Former Texas Longhorn Roy Williams seeks big contract. Are the Cowboys interested?
cgolden@statesman.com
Monday, April 14, 2008
Roy Williams wants to get paid.
And why shouldn't he? He's a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who has led the league in receiving yards. His first three seasons were the most prolific in his team's history, and he has Hall of Fame potential.
Four seasons into his career, Williams isn't feeling any love from the Detroit Lions. And the reason is obviou$.
"They drafted (wide receiver) Calvin Johnson and gave him 30 million (dollars) guaranteed," Williams said. "What are they going to do with me?"
Legitimate question. The former University of Texas wideout is entering the final year of his contract, and when we spoke at Michael Huff's celebrity basketball game last week, he still had not been offered a contract extension by Lions president Matt Millen.
While Williams ponders his future, it just so happens the Dallas Cowboys are aging at wide receiver and could use an infusion of young talent. Terrell Owens is great, but he's 34. Terry Glenn has knee problems and will be 34 by the season opener. Williams is just entering his prime at 26.
And did we mention he wants to get paid?
So what about it, Roy? You grew up in Odessa loving the Cowboys. Could you picture a dream team with Tony Romo at quarterback, Marion Barber at running back, you and T.O. at wideout, and Jason Witten at tight end? Could this be the answer to all of your problems?
"Man, you know I can't answer that question," he said.
OK, understood. Williams is a team guy who maintains he wants to retire a Detroit Lion, though the Fort Worth Star-Telegram did quote an anonymous source as saying Williams would prefer to play for Dallas if he's not in Detroit.
Lions coach Rod Marinelli has insisted he's not interested in a trade and went as far as to call Williams last month and assure him the rumors of a deal were just rumors.
"He's not going anywhere,'' Marinelli told reporters at the NFL owners' meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. "There's no way. Like I've said, I want to see those two big trees playing together."
Yeah the tree thing works except that you gave one of those trees $27.2 million in guaranteed money while the other tree was left nervously swaying in the breeze, not knowing if his long limbs will be part of your long-term landscape.
But nothing should surprise us, since this is the Lions, a football wasteland that's gone eight straight years without a playoff appearance. Shoot, Isiah Thomas must be wondering how Millen continues to hold on to a job.
Williams is understandably frustrated. He caught 64 passes for 838 yards and five touchdowns last season but missed the last four games with a knee injury. Now healthy, he would love to put in a full season and put the financial stuff to rest so he can concentrate on football.
"Of course I want to stay in Detroit," he said. "Everybody wants to stay with the team that drafted them. They are telling me I am going to be a Lion for at least one more season. That's what I have on my mind."
The only explanation that carries any logic is that Detroit will place the exclusive franchise tag on Williams after this season, which would net him the average salary of the five highest paid receivers in the league for one year. Williams' $3.85 million base salary in 2007 ranked sixth among the league's wideouts — behind Owens, Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison, St. Louis' Torry Holt, and Cincinnati's Chad Johnson.
The franchise tag would earn get him about $9 million in 2009 but the downside is that franchise deals are not guaranteed, meaning if Williams suffered a career-threatening injury, Detroit could release him without owing him another penny.
Williams would love the six-year, $55 million contract former Javon Walker just signed with Oakland that will earn him a base salary of $1 million this season with an $11 million signing bonus attached. That will net him $12 million guaranteed this season.
Williams won't say it publicly, but a trade to Dallas makes sense for all parties involved.
Jones will open up the vault because he likes star power. If he is thinking about making it rain for the troubled Pacman Jones, he would definitely shell out a few more million to land an elite pass catcher.
Detroit could use the cap relief because Millen is paying $15.2 million of his $116.7 million salary cap to players who aren't even playing for him anymore. Dallas owns two first-round draft picks, and a trade for one of those may benefit the defense-starved Lions, even if Millen is making the picks.
And let's not forget that one other party that stands to benefit. Roy Williams.
Because he wants to get paid.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Roy Williams wants to get paid.
And why shouldn't he? He's a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who has led the league in receiving yards. His first three seasons were the most prolific in his team's history, and he has Hall of Fame potential.
Four seasons into his career, Williams isn't feeling any love from the Detroit Lions. And the reason is obviou$.
"They drafted (wide receiver) Calvin Johnson and gave him 30 million (dollars) guaranteed," Williams said. "What are they going to do with me?"
Legitimate question. The former University of Texas wideout is entering the final year of his contract, and when we spoke at Michael Huff's celebrity basketball game last week, he still had not been offered a contract extension by Lions president Matt Millen.
While Williams ponders his future, it just so happens the Dallas Cowboys are aging at wide receiver and could use an infusion of young talent. Terrell Owens is great, but he's 34. Terry Glenn has knee problems and will be 34 by the season opener. Williams is just entering his prime at 26.
And did we mention he wants to get paid?
So what about it, Roy? You grew up in Odessa loving the Cowboys. Could you picture a dream team with Tony Romo at quarterback, Marion Barber at running back, you and T.O. at wideout, and Jason Witten at tight end? Could this be the answer to all of your problems?
"Man, you know I can't answer that question," he said.
OK, understood. Williams is a team guy who maintains he wants to retire a Detroit Lion, though the Fort Worth Star-Telegram did quote an anonymous source as saying Williams would prefer to play for Dallas if he's not in Detroit.
Lions coach Rod Marinelli has insisted he's not interested in a trade and went as far as to call Williams last month and assure him the rumors of a deal were just rumors.
"He's not going anywhere,'' Marinelli told reporters at the NFL owners' meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. "There's no way. Like I've said, I want to see those two big trees playing together."
Yeah the tree thing works except that you gave one of those trees $27.2 million in guaranteed money while the other tree was left nervously swaying in the breeze, not knowing if his long limbs will be part of your long-term landscape.
But nothing should surprise us, since this is the Lions, a football wasteland that's gone eight straight years without a playoff appearance. Shoot, Isiah Thomas must be wondering how Millen continues to hold on to a job.
Williams is understandably frustrated. He caught 64 passes for 838 yards and five touchdowns last season but missed the last four games with a knee injury. Now healthy, he would love to put in a full season and put the financial stuff to rest so he can concentrate on football.
"Of course I want to stay in Detroit," he said. "Everybody wants to stay with the team that drafted them. They are telling me I am going to be a Lion for at least one more season. That's what I have on my mind."
The only explanation that carries any logic is that Detroit will place the exclusive franchise tag on Williams after this season, which would net him the average salary of the five highest paid receivers in the league for one year. Williams' $3.85 million base salary in 2007 ranked sixth among the league's wideouts — behind Owens, Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison, St. Louis' Torry Holt, and Cincinnati's Chad Johnson.
The franchise tag would earn get him about $9 million in 2009 but the downside is that franchise deals are not guaranteed, meaning if Williams suffered a career-threatening injury, Detroit could release him without owing him another penny.
Williams would love the six-year, $55 million contract former Javon Walker just signed with Oakland that will earn him a base salary of $1 million this season with an $11 million signing bonus attached. That will net him $12 million guaranteed this season.
Williams won't say it publicly, but a trade to Dallas makes sense for all parties involved.
Jones will open up the vault because he likes star power. If he is thinking about making it rain for the troubled Pacman Jones, he would definitely shell out a few more million to land an elite pass catcher.
Detroit could use the cap relief because Millen is paying $15.2 million of his $116.7 million salary cap to players who aren't even playing for him anymore. Dallas owns two first-round draft picks, and a trade for one of those may benefit the defense-starved Lions, even if Millen is making the picks.
And let's not forget that one other party that stands to benefit. Roy Williams.
Because he wants to get paid.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:05 PM
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