MARCH 24: During his latest comments on the subject, head coach Kyle Shanahan remained confident a resolution will be found. He said, via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area, “I believe we will get that done. We love Trent too much and eventually that will work out.”
MARCH 23: Both Trent Williams and the 49ers have some incentive to explore a reworked contract for 2026 and beyond. While recent reports indicated that the two sides could agree to some resolution before the draft, it doesn’t sound like they’ve made up much ground in those talks.
[RELATED: 49ers Will Not Exercise Trent Williams’ $10MM Option Bonus]
According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom.com, there remains a “huge divide” between the offensive tackle and the 49ers. One source hinted that a move won’t be made until the 49ers are absolutely forced to make a decision, while another source noted that Williams has no incentive to take a new deal now.
The 49ers passed on Williams’ $10MM option bonus earlier this month, which bumped his $38.84MM cap number to an untenable $47MM. The front office is surely pushing to reduce that number while enticing Williams with future guarantees. However, as La Canfora points out, the offensive tackle doesn’t have much reason to take a contract that reduces his $33MM in 2026 cash earnings. Williams is still attached to the three-year, $82.66MM deal he inked with the franchise back in 2024. While there’s still two years remaining on that pact, it doesn’t contain any guaranteed money beyond 2026.
This stare down can lead to three potential outcomes. The path of least resistance sees the sides agree to an extension that reduces Williams’ 2026 cap number, provides the player with future guarantees, and doesn’t drastically reduce his earning potential for this upcoming season. If the two sides can’t work out a deal, then the 49ers could look to trade the lineman, who would surely have a “robust” market, per La Canfora. However, recent reports indicated that San Francisco didn’t have interest in trading the star OT.
The 49ers could also choose to cut the player, although the organization would surely drag that decision out to the last minute. That scenario would see Williams seeking a landing spot right before the start of Week 1 while risking reduced earnings for 2026. It would make sense for the player to blink before negotiations got to that point, although Williams has a history of making these standoffs uncomfortable.
He famously sat out the entire 2019 season in Washington as a result of failed contract talks, culminating in him being dealt to the 49ers in 2020. He later signed a six-year, $138MM deal with his new squad that made him the highest-paid OL in the NFL, and that aforementioned 2024 extension was a record for a non-quarterback over the age of 35. All the while, Williams has continued to perform as one of the league’s premier offensive tackles, with Pro Football Focus consistently ranking the veteran inside the top-three at the position throughout his 49ers tenure.
While there’s no urgency to complete a new deal today, things will surely heat up if the two sides don’t agree to a revised contract over the next few months. At that point, there will be worthy questions about Williams’ ability to finish his career in San Francisco.
Jason Who?
Should have been taken care of months ago. The 49ers seem to be addicted to contract drama.
They’ve taken care of him in terms of money, given him two insane contracts, this is on Trent. He’s old and wasn’t healthy last year.
In six seasons, he’s given them three first team All-Pro seasons, one second team All-Pro, five Pro Bowl nods, and only once played fewer than 800 snaps. Those contracts weren’t insane. Why would he give up money when he has leverage?
He currently has a. contract, but the money isn’t guaranteed so he’s throwing a tantrum called pay me my money…guaranteed because of what he has done in the past….same old story…pay me more now for what I did last year and years before…and as far as leverage, at 37 his only recourse is to again sit out a year trying to prompt either a contract or trade…but that isn’t going to fly too well at age 38.
He has guarantees left in the form of bonus money. Trading him would just turn those into dead money for SF. They wanted to restructure. He doesn’t want to restructure without new guarantees. That’s leverage. He could also retire with a ton of money and the Niners could be without their best lineman. That is also leverage.
If he is thinking a year by year about retirement, then it would really benefit him to re do a contract. Collect the $47 million and be done, if he does want to play next year he still has leverage if SF ignores getting a replacement. Next year no guarantees so he could get moved if no new deal.SF put themselves in this position.
If being a great LT made a person rich, then Trent Williams would be a…wait a sec.
Great left tackle, great moneymaker.
Bench warmers in pro sports are rich as well!
Jerry Jones is sitting on an old dead tree like a buzzard just licking his chops for Trent Williams to fall into his clutches.
Jerry don’t have the cash to pay Trent what Trent wants to be paid GUARANTEED, and multi year.
Wait… Trent Williams is being a DB about his contract? Who would have thought?
Get your money, Trent … they need you and you know it. If you were mediocre, they would release you when they pleased.
Anything Jason LA Con Fraud says is questionable. The guy constantly lies and makes up rumors. He has no sources, as team executives won’t talk to him. He was fired from 105.7 for making up rumors and bad mouthing Orioles and Ravens executives. Sports Boom, that’s a reliable publication… LMAO.
As soon as Lynch or Shamahan gives you that “We love you speech” you know your time in Frisco is winding down…lol.
We already know York and Front office gonna cave.