Contract Details: Anderson, Al-Shaair, Greenard, Williams, Reed
Will Anderson Jr.‘s eye-popping three-year, $150MM extension turned heads around the NFL last month. The details of the mammoth Texans contract have since come out (via OverTheCap) and, as usual, they put the terms in a very different light.
Crucially, Anderson already had two years and $27MM remaining on his rookie deal, making his new contract a five-year deal worth around $177MM, or $35.4MM per year. That actually comes in below Micah Parsons‘ overall AAV on his contract with the Packers, just under $42MM, but still beats Aidan Hutchinson at $34.2MM. Parsons had substantially more leverage in Green Bay given their trade with the Cowboys, while Anderson and Hutchinson both signed with the teams that drafted them.
For Anderson, the benefit is clear. He will receive just over $55MM over the next two years, almost double what he would have earned on his rookie contract, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. He will then get paid $122MM from 2028 to 2030.
Another element is the guaranteed money, originally reported at $134MM. Anderson’s 2026 salary and 2027 fifth-year option were already guaranteed, so his extension actually includes $107MM in new guarantees. That is made up of a $32MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed salaries from 2026 to 2028, worth a total of $73MM that is guaranteed at signing. Another $34MM of his 2029 salary will become fully guaranteed if he is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2028 league year. The deal also includes $500K in per game roster bonuses in the last three years.
Interestingly, the Texans declined to use option bonuses or void years in Anderson’s deal. Both are widely used across the NFL to maintain financial flexibility by deferring cap hits into the future. Instead, after $13.2MM and $28.3MM cap hits in 2026 and 2027, Anderson’s cap charge jumps to $46.4MM in 2028 and 2029 and $48.4MM in 2030. Of course, Houston can restructure his deal, though adding void years often requires player consent, which could give Anderson leverage to negotiate another top-of-the-market extension.
Here are the details of some other deals that were signed this offseason:
- The Texans’ other recent extension was for linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. His $38.75MM in at-signing guarantees is comprised of a $14MM signing bonus and $24.75MM in salary across the next three years, per OverTheCap. Another $7MM of his 2028 salary will become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2028 league year. The deal also $500K in per-game roster bonuses in 2026 and $750K in 2027, 2028, and 2029, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, as well as one void year.
- Jonathan Greenard‘s four-year, $100MM deal with the Eagles includes $50MM fully guaranteed, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. That is comprised of a $23.5MM signing bonus, a total of $2.56MM in salary in 2026 and 2027, and a $22.9MM option bonus in 2027. As with all of Philadelphia’s extensions, Greenard is set to receive option bonuses in each year of his deal, due at the beginning of the regular season, and he can earn an additional $1.5MM with first-team All-Pro selections in 2026, 2027, and 2028. Florio additionally notes that the deal is effectively a $12MM raise across the next two years over his previous deal with the Vikings, which seems like something Minnesota could have accommodated. Instead, the NFC North team sent Greenard to Philly, where he gets his desired payday.
- The 49ers replaced Trent Williams‘ existing deal with a two-year, $50MM contract with four void years and $48.5MM in guaranteed money, of which $37MM is fully guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. He received a $22.2MM signing bonus and a total of $14.8MM in salary and bonuses in 2026 and 2027. After his cap figure rose by $7.5MM when the team declined his 2026 option bonus, Williams’ cap hit has dropped from $46.34MM to $20MM as a result of the new deal, per NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco. The deal has some unique aspects, including an $11.5MM roster bonus due in 2028 that is fully guaranteed unless Williams holds out or otherwise misses time in the offseason. The 49ers can also convert the 2027 roster bonus into a prorated option bonus. The contract is designed to be terminated in 2028 – when Williams turns 40 –with a post-June 1 designation. If that is not done by the 10th day of the ’28 league year, he will be owed a guaranteed $50.18MM roster bonus in 2029. The expectation in San Francisco seems to be that the three-time All-Pro will retire after the 2027 season.
