NEW YORK - Two years after the Detroit Lions made Mike Williams the 10th pick in the NFL draft, they admitted their mistake.

The Lions on Saturday traded the disappointing wide receiver and quarterback Josh McCown to the Oakland Raiders for a fourth-round pick (105th overall).

The move to send Williams to Oakland reunites him with Raiders first-year coach Lane Kiffin, who was his wide receivers coach at Southern California.

After a stellar collegiate career in which he caught 176 passes for 2,579 yards and 30 touchdowns in two seasons, Williams never fit in with the Lions.

While he has ideal size at 6-5, Williams is considered too slow for coordinator Mike Martz’s offense and doesn’t run crisp routes.   He caught just 37 passes for 449 yards and two touchdowns in 22 games with the Lions.

In Oakland, Williams joins a crowded wide receivers corps that includes Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry.  Oakland has been rumored to be exploring trade options for Moss, a five-time Bowler who has two years and $20 million remaining on his contract.

McCown is headed to a backup role with Oakland after the Raiders selected Louisiana State quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick in Saturday’s draft.  Oakland also has Andrew Walter, who started eight games last season.

A five-year veteran who did not attempt a pass last season, McCown has thrown for 5,431 yards and 25 touchdowns with 29 interceptions in 35 career games.  He started 13 games for Arizona in 2004.

MORE FROM NFL

NFL Section Front

Colts won’t be down for long PFT: Colts favored to win SB 45; Saints, Chargers 2nd   Vote: Who will win Super Bowl XLV in 2011? Offseason priorities for all 32 NFL teams PFT: Shanahan reportedly might draft QB at No. 4 PFT: Steelers or Vikings vs. Saints on opening night PFT: Peppers, Panthers appear headed for divorce PFT: Martz says Cutler not ‘difficult to deal with’   PFT: Stallworth set to work out with Lions PFT: Sapp is getting, and heeding, good legal advice NFL Section Front   Add NFL headlines to your news reader: