DOLPHINS Williams trying to find status from league

The running backs wants to return, but with another team.
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- Ricky Williams' former teammates with the Miami Dolphins acknowledge that they need him. After all, they're 0-4 with perhaps the worst offense in the NFL.
But do they want him?
"There are really two lines of thought, and I'm kind of debating between the two," guard Taylor Whitley said Wednesday. "You can either say, 'To heck with the guy. While we've been going 0-4 here, he's been out having a good time.' Or we can say, 'Hey, we need the help. Come on back.'
"I don't know."
After missing the first four weeks of the season, Williams wants to come out of retirement -- but it might not be with the team he left in July. Gary Ostrow, an attorney who has represented Williams, said the 2002 NFL rushing champion hopes to receive clearance from the league to play again before the Oct. 19 trade deadline so he can be dealt by Miami.
Asks for hearing
Williams, who has admitted to repeated violations of the league drug program, has asked the NFL for a hearing to clarify his status. The Dolphins say their understanding is he must serve a suspension for the rest of this season, and the NFL has declined to comment.
"It's very murky water, and Ricky has asked for a clarification," Ostrow said. "He would like the option to play for another team."
Miami defensive end David Bowens said he would like to see Williams rejoin the Dolphins. But Pro Bowl linebacker Zach Thomas said he doubted that help from Williams is on the way.
"He will not be playing for the Dolphins," Thomas predicted. "He's got too many things with the fans and too much with the media, and that's the reason he ran from it in the first place. He wouldn't come back here."
Interested in Raiders
Williams has expressed an interest in playing for the Oakland Raiders. Their coach is Norv Turner, who was Williams' offensive coordinator during his two seasons in Miami.
"The Raiders would fit Ricky's personality better anyway," Ostrow said. "But he may not have many options other than going back to the Dolphins. How many teams are going to have an interest in him other than Norv, who has a relationship with him?"
Whether Miami would welcome him back is uncertain. He caused a lot of resentment by retiring in July, shortly before training camp. The Dolphins haven't won a game since he left, and they're off to their worst start in 38 years going into Sunday's game at New England.
"It has been very difficult," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "The guy was 65 or 70 percent of our offense. I don't think we would have redone our whole offensive line and started from scratch if we knew we were going to have to start from scratch at the running back position."