Williams Done for 2019 (Maybe Forever?)

The next step for the Washington Redskins and Trent Williams is now known.

With less than a week remaining before their roster exemption expired, the team announced that they've put Williams on the "Reserve/Non-Football injury list."

The #Redskins have placed T Trent Williams on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 7, 2019

The move ends Williams season before it even started, because he was put on the "Reserve" list, which is defined as "players who will not return to the active roster during the regular season," according to ProFootballRumors.com.

The reason why the Redskins could do this?

Why is that a big deal? It allows the team to significantly reduce how much money they owe Williams, should the Redskins choose to go that route.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) November 7, 2019

The Redskins have done this type of procedural but important move a few times in recent memory. Bryce Love is currently on the NFI list (torn ACL at Stanford) and former cornerback, Josh Holsey, was also put on the list for an injury he incurred two summers ago, that cost him training camp and his place on the roster for half of 2018.

Other teams have used this designation (as opposed to reserved/injured) in the past as well. Per Wikipedia, the Buffalo Bills employed the designation with Willis McGahee, who tore up his knee in college at Miami, but was still drafted in the first round.

Patriots tackle Marcus Cannon was also put on this list while recovering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his rookie season.

The Redskins do not have to pay Williams his base salary for the rest of 2019 with this designation.

Williams, other than reporting to Redskins Park and lowering the boom on an organization he has no trust and faith, had shown no indication that he was willing to play again for Bruce Allen and the Skins.

It's not known at this point if this year will count towards Williams fulfilling the terms of his contract, but a likely battle would exist over the terms of the contract if the Redskins fight that battle.

In addition, the status of the fines that Williams' incurred over his lengthy holdout is unclear.

One last point - unless Bruce Allen is fired at the end of the season, it's virtually impossible to see Williams ever playing for the Washington Redskins again.

From our TNF Pregame show: The #Redskins saga with LT Trent Williams has its most significant moment yet, as he's placed on NFI to end his season. pic.twitter.com/qjwYFYiLl5
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 7, 2019

This could officially be the end of an era.

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