- Jayden Reed‘s new deal with the Packers includes $20MM in guaranteed money, comprised of a $16.5MM signing bonus and a $3.5MM roster bonus. That is a below-market figure but in line with Green Bay’s contract precedent – the team rarely metes out guarantees beyond the first year of the deal. Reed will receive $1.3MM, $9.05MM, and $10.05MM in salary from 2027 to 2029, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, with $500K in workout bonuses in each year. He is also due roster bonuses worth $2MM in 2027 and $1MM in 2028. Of particular note is the inclusion of $5.85MM in per-game roster bonuses from 2027 to 2029, the highest of any Packer, which mitigates some injury risk for the team.
49ers, LT Trent Williams Agree To Deal
The contract impasse between Trent Williams and the 49ers has come to an end. Monday has brought about an agreement on another new accord for the future Hall of Famer.
Williams has worked out a two-year, $50MM deal, per an announcement from his agency. The pact contains $37MM fully guaranteed; that figure includes a $22MM signing bonus. After questions loomed about his future, Williams is now in position to continue his San Francisco career through at least 2027.
The guarantee figures on this pact are nearly identical to the ones included in the 49ers’ most recent offer. It thus comes as little surprise an agreement has been reached, and the left tackle spot is once again secured for the team ahead of this week’s draft. Williams was already on the books for next year, but he was scheduled to carry an untenable cap charge of $46.34MM in 2026 in the absence of a new deal. This new deal will lower his cap hit for the immediate future while offering a fresh round of guarantees.
As of March, a gap existed between team and player with respect to a new contract agreement being reached. That helped fuel speculation about a potential trade, with San Francisco reported to be open to a swap at one point. The Chiefs loomed as a landing spot in such a scenario, but the 49ers remained optimistic an agreement on a new contract would ultimately be reached. Negotiations in the days leading up to the draft have indeed taken a major piece of offseason business off the team’s to-do list.
Williams has been in place with the 49ers since arriving via trade in 2020. The 12-time Pro Bowler has been a mainstay up front over that span, collecting a total of four first- or second-team All-Pro nods in San Francisco. Williams inked a six-year deal worth just over $138MM in 2020, then agreed to a three-year extension in 2024. Retirement questions have become increasingly common for the veteran, who will be 38 by the start of next season. Given today’s news, though, Williams will be expected to remain in the fold for at least two more years.
A consistent presence throughout his 49ers tenure, Williams has ranked between first and seventh among tackles every year in terms of PFF grade since arriving in the Bay Area. Remaining one of the game’s best deep into his career will be key for the team’s offensive line, a unit which has faced a number of concerns at positions other than left tackle over the years. Williams is still one of the nine offensive tackles around the NFL attached to an average annual value of $25MM or more, and this latest pact will take him past $250MM in career earnings.
That figure is comfortably the highest in league history for non-quarterbacks. Williams has managed to secure another notable payday in time for offseason workouts later this spring, while the 49ers will not need to find his immediate replacement in the draft. Continued high-end play on the blindside will be expected for the short-term future as San Francisco looks to make further postseason runs over that span.
49ers Made Recent Offer To LT Trent Williams
Contract talks between the 49ers and left tackle Trent Williams were reportedly picking up steam in late March, but an agreement still has not come together. It hasn’t been for lack of effort on the 49ers’ part. Their most recent offer contains approximately $36MM in guarantees, including $24MM next season, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom reports.
As things stand, Williams is entering the final season of a three-year, $82.6MM pact. The 49ers declined a $10MM option bonus in March, leading to a major increase in Williams’ cap hit. He was already on track to count an untenable $38.84MM before then. The number now sits at a bloated $46.34MM. Williams is also owed around $33MM, though none of that is guaranteed.
