at the time of the trade, and while he has missed six games over four seasons, has still been more durable than Williams. Plus, the same “GM” who made this deal is the same one who sent DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth to the Cardinals for a second-rounder and a runningback on a bad contract who hasn’t played well since 2016, so the situations aren’t exactly comparable.

A third or fourth is more reasonable, but the capital needed to acquire Williams is not the only cost; in fact, it may not even be the primary one.

Williams is going to want a long-term deal given this will be his final large contract. He’ll cost anywhere from $16M-$20M yearly, and it would be in his best interest to not even begin negotiations until the cap for the 2021 league year is set. The cap for next season is expected to jump considerably; it could go as high as $240M, up from approximately $200M this season, meaning Williams can demand even more cash. The risk he’d be taking is getting hurt again and lowering his value, but a premier LT is always going to be in demand, and the potential gain is worth the risk for him.