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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mike Williams has asked GM Doug Whaley for a trade, according first to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, and then confirmed by Whaley himself.
Hadley Engelhard, agent for #Bills WR Mike Williams, has been given permission to gauge interest in a possible trade from Buffalo.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 13, 2014
#Bills WR Mike Williams believes he’s a number 1. If a team offers that compensation, Bills are interested. If not, will be tough to move.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 13, 2014
Williams, acquired from Tampa Bay this offseason for a sixth-round pick, was a healthy scratch for Sunday's 37-22 loss to New England. In the five games that preceded that event, Williams caught just eight passes, for 142 yards and a touchdown.
Bills head coach Doug Marrone explained the decision to scratch Williams following Sunday's loss to New England, claiming that the unexpected availability of defensive tackle Kyle Williams, and a game plan heavily reliant on multiple tight ends, forced the team to scratch Williams - who does not play special teams - in favor of Chris Hogan in the slot. Hogan, one of the team's most-used special teams players, caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
Whaley, in speaking with reporters on Monday, stressed that the team is not actively shopping Williams, but would listen to offers for the veteran receiver if they come in. He also went out of his way to say that the relationship between Williams and Marrone - which dates back to their days in Syracuse - is fine, and that Williams has been a pro since his arrival in Buffalo.
He did, however, get one jab in at Williams:
#Boom quote from Whaley: "If he gets me compensation worthy of a No. 1 wide receiver which he claimed he is, then we would entertain it."
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) October 13, 2014
Time will tell if Williams sees any attention on the trade block - given his massive contract, that seems exceedingly unlikely - but he is firmly entrenched behind Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods on the depth chart, and Hogan has played well with his slot opportunities over the past two weeks, as well.