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.
49ers LT Trent Williams Intends To Play In WC Round
Trent Williams suffered a hamstring injury early in Week 17, beginning a tenuous recovery process. The 49ers’ left tackle plans on suiting up tomorrow, but his status is still uncertain.
Williams sat out San Francisco’s regular-season finale. That came as little surprise and allowed for additional time to rest. Nevertheless, the 37-year-old is forcing the issue with respect to his recovery timeline by attempting to play in the wild-card round. Williams in unsure at this point if he will be able to finish Sunday’s contest.
“It’s always going to be a little bit — a little bit of a concern,” the 12-time Pro Bowler admitted (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “I mean, obviously I’m kind of pushing the limits on the time that’s required for it. So it will probably be in the back of my mind for a little bit. But once you get out there and the juices get flowing and adrenaline, I don’t think it should be a big problem.”
Williams’ status will of course be a main talking point leading up to the 49ers’ game against the Eagles. He is among the players listed as questionable going into Sunday. Losing Williams for some or all of the game would of course deal a notable blow to San Francisco’ O-line, a unit which has depended in large part on his availability and performances over the years.
After not practicing at all last week, Williams sat out Wednesday’s session. The 15-year veteran managed to practice on a limited basis for each of the next two days, however. He and the team will hope that proves sufficient for a full outing against Philadelphia’s defense tomorrow. If that does not prove to be the case, Austen Pleasants will be tasked with handling blindside duties.
49ers’ Trent Williams Out For Week 18; George Kittle Plans To Play
5:40PM: As the 49ers prepare to take on the Seahawks for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, they will officially be doing so without Williams. San Francisco listed him as one of their inactive players for tonight’s game.
10:59AM: It appears the 49ers will go without future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams in their pivotal regular-season finale against the Seahawks on Saturday. Williams, who suffered a hamstring injury in a win over the Bears last Sunday, did not practice this week. That suggests he won’t take the field with the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the conference on the line, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network says.
If Williams sits Saturday, it’ll prevent the 37-year-old from logging his first 17-game campaign. A career-long starter since entering the NFL as a first-round pick (No. 4) with Washington in 2010, Williams has earned his 12th Pro Bowl nod this season. He’s Pro Football Focus’ third-ranked tackle out of 86 qualifiers.
It’s obviously less than ideal for the 49ers to go without Williams, but they pulled off a thrilling 42-38 win in Week 17 despite his absence. Williams played one snap before exiting, leaving Austen Pleasants to take over for the rest of the game. The fourth-year man will make the first start of his career Saturday if Williams is unavailable. It’ll be a tall order against a Seattle defense that ranks second in scoring, fifth in yards and eighth in sacks.
In better news for the 49ers, seven-time Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle said he “absolutely” plans to play in Week 18 (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN). Kittle, a limited participant in practice this week, missed the Chicago game with an ankle issue, continuing an injury-riddled year for him.
After suffering a right hamstring tear in a Week 1 victory in Seattle, Kittle spent over a month on IR. The 32-year-old has appeared in just 10 of 16 games this season, but when healthy enough to play, he has continued to post superb production. Kittle has hauled in 52 of 62 targets for 599 yards and seven touchdowns. Adding in Kittle’s blocking prowess, he’s PFF’s No. 1-ranked tight end among 75 qualifiers.
The 49ers have overcome a slew of notable injuries this year en route to a 12-4 record. While the team remains banged up, there’s only one more hurdle to clear to ensure homefield advantage through the playoffs. If the 49ers complete the season sweep of the Seahawks at home, they won’t go on the road again. That includes the Super Bowl, where the 49ers will host the AFC champion at Levi’s Stadium if they survive the NFC onslaught in January.
49ers Notes: Kittle, Williams, Warner, WRs
Trent Williams missed almost all of the 49ers’ 42-38 win, going down with a hamstring injury sustained as he attempted to make a tackle on Brock Purdy‘s first-play pick-six. The future Hall of Fame left tackle is undergoing tests today, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. While this injury does not appear set to move Williams to IR, Rapoport points to a Week 18 absence being likely. The 49ers, after all, somewhat surprisingly (given their Seattle matchup’s importance) drew a short-week assignment for their regular-season finale.
Although the 49ers’ most notable injuries have involved season-enders (or apparent season-enders in Fred Warner‘s case), this heightens the importance of the team earning the NFC’s bye slot. Williams and George Kittle having recovery weeks would certainly be beneficial to this unlikely Super Bowl contender’s quest.
