Oakland acquired veteran tight end Roland Williams from St.…
Oakland acquired veteran tight end Roland Williams from St. Louis for the 123rd selection in the 2001 draft. Williams provided established NFL depth to a contender. The Rams immediately combined pick No. 123 with No. 54 in a separate trade for Aeneas Williams, an eight-time Pro Bowl defensive back who became an important part of their 2001 NFC championship defense.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Roland Williams
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 2001 4th round pick (123rd overall subsequently traded, Marcus Bell )
Trade Analysis
Why Oakland Wanted Roland Williams
The Raiders acquired Roland Williams to add an experienced tight end to an offense built to contend immediately. Williams had already been part of a Super Bowl-winning Rams team and finished his career with 94 games, 114 receptions, 1,004 yards and 13 touchdowns. Oakland therefore received a real NFL veteran rather than a speculative roster piece, making the fourth-round price defensible for a team focused on the present.
What St. Louis Did With Pick No. 123
The Rams did not use the acquired fourth-rounder to draft Marcus Bell. Instead, St. Louis immediately packaged No. 123 with the 54th pick in a separate trade for Aeneas Williams. That distinction matters because the fourth-round pick should not receive full credit for acquiring Williams by itself. It was, however, a necessary piece of the two-pick package that brought an established elite defensive back to a championship contender.
How Aeneas Williams Changed the Value
Williams was already one of the league’s premier defensive backs and eventually entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame with eight Pro Bowls and 55 career interceptions. He became an important member of the Rams’ 2001 NFC championship team. Oakland got useful veteran tight-end play, but St. Louis converted the outgoing player into draft capital that immediately helped secure a far more impactful defender.
Final Verdict
Los Angeles Rams Win. The franchise’s St. Louis-era side earns an A because No. 123 became meaningful leverage in the Aeneas Williams acquisition. The Raiders receive a C+ because Roland Williams was a legitimate veteran contributor, but his value did not approach the downstream impact the Rams created by packaging the acquired pick with No. 54.
Williams gave Oakland veteran tight-end depth, while St. Louis used pick 123 as necessary leverage in the separate package that acquired Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams.