NFL Trade Rumors: San Francisco 49ers and Left Tackle Trent Williams Not Close on New Deal

The San Francisco 49ers have yet another difficult contract negotiation on their hands. According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams remains away from the team as he awaits a contract adjustment and appears willing to hold out into the regular season.

From @gmfb: The #49ers and hold-in WR Brandon Aiyuk remain in a standoff while a resolution with holdout Trent Williams isn’t close. Meanwhile #Jets pass rusher Haason Reddick remains away from the team. pic.twitter.com/ig2ZADhrTi
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 28, 2024

Williams may very well be the best and most accomplished player on the 49ers' roster. An 11-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, he's a future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and consistently rates as one of the very best tackles in the league.

Williams is set to earn a $20.5 million salary and can also earn $750 000 in per-game roster bonuses for the upcoming season. He has three years remaining on a six-year, $138.06 million extension signed in 2021. At the time, it was the richest deal ever given to an offensive lineman.

Given his age (36), as well as the length and lucrativeness of his current deal, holding out is a very aggressive move from Williams. He remains extremely effective: He earned an elite 89.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season. Admittedly, his current deal lags behind the recent mega-deals signed by Detroit Lions star Penei Sewell (four years, $112 million) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowler Tristan Wirfs (five years, $140.625 million), but Williams is more than a decade older than those players.

Still, the 49ers are unquestionably a better team with Williams on the field. He also benefits from a long-standing relationship with head coach Kyle Shanahan; Shanahan was the offensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders when they drafted Williams fourth overall in 2010.

Williams will likely remain effective for at least a couple more seasons. Teams are understandably reluctant to renegotiate this early into a deal, but given Williams' unique stature in the league, an increase in guarantees (or even salary) probably wouldn't set a bad precedent. The 49ers can afford to pay him more easily than they can afford to be without him.