Brian Williams

[cybermuskie]

Now we might be shopping for a CB again!

By John Clayton

ESPN.com

The Minnesota Vikings lifted the transition designation on cornerback Brian Williams after a recalculation of the one-year tender based on changes in the new collective bargaining agreement.

The new CBA calls for the values of the previous year's franchise and transition tenders to be used in calculating this year's tenders. Because the tenders were so high last year for cornerbacks -- $8.816 million for a franchised cornerback and $6.938 for a transitioned cornerback -- the tenders for this year increased considerably from what teams expected ($5.89 million for a franchised cornerback and $4.77 million for a transitioned cornerback).

It's not clear exactly what Williams' tender would have been, but Nate Clements, who was franchised by the Bills, will have his tender increased by $1.3 million, to roughly $7.22 million, by the recalculation.

Williams, a nickel cornerback, would have made significantly more than the one-year tender of $4.77 million he was initially offered. After getting those new numbers, the Vikings decided he was too expensive and pulled the tender, making him a free agent.

[JIvers]

Yeah, letting Brian Williams go is one move with which I do not agree. Due to the salary cap, the Vikings could not afford to keep both Williams and Fred Smoot, as well as the fact that both Smoot and Williams considered themselves the real starting cornerback opposite Antoine Winfield. Smoot may have an edge in talent, but Williams is the steadier and more reliable of the two. I am not familiar with the vagaries of the salary cap, but I believe keeping Williams would have cost less than keeping Smoot.

[cybermuskie]

03/11 18:13 Jaguars: Williams gets paid in Jacksonville

THE NEWS

It didn't take long for a team to move on Brian Williams. Friday, the Vikings lifted the transition tag from the cornerback and Saturday the Jaguars signed him to a six-year, $32 million contract that includes a $10 million signing bonus.

[A R Johnson]

He's good but way too much money! What do you think?

[cybermuskie]

I wouldn't doubt if Williams was the one Tice talked to before he(Tice) signed with Jacksonville.

[vikingtom]

Williams only had two good seasons with the vikes and both were when he need to play for new contract. He always was getting burnt. Good bye and lets try someone else.

[JIvers]

"Someone else" has already been tried, and it is Fred Smoot. Smoot's season highlight was being toasted, roasted, and burned by Carolina's Steve Smith after a week of yapping Smoot couldn't back up. I would take Williams over that any day, especially when Smoot's contract is figured into the equation.

[vikingtom]

Who didn't Steve Smith didn't burn. Williams got burned almost every week last year. I must be watching Someone else.

[JIvers]

I would expect more than getting burned from a high-profile, high-maintenance free agent like Smoot--Seattle did a pretty good job of shutting Steve Smith down, so there is someone whom Steve Smith "didn't burn didn't". Williams put in a lot of solid performances, while Smoot spent a substantial amount of time on injured reserve. I saw absolutely nothing out of Smoot to justify his high contract, and the cap space it takes up.