Here is the latest out of San Francisco:
- After three DNPs last week, Kittle missed the 49ers’ shootout win over the Bears. Swelling in the All-Pro tight end’s injured ankle prevented him from conducting a planned pregame workout, according to NBC’s Melissa Stark, leading to the Week 17 shutdown. Kittle, who came off IR earlier this season following a hamstring injury, expects to play in the 49ers’ Week 18 matchup. Charting the likely Hall of Famer’s practice log will be key, but Kittle appears to be readying to be available when the team matches up with the Seahawks for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
- Warner’s comeback remains a talking point. Despite suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 6, the All-Pro linebacker said during NBC’s pregame show he has “a chance” to come back during the playoffs. No divisional-round return is expected, with Rapoport adding Warner’s earliest return point would likely come if the 49ers advance to the NFC championship game. This aligns with recent reporting on the linebacker’s recovery. This is generally a four- to six-month injury; as recently as late November, Kyle Shanahan said he did not expect Warner back until the 2026 season. But Rapoport points to the eighth-year defender returning in a partial role as a viable scenario should the 49ers’ season extend into late January.
- The 49ers have used five of their eight regular-season injury activations. In decent shape here, the 12-4 team will receive two more activations once the playoffs begin. One of those figures to go to Jacob Cowing, who has missed the entire season. Shanahan said Cowing — a 2024 fourth-round pick — was close to practicing in Week 17; the ninth-year HC expects Cowing’s IR-return window to open this week, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows notes. That would make Cowing, who has lingered on IR since late August due to a nagging hamstring injury, eligible to be activated ahead of Week 18. Cowing caught four passes for 80 yards last season.
- One of the wideouts the 49ers have needed to rely on due to the injuries to Cowing, Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings this season — one also featuring a Brandon Aiyuk no-show — Kendrick Bourne reached an incentive during the 49ers’ Week 16 win over the Colts. Returning to the 49ers in September following a Patriots release, Bourne triggered a $500K incentive by surpassing 500 receiving yards, Stark noted (h/t Awful Announcing). Bourne has 551 yards; he can earn another $250K bump by reaching 600.
OT Trent Williams Intends To Play In 2026
Trent Williams has been attached to retirement speculation for several years, but it doesn’t sound like the offensive lineman is close to hanging up his cleats. When asked about his status beyond the 2025 season, Williams made it clear that he’ll at least be back on the field next year.
“I’m nowhere near done, so I’ve got a few more years,” said Williams (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “I’m not leaving. I’m not going nowhere.”
After he missed the 49ers’ last seven games of the 2024 season due to a bruise in his ankle joint, the OT once again staved off retirement rumblings. Besides being one of the league’s oldest players, there doesn’t seem to be much merit to Williams calling it a career.
For starters, the lineman has continued to perform as one of the league’s top offensive tackles. Pro Football Focus currently ranks the 37-year-old third among 83 qualifying tackles, the sixth-straight year he’s positioned to finish in the top-10. Williams was also named to his 12th Pro Bowl today. As Branch notes, this broke a tie with Anthony Munoz, Jonathan Ogden and Willie Roaf for the most in league history among offensive tackles.
Williams is also under contract through the 2026 season, and his average annual value still ranks second among offensive tackles. After inking a three-year, $82MM extension back in 2024, Williams can probably expect at least one more lucrative contract before his career is through.
To top it off, Williams has indicated that he’s interested in playing through his age-40 season. Barring an unexpected drop off, Williams shouldn’t lack for suitors, so it seems likelier than not that his plan will come to fruition.
49ers WR Ricky Pearsall, S Ji’Ayir Brown Likely Sidelined Until Training Camp
The 49ers are already navigating a pair of notable injuries at the start of OTAs. Kyle Shanahan told reporters today that safety Ji’Ayir Brown recently underwent ankle surgery and is out until training camp (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). Meanwhile, wideout Ricky Pearsall tweaked his hamstring and isn’t likely to practice in full until training camp (per Matt Barrows of The Athletic).
Brown’s absence would be especially notable considering his standing as one of the 49ers’ most reliable defenders. The former third-round pick carried over momentum from his rookie campaign into his sophomore year. The safety finished the 2024 season with 77 tackles and an interception while pacing the position in snaps played.
It’s unfortunate timing, as the 49ers are also without starting safety Malik Mustapha, who’s currently recovering from a torn ACL. This will provide an opportunity for a pair of newcomers to immediately get their feet wet. Free agent acquisitions Richie Grant and Jason Pinnock should temporarily lead the depth chart.
With Deebo Samuel no longer in the picture and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, Pearsall was one of several players with an opportunity to step up in the 49ers offense. The 2024 first-round pick overcame a gunshot injury to appear in 11 games as a rookie, finishing with 31 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
Pearsall will likely have a role waiting for him when he comes back, but his absence will provide Brock Purdy to build a rapport with more of the team’s WR depth. Jauan Jennings will likely be the team’s temporary WR1, while the likes of free agent addition Demarcus Robinson, rookie fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins, and former fourth rounder Jacob Cowing compete for top spots on the depth chart.