While the 49ers want to lower Williams’ 2026 salary by about $9MM, La Canfora notes he would still rank among the 10 highest-paid tackles. The 12-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer has a case to earn more, but his age (38 in July) and injury history are working against him. Williams has not put together a full season since he was in Washington in 2013. Although he missed just one game during another highly effective year in 2025, Williams racked up multiple absences in each season from 2015-24.
League sources told La Canfora that the 49ers and Williams may find common ground “early this week.” If the stalemate continues, though, a trade or a release could eventually occur. The 49ers were reportedly open to trading Williams as of early March. There is still “legitimate” interest from other teams, per La Canfora. If he and the 49ers don’t hammer out a new pact in the next couple of weeks, perhaps a team that did not adequately upgrade at left tackle in the draft will kick the tires on a Williams trade.
For their part, considering the uncertainty surrounding Williams, the 49ers could target the position early in the draft. They made a modest free agent investment in Vederian Lowe, who spent most of last season as a reserve in New England. Austen Pleasants is also in the mix as a backup left tackle, but he and Lowe are big steps down from Williams.
If the 49ers cut or trade Williams between now and June 1, it would leave them with a $34.15MM dead cap hit and $12.19MM in savings. A post-June 1 divorce would save upward of $33MM in spending space in 2026. The 49ers would spread the dead cap over two years, taking a $13.33MM charge next season and a $20.83MM hit in 2027.
Chiefs Still Monitoring Trent Williams; Taylor Decker On Radar?
The Chiefs aimed to stop their post-Eric Fisher revolving door at left tackle by drafting Josh Simmons in last year’s first round. Simmons impressed during training camp to win the Week 1 LT gig, but multiple issues intervened for the rookie talent.
Simmons left the Chiefs to address an undisclosed matter midway through the season; that hiatus forced the Chiefs to get by without him for four games. Simmons then suffered a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery, knocking him out for the season on Thanksgiving. While players chosen in Round 1 certainly receive their fair share of chances, the Chiefs continue to be linked to a player who would supplant Simmons as a starter.
Trent Williams remains on Kansas City’s radar, according to Casino.com’s Jason La Canfora, who hears the Chiefs would be “ready to pounce” in a trade should the future Hall of Famer’s latest talks with the 49ers go south. This follows a link that surfaced on Day 1 of free agency, but the 49ers remain intent on working another deal out with their six-year LT.
Williams, 38 in July, has been embroiled in another wave of contract talks for several weeks. Two years after the 49ers reworked Williams’ deal to provide a guarantee influx, the sides are negotiating again ahead of the decorated LT’s contract year. While talks appear to be picking up once again, no resolution looks imminent.
Kansas City finished second for Williams in 2021, seeing San Francisco win out with a six-year deal worth $138.1MM. The Chiefs pivoted to Orlando Brown Jr., and while that required a first-round pick and more in a trade with the Ravens, the mammoth blocker — a converted right tackle — was a plus option with the Chiefs for two seasons. But Brown turned down a Williams-like six-year extension while on the franchise tag in 2022 and signed with the Bengals in 2023. The Chiefs got by with stopgap Donovan Smith in their Super Bowl LVIII-winning season but did not re-sign him in 2024, instead turning to four starters — including converted guard Joe Thuney — in a season in which this position became a flashpoint concern.
Simmons’ rookie contract runs through 2028, and it would be odd if the Chiefs brought in a veteran to essentially replace him. But an anonymous GM informed La Canfora Andy Reid would “prefer a veteran” here. The Chiefs have Jaylon Moore as an option, having given him a two-year deal worth $30MM in 2025, but he could also be needed at right tackle. Kansas City cut three-year starter Jawaan Taylor for cap savings and has not replaced him. Moving parts exist for a Chiefs team that saw would-be 2024 LT answer Kingsley Suamataia successfully kick inside to LG last season.
Williams might not be the only Chiefs option if, in fact, a veteran is to be acquired at left tackle. La Canfora also mentions Taylor Decker as a potential solution, though it does not appear the Chiefs are as high on him as they are Williams. Decker, 33 in August, requested a Lions release after rework talks did not progress. The 10-year Lions LT starter has not been connected to a team yet, but after considering retirement this winter, the Ohio State alum is on track to play an 11th season.
