Saints seeking to deal Williams

[Dr. D]

I post this partly because of the trade or not to trade Stephen Davis threads.....<br /><br />noone is untouchable.....<br /><br />and this is more than mere speculation<br /><br />Saints ask if Miami interested in Williams<br />Dolphins inquired about former Heisman winner last year<br />BY JASON COLE<br />jcole@herald.com<br />NEW ORLEANS -- Dolphins vice president of football operations and player personnel Rick Spielman confirmed Friday the New Orleans Saints approached the Dolphins last week to gauge how interested Miami would be in trading for running back Ricky Williams.<br />Saints general manager Randy Mueller approached Spielman during practices the week before the Senior Bowl in Mobile.<br />``That's true, I told him we'd get back to him if we were interested,'' Spielman said Friday night. Spielman said the Dolphins have not discussed the situation in any detail.<br />In April, the Dolphins called the Saints to inquire about Williams after New Orleans selected running back Deuce McAllister in the first round. At the time, the Saints weren't interested in trading Williams, in part because of salary-cap constraints.<br />Williams said he and agent Leigh Steinberg discussed the possibility of a trade over dinner Wednesday after Steinberg flew here from Los Angeles. Steinberg declined to comment on the conversation.Williams said he would be happy to either stay in New Orleans or be traded to the Dolphins.<br />``It's a win-win situation,'' he said earlier in the week. ``I'm finally happy in New Orleans, so I could stay happy here or I'd be happy in Miami.''<br />Spielman said there was no discussion of what the Saints would want or what the Dolphins would be willing to deal to get the 5-10, 236-pound Williams, the No. 5 overall pick in the 1999 draft and a two-time 1,000-yard rusher.<br />``We haven't even talked about it, no,'' Spielman said. ``There's nothing else to say about it.''<br />The Dolphins struggled with the running game last season as Lamar Smith gained 968 yards on 313 carries, averaging 3.1 yards per carry. Smith's average was by far the worst in the NFL among the 17 runners who had at least 950 yards last season. Only three other running backs among the 17 averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry.<br />Smith was hampered by an injury-plagued offensive line. The Dolphins had left tackles Brent Smith and Marcus Spriggs both on the injured-reserve list after the first game of the season and later lost left guard Mark Dixon to injury.<br />Center Tim Ruddy, right guard Todd Perry and right tackle Todd Wade either missed at least one start or played hurt during the season.<br />Williams, 24, said he wasn't too concerned about the Dolphins' line problems.<br />``A good running back can make an offensive line a lot better, give it confidence,'' said Williams, who rushed for 1,245 yards on 313 carries this season, averaged 4.0 yards per carry and scored six TDs.<br />Columnist Dan Le Batard supplemented this repor<br /> <br /> [ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: Dr.D ]

[Romo]

If the saints are interested in trading Williams i think its because of other issues that we might now know that much about.<br /><br />Ive heard Williams is incredibly shy and does not fit in at all in the clubhouse. They also have Deuce McAlistair as a backup so they could just be shopping around figuring that if someone will pay the farm for Ricky they have his replacment already.

[Larry]

Prediction: They will not get back the draft picks they used to get him.

[NavyDave]

As I said earlier in the year when he said his feelings were hurt because of criticism, he is nothing but a p#ssy.<br /><br />I don't see a team giving up no more than a 1 and a 2 for him

[brandies]

Williams to Miami,<br /> Whether you like the guy or not it makes sense. It gives them that cold weather back.

[SPare]

But at least the Saints won the trade to get Williams, according to Dan "I talk out my @ss" Pompei.<br /><br />Yup, trade bait is definitely a winner compared to Champ Bailey and LaVar Arrington.

[OrangeSkin]

Williams will do worse in Miami, with their lousy O-line. That's why Lamar Smith stunk it up this year. I'd love to see Williams go to Miami and get his head bashed in by opposing defenses.