The 49ers have opened up a chunk of cap space this morning. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), left tackle Trent Williams has converted a part of his base contract into a signing bonus.
Specifically, the team took $5.45MM of Williams’ base salary and turned it into a signing bonus. This move ended up saving the front office about $4.36MM against the cap.
Williams joined the 49ers prior to the 2020 campaign, and following a season where he earned Pro Football Focus’ top grade among offensive tackles, San Francisco handed him a whopping six-year, $138.06MM deal, making him the highest-paid OL in NFL history. The contract included more than $55MM in guaranteed money and a $30MM signing bonus.
The veteran started all 15 games for the 49ers in 2021, and he earned his first career first-team All-Pro nod as a result of his performance (Williams earned second-team honors in 2015). He once again graded as PFF’s top offensive tackle, and through two games this season, he current sits 12th on the site’s list among 66 qualifying OTs.
And to think Wash gave him away cheap….
I’m just happy for him that he’s been able to find a proper helmet out on the west coast that they didn’t have access to in Washington.
The idiot doctors in DC literally tried to end his career. He was smart to get out of that dumpster fire.
Curious why they would do this? I mean if it saves moment great, but isn’t this typically an off season move to free up space in order to sign a guy?
Either they did the math and need some extra money for all of the attainable bonuses that Jimmy G is now going to hit, or a Bosa extension is being considered. They could also now pick up a large salary in a trade to plug any additional holes created by injuries.
Did he start all 15 games or 15 of 17 games?