As Detroit Lions receiver Roy Williams enters the final year of his rookie contract, he recently acknowledged that he thought he’d no longer be a member of the team, based on rampant offseason rumors of a trade.

“From all the rumors, I thought I was out of here,” Williams told the Detroit Free Press.  “Just from listening to everything.  But then I listened to Coach [Rod Marinelli] saying I wasn’t going nowhere, so that reassured me that I wasn’t going anywhere.”

Williams said that he had a single conversation with Marinelli on the matter.  “He just called me one time in March,” Williams said.  “He said, ‘It’s done.  You’re not going nowhere.’”

But that still didn’t keep Williams from thinking a trade could happen.  “I don’t think it was zero percent chance I wasn’t going anywhere.  I think if somebody would have come with something that could have benefited the Lions, I think I would have been out of here.”

Frankly, we think a trade could still happen — if someone comes up with that “something” that would benefit the Lions more than it would hurt them to give up Williams.

Williams also said that he believes the Lions might apply the franchise tag to him in 2009, to prevent him from leaving via free agency.  “I don’t think I’m gone next year, either.  I think they’re going to slap me.” 

Williams also indicated that there have been no talks about a long-term extension, that he’ll play for any team, and that he just wants to win.

“I think this place can win, man,” Williams said of the Lions.  “I don’t know what’s the problem, what’s been the problem . We got a little taste of it last year at 6-2.  But that was last year, man.  People are asking, ‘Can we learn from that?’  No, we can’t learn from that.  That was a whole different ballclub last year.”