The Chris Williams saga has taken perhaps its most unlikely turn yet: a compromise solution that would seem to be of at least some benefit to all parties.

The agreement between the Hamilton Ticats, the Canadian Football League, the players association and Williams was announced Wednesday in a three-sentence news release issued by the team, the last two of which are the most relevant: "Effective immediately, Mr. Williams is free to attempt to sign with an NFL team. Should Mr. Williams decide that he wants to play in the CFL for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, he has entered into an agreement to play for Hamilton."

The settlement puts to rest a contentious dispute between the Ticats and Williams that started in March, when Williams — likely mistakenly — tweeted that he was "beefin' with my squad" and "not going back" for the third and final year of his contract. It continued through a holdout, an arbitration hearing and a court case that produced very little by the way of clarity for either side. And it could have potentially dragged on for several more months.

Like all compromises, there is no clear winner here but there's something in it for everyone.

For Williams, he gets the opportunity to try his luck with an NFL team this season, which was his end game all along. This would be a clear victory for him if it wasn't four weeks into the NFL season with teams having already gone through off-season workouts, training camp and set their rosters. The Williams camp has been adamant there is significant interest in him south of the border — there'd be no reason to do this otherwise — and we'll soon find out whether that interest remains, despite the timing and whatever baggage this situation has created.

The expectation is, however, that Williams will sign with an NFL club shortly and get the pay day to go with it. The minimum salary for a player on an active roster is $405,000 this season and a spot on the practice roster pays $96,000, which means that, under just about every conceivable scenario, Williams stands to make more than the $48,000 he would have made playing for the Ticats this season.

And he gets his shot.

For the Ticats, this allows them to retain Williams' rights, not just this season, but through 2014, as well. Williams wasn't coming back this year, no matter what, and would have likely become a free agent next February, leaving the Cats with nothing to show for a premier player. They may still end up with an empty palm if he makes it in the NFL, but that's far from a sure thing.

So, will Williams ever suit up for the Ticats again? Even if he washes out of the NFL, he may never return to Hamilton. Head coach Kent Austin, who inherited this situation, would have to decide if Williams' return to the Ticat locker-room would be detrimental to the team culture he's so carefully constructed since taking over. At the very least, Williams' rights — the contract terms have already been agreed to — would be attractive to every other CFL team should the Ticats chose to deal him.

For the CFLPA, they've successfully used the Williams case to raise two important points as they head into bargaining on a new collective agreement with the league: the importance of using CFLPA-certified agents and the need to examine the feasibility and fairness of the option year. The Williams deal, for all intents and purposes, reinstates the old rule that allowed players to try the NFL while their rights were retained by their CFL club if only in this one case.

The expiring CBA was also a key factor in getting this deal done: Whatever precedent it sets will quickly be usurped by the new agreement that must be completed by the start of next season — hopefully with all the potential minefields created by the Williams case cleaned up.

Perhaps most important of all, all parties — especially the fans — can put the whole Williams saga behind them. The Ticats are entering the most important part of the CFL schedule and will do so without another instalment in this soap opera to distract them. Williams gets his chance at the NFL which, given his talent and the relative shortness of pro football careers, he definitely deserves.

Ties are rare in football. But sometimes, they're as good as it's going to get.