Earlier today, we reported on NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweeting that Buffalo Bills receiver Mike Williams’ agent Hadley Engelhard was given permission to seek a trade for Williams that would return the Bills proper compensation for a number one receiver (as Williams calls himself).
Now, Williams is speaking for himself in attempt to quiet some of the rumors surrounding the 3-3 Bills:
Chill everybody I’m happy with being a buffalo bill……. I mean come on it’s my dream my agent just did what a agent supposed to do …
— Mike Williams (@CaveManMike19) October 13, 2014
In a way, he’s right. Agents seek trades for their clients all the time. The NFL is a fluid league and parts are always being shopped and moving around. It may have been coincidence that Williams was deemed inactive right before the news broke of his camp looking for trades, or maybe not. Either way; when’s the last time a number one receiver was a healthy scratch to supplement special teams?
The Bills front office claims they aren’t actively shopping Williams, and head coach Doug Marrone claims Williams was benched because defensive tackle Kyle Williams was set to return after missing the previous game with an ankle injury, and for no other reason.
“By [game] time, we had put so much in game plan-wise for a three tight end package that we practice quite a bit,” Marrone said. “I brought Mike in on Saturday and I told him I needed him to do this for the team. I said, ‘It’s not a great situation, but it’s due to the special teams and everything that we needed to cover.’ We talked to him and he handled it like a pro and he’ll be ready to go next week.”
Williams was not present at his locker monday for reporters and calls to his agent have not been returned.
[h/t WGRZ]