Decker (140 career starts) missed 2025 time with a shoulder injury that ended up hampering him upon return. A healthy version of the Pro Bowl tackle would stand to be an upgrade on Simmons, but it is certainly worth wondering if the Chiefs would go as far as to bench a player they drafted 32nd overall last year.
That would be a notable development for a team that has not used the same LT starter in three straight seasons since Fisher’s eight-year tenure wrapped after the 2020 season. For now, Simmons and Moore are the Chiefs’ starters at tackle. But that could certainly change in the coming weeks and months.
Contract Talks Between 49ers, LT Trent Williams Picking Up
No resolution has been reached yet between Trent Williams and the 49ers. That situation may change in the near future.
When speaking to the media upon arrival at this year’s league meeting, general manager John Lynch expressed optimism about a deal being struck. He said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) talks between the sides have “intensified” over the past week. Progress could result in a new deal being agreed to.
Lynch added he believes the team is “on the precipice” of an agreement with Williams (h/t Matt Barrows of The Athletic). He did caution, however, that a similar level of optimism has existed previously in this situation. As things stand, Williams is under contract for one more year. The 12-time Pro Bowler is due to carry a cap charge of $46.34MM, and none of his scheduled base salary ($32.21MM) is guaranteed.
An expectation has thus long existed that an extension lowering Williams’ 2026 cap figure while supplying new locked-in money will be worked out. Since the team declined to exercise his option bonus, however, speculation has picked up about a trade being possible. As of this past Monday, the sides were believed to still be far apart. Based on Lynch’s latest comments, notable progress seems to have been made since then.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has echoed Lynch in expressing confidence that a resolution will ultimately be found in this case. Williams, 37, has spent the past six years in the Bay Area. During that time, he has remained an anchor along the offensive line and logged-double digit appearances every time. The three-time All-Pro will be counted on to serve as a core figure once more in 2026 and quite possibly beyond depending on whether or not an extension can be agreed to.
The 49ers added a veteran tackle in the form of Vederian Lowe during the early stages of free agency. He inked a two-year pact, offering the team insurance against missed time on Williams’ part due to a contract impasse. If ongoing talks remain productive, though, San Francisco’s preferred left tackle setup will have a strong chance of being in place by the start of the 2026 season.
49ers, Trent Williams Not Close To Agreement On Reworked Contract
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.
49ers Will Not Exercise Trent Williams’ $10MM Option Bonus
MARCH 21: While Williams’ future will remain unclear until a contract resolution can be worked out, Schefter’s colleague Nick Wagoner writes the 49ers have not sought out a trade in this case. An extension providing the team with a lower 2026 cap charge and Williams with new guarantees remains something to watch for.
MARCH 20: The 49ers have until 3 p.m. CT to exercise left tackle Trent Williams‘ $10MM option bonus, but they will pass on it, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. While Williams’ cap number will rise from $38.84MM to $47MM, the 49ers are “not overly concerned,” per Schefter. They plan to rework Williams’ contract before April’s draft.
As the 49ers and the 37-year-old Williams butted heads over his contract a few weeks ago, Schefter reported on Feb. 24 that they could release him. However, speaking to the media later that day, general manager John Lynch sounded confident that would not happen.
“Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner,” Lynch said. “We’re all on the same page… I feel very positive where that’s going.”
On March 9, two days before the start of the new league year, a report indicating the 49ers could trade Williams surfaced. Williams remains a 49er, however, and it seems the team plans to keep it that way. Regardless, this is the latest contract dispute during what will surely end up as a Hall of Fame career for the 12-time Pro Bowler.
Then in Washington, Williams sat out the entire 2019 season as a result of a standoff with the team. Washington traded Williams to San Francisco for third- and fifth-round picks in April 2020. Eleven months later, the 49ers handed Williams a six-year, $138MM extension. The deal made Williams the game’s highest-paid offensive lineman.
