IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams wants to remain with Dallas, but his contract (he's owed $20.4 million the next three seasons) and his lack of production (just 36 catches this year) could end his time with the team.
Williams has two fewer catches and 72 fewer yards this season than last. It's unknown if he will play in the regular-season finale at Philadelphia due to a strained groin. He fought through the injury in playing Christmas night at Arizona.
But things might have to change at the coordinator's spot if Williams is going to become a productive member of this offense.
For now, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are the featured receivers and rightfully so, but Williams is also a player the Cowboys are counting on to make plays.
"I was the go-to guy in Detroit," said Williams, who caught 30 touchdown passes in nearly five seasons with the Lions before he was traded to the Cowboys. "Coordinators can make who they want to make the star."
It seemed Williams was taking a shot at interim coach Jason Garrett, who has called the offensive plays during his time in Dallas.
The line from the Cowboys regarding Williams is he needs to improve his technique and develop a chemistry with quarterback Tony Romo.
In the first four weeks of the season, Williams had 18 catches for 278 yards with three touchdowns. In the next nine weeks, he had 18 catches for 246 yards and two scores.
Production didn't seem to be an issue the first four weeks of the season, but somehow things have changed.
"It did the first four or five weeks when I was getting the rock a little bit," Williams said of how much success he was having. "It stopped coming my way. Why, I don't know. It's kind of disappointing. We have so much talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'm one of just eight pieces on the offensive side of the ball that can make plays on the football field."
The lack of production can be attributed to Austin, who is having a decent year, but it's almost unfair to ask him to duplicate his 2009 campaign when he caught 81 passes for 1,320 yards with 11 touchdowns and earned a Pro Bowl berth. He has 67 catches for 979 yards and seven TDs.
Bryant's emergence and, of course, the play of tight end Jason Witten, who is headed to his seventh Pro Bowl, will cause other players to not get the ball.
Williams isn't griping, and did say it's fair to judge him on his numbers, but he also says opposing teams believe he still can play.
Though the Cowboys have one game remaining, Williams doesn't feel the need to approach Garrett about his issues.
"Naw. That's not my style," he said. "I just try to play the game and I would think if Michael Jordan is hot, you want to keep feeding him the ball."
Calvin Watkins covers the Cowboys for ESPNDallas.com.