While making a long early-morning drive and listening to Sirius NFL Radio’s replay of Monday’s Late Hits with Jack Arute and Gil Brandt, we heard Brandt make an intriguing observation regarding Cowboys safety Roy Williams.

Asked by Arute whether recent changes in the enforcement of the illegal contact rule has hurt Williams’ ability to defend against the pass, Brandt offered a concise ”no.”  Brandt, previously a long-time personnel guru with Dallas, said that Williams often is in position to make plays but simply doesn’t make them sufficiently consistently.

Then came the kicker.  Brandt, citing an unnamed NFL source, said that Williams could be a cap casualty of the Cowboys if he doesn’t have a strong training camp.

We think the more likely possibility would be a trade, given that the problem potentially arises from Williams’ perception that he isn’t a good fit for the Wade Phillips defense.  Besides, someone else would surely want a guy who has made it to five straight Pro Bowls.

Then again, maybe all of this chatter about Williams is aimed at getting him as motivated as possible for a “Super Bowl or you’re all fired” season in Dallas.