After Williams managed three straight first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons to begin his contract, the 49ers reworked it in September 2024. The three-year, $82.66MM agreement featured $48MM in guarantees, a record for a non-quarterback over the age of 35. Williams still has another year left on the pact, but there is no guaranteed money remaining.
49ers Open To Trading Trent Williams; Chiefs On Radar For LT?
In 2021, the Chiefs were believed to have finished second in the Trent Williams free agency sweepstakes. As Williams again navigates a contract situation with the 49ers, San Francisco’s two-time Super Bowl opponent may have a second chance at the future Hall of Fame tackle.
The 49ers are now believed to be open to trading Williams, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, should his latest contract situation not be resolved. The Chiefs are viewed by many around the league as the team most eager to make an addition, per Sportsboom.com’s Jason La Canfora.
Although Kansas City pursued Williams in 2021, it would be a bit strange to see the club revisit the decorated left tackle considering it used a first-round pick on Josh Simmons last year. The Chiefs did release RT Jawaan Taylor, but ex-49er Jaylon Moore looms as an option to succeed him. A scenario in which Simmons slides to RT could be in play, should the Chiefs make another Williams run. But the 49ers will certainly hold out hope they can work out another deal here. One season remains on Williams’ reworked contract.
Williams, 37, is due to carry a $38.84MM cap number in 2026. He and the 49ers managed to resolve a contract issue in 2024, when Williams staged a holdout after a run of first-team All-Pro accolades. The 49ers rewarded the perennial Pro Bowler with a guarantee influx, but the contract calls for a $10MM option bonus to be paid by March 20. That gives the 49ers a deadline here.
John Lynch said recently the team and Williams were on the same page, but this latest report seems to indicate negotiations are not in a great place. An extension would lower Williams’ cap number, and he has discussed potentially playing until age 40. Williams will turn 38 this year and has continued to burnish one of the great LT resumes in NFL history. A release was floated as a possible outcome when this matter surfaced in February — and the Chiefs may be lurking in that scenario — but the 49ers would try to move on via trade first.
The Chiefs drafted Simmons 32nd overall and saw him win the starting job in Week 1, settling an issue that hindered the 2024 team. But the Ohio State product left the team midway through the season for personal reasons. Simmons returned after that hiatus but ended the season on IR with a wrist injury. He will still be expected to be Kansas City’s LT starter in 2026, but this Williams rumor does add some confusion to that plan.
49ers Want More Than Second-Rounder For Mac Jones; Latest On Trent Williams
The 49ers landed backup quarterback Mac Jones on a two-year, $7MM contract in free agency last March. The team wound up turning to Jones far more than it planned to in the first year of the deal. With a toe injury limiting starter Brock Purdy to nine games, Jones made eight starts and did a nice job keeping the car on the road. The 49ers went 5-3 in Jones’ outings.
Jones may have boosted his stock enough to become an appealing trade candidate, but the market has not been “robust” so far, Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur of The Athletic write. While the 49ers are not shopping Jones, they at least expected someone to offer a third-round pick or better, according to Barrows and Tafur.
General manager John Lynch‘s asking price is even higher than a third, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic hears. Lynch is looking for a second-rounder and more. That is a steep cost for a signal-caller who has put together an inconsistent five-year career.
Jones, whom the Patriots drafted 15th overall in 2021, had a solid rookie year as a starter. Taking over after Cam Newton‘s forgettable season as the Patriots’ starter, Jones helped the Pats to 10 wins and a playoff berth. The Alabama product fizzled over the next two seasons, though, leading the Patriots to trade him to the Jaguars in March 2024. Jones only brought back a sixth-rounder then. He went on to underwhelm in relief of an injured Trevor Lawrence over seven starts.
