Redskins Trade Rumors: Trent Williams Move Interests Cardinals, Texans

The Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans are among the teams interested in seven-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Williams, according to The Athletic's Ben Standig.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported Thursday the Washington Redskins were allowing Williams to openly seek a trade.

The Cardinals and Texans would be two natural fits for the 31-year-old. Arizona tied for the fifth-most sacks (50), and Houston surrendered the eighth-most (49). The teams also ranked 26th and 27th, respectively, in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders.

Acquiring Laremy Tunsil from the Miami Dolphins helped the Texans in 2019 but clearly wasn't enough to adequately protect Deshaun Watson in the pocket.

The Tunsil trade could make landing Williams difficult, though.

Houston sent its 2020 first-round pick to Miami as part of the deal. Standig reported the Redskins are looking to get a second-rounder for Williams, so the Texans would potentially be without a pick until the third round this spring if they were to acquiesce to Washington's demand.

Tunsil is set to be a free agent in 2021 as well, at the same time Williams hits the open market.

Lane Johnson's $18 million average salary is the highest among offensive tackles, and that figure could climb with Jack Conklin and Anthony Castonzo available this offseason. Keeping both Tunsil and Williams would probably be cost-prohibitive, though it's impossible to say for sure in the absence of a new collective bargaining agreement.

Still, Arizona would seem a likelier fit.

D.J. Humphries just inked a three-year, $43.8 million extension with the Cardinals, which works to their benefit regarding a pursuit of Williams. The front office will have a better idea of how he'd fit long-term into the team's financial picture.

Kyler Murray showed promise as a rookie, throwing for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns while running for 544 yards and four scores.

Now, the team needs to work on better protecting Murray's blindside, and Williams would do just that.