Jones had a far better year in San Francisco, where he set career highs in completion percentage (69.6%), yards per attempt (7.4), passer rating (97.4) and QBR (62.3). He threw for 2,151 yards and tossed 13 touchdowns against six interceptions across 289 attempts. Those are good numbers, but not enough to convince anyone to give up prime draft capital. Unsurprisingly, there is some skepticism toward the 27-year-old and a belief that his 2025 rebound was the product of head coach/offensive guru Kyle Shanahan.
“The 49ers gonna throw in Kyle Shanahan in the deal, too?” one general manager asked (via Barrows and Tafur).
As of January, Shanahan was not expecting a Jones trade. Shanahan said then that “you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
Barring something unforeseen, it appears Jones will indeed remain in a 49ers uniform next season. On the other hand, there is still plenty of uncertainty around future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams. With the 49ers and Williams struggling to agree on an adjusted deal to lower his $38.84MM cap hit, a Feb. 23 report surfaced indicating the team could release him. Speaking to the media that afternoon, Lynch said the 49ers and Williams’ camp are “all on the same page.”
Nothing has been done about Williams’ contract over a week later, leaving a release as a possible outcome. The two sides have not made any progress, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, who says the 49ers and Williams still have work to do to prevent a divorce.
If the 12-time Pro Bowler reaches free agency, there should be plenty of interest despite his age. The 37-year-old continues to play at a high level, and retirement is not imminent. Williams still believes he has two or three seasons of football left in him, Garafolo reports.
John Lynch: 49ers, Trent Williams ‘On The Same Page’
11:08pm: Speaking with the media on Tuesday, 49ers general manager John Lynch sounded optimistic about Williams’ future (via Clayton Holloway of NFL Network). “Good and productive meetings,” Lynch said. “Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner. We’re all on the same page… I feel very positive where that’s going.”
3:09pm: Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams still has one year left on his contract with the 49ers, but he could end up on the free agent market early. Williams and the 49ers are struggling to reach an agreement on an amended deal that would lower his $38.84MM cap hit, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. If they don’t find common ground, a release would be expected, per Schefter.
Williams would be a shocking addition to this year’s class of free agents. Although the 12-time Pro Bowler is set to play his age-38 season in 2026, he would immediately become the best offensive tackle available. For now, the Packers’ Rasheed Walker is in line to lead the market. The 26-year-old Walker has age on his side, but he is not on Williams’ level as a blocker. Case in point: Pro Football Focus ranked Williams third among 84 qualifying tackles in 2025. Walker checked in at No. 53.
Williams has been consistently elite since he entered the NFL as Washington’s first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in 2010. The former Oklahoma Sooner came off the bench once in 14 games as a rookie, but he has started in every other one of his 204 career appearances. Williams made the Pro Bowl in seven straight seasons with the Commanders from 2012-18. He remained under contract in 2019, but a standoff with the team led Williams to sit out for the entire season.
Washington traded the disgruntled Williams to San Francisco for third- and fifth-round picks in April 2020. The 49ers did not hand Williams a new contract immediately, but he played out another Pro Bowl season and inked a six-year, $138MM extension in March 2021. The pact made Williams the game’s highest-paid offensive lineman.
After Williams posted three straight first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons to begin his contract, the 49ers reworked it in September 2024. The three-year, $82.66MM agreement came with a guaranteed $48MM, a record for a non-quarterback over the age of 35. That deal is still in place, but it doesn’t appear that will be the case for much longer.
If there’s any knock on Williams (other than age), it’s durability issues. Excluding the year he held out, Williams has missed between one and seven games in every season since 2014. He played his third 16-game season in 2025, yet another Pro Bowl campaign, but it could go down as his last in San Francisco.
Not only would the 49ers subtract an O-line cornerstone in releasing Williams, but it would hurt from a cap standpoint. If done by April 1, it would yield $34.15MM in dead money and just $4.69MM in savings. Designating Williams a post-June 1 cut would save the 49ers $15.52MM in 2026, though they would have to spread approximately $44MM in dead money over the next two seasons.