In non-injury news, Trent Williams notably didn’t show up for OTAs, according to Shanahan (h/t David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com). The coach didn’t seem overly concerned about the lineman’s no-show, with Shanahan noting that Williams had been in the building for some spring practices.
49ers Rumors: CMC, Kittle, Williams, Dobbs
After shaking off injury trouble for two seasons, en route to staking a claim as the NFL’s best running back, Christian McCaffrey saw two issues create a lost season for him in 2024. The superstar back missed much of the season with an Achilles injury, and a PCL malady sustained in Buffalo sidelined him not long after he debuted. McCaffrey, who is going into his age-29 season, landed more guaranteed money via another market-setting extension (two years, $38MM), protecting himself for the 2025 season. The 49ers also expect their RB starter to be back by training camp and perhaps before, with John Lynch indicating (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) the ninth-year veteran will probably be ready for part of the team’s offseason program.
Not that McCaffrey needs to log much offseason participation, as this will be Year 4 for him in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, but it would be an encouraging sign for a player who totaled only 50 carries last season. McCaffrey also saw injuries significantly limit him in 2020 and ’21 while in Carolina, but he played 17 games in 2022 and 16 in ’23, not missing any due to injury. The 49ers will hope the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year can return to that form in ’25.
Here is the latest out of San Francisco:
- As another 49ers NFC title defense could not navigate a rash of injuries, Trent Williams became part of the unavailable contingent. The future Hall of Fame left tackle missed the final seven games of San Francisco’s season with an ankle injury. Lynch confirmed (via Barrows) what had been expected, indicating Williams will be back for a 16th NFL season. Williams can break the tackle record for Pro Bowl invites by booking a 12th in 2025, which will be his age-37 season. Thanks to the contract adjustment he received to end a holdout, Williams would have brought more than $50MM in dead money had he retired after the 2024 slate.
- We heard Wednesday that the 49ers were talking not only with their top extension candidate, Brock Purdy, but with George Kittle as well. Staying mostly healthy over the course of his five-year, $75MM extension, the eight-year veteran — chosen in Lynch and Shanahan’s first draft — has put himself on the Hall of Fame radar. Lynch wants the star tight end to be a 49ers-only player during his career. “We want George to retire a Niner,” Lynch said. “He’s one of those guys — he’s a Niner through and through. So we want that to become a reality. I think the only thing on that is timing. And that’s no different than what I’ve told George and his agent.” The 49ers hammered out their first Kittle extension during training camp in 2020. Considering how this franchise usually conducts business, that is a timeframe to again monitor this year.
- An either/or path at defensive end may form regarding Nick Bosa‘s wingmen. Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos are release candidates, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. While Floyd has a track record as a sack artist, totaling at least nine each year from 2020-23, Gross-Matos received a surprising two-year, $18MM deal in 2024. The ex-Panthers second-rounder underwent in-season knee surgery and finished with four sacks in 11 games. That was a half-sack off his career high, however, but the 49ers having backloaded his deal would free up $7.82MM in a post-June 1 release. Using a post-June 1 designation on Floyd would free up $7.95MM in 2025 space but leave a bigger hole in the pass-rushing department. The 49ers have one June 1 move to make, as Javon Hargrave‘s release takes up the team’s other allotted slot.
- Josh Dobbs threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns during a meaningless Week 18 loss to the Cardinals, likely helping his cause for another QB2 deal. After losing the backup job to Brandon Allen, however, Dobbs is unlikely to re-sign with the 49ers, per Branch. When asked about a potential re-signing, Dobbs said recently, “Free agency is free agency.” If Allen is to reprise his 49ers QB2 role, he will need to be re-signed.
49ers’ Trent Williams Expected To Return In 2025
The 49ers are expecting All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams to return for his 14th NFL season in 2025, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
“Trent’s mindset is where it always is, and he’s still very interested in being the great player that he is, and I think he’s still got a lot left in the tank,” said general manager John Lynch on Wednesday. “Trent’s as committed as ever and we love having Trent Williams a part of us.”
The 35-year-old missed the 49ers’ last seven games of the 2024 season due to a bruise in his ankle joint. When healthy, Williams was still among the best tackles in the league, but his extended absence will likely keep him from a fourth-straight first-team All-Pro selection. Retirement speculation has followed him for a few years, but he has also stated a desire to play until age 40.
Williams will join center Jake Brendel, right guard Dominick Puni, and right tackle Colton McKivitz as the 49ers’ returning offensive linemen with left guard Aaron Banks set to hit free agency. Banks could price himself out of San Francisco after the explosion in last year’s guard market, especially with the team focused on a long-term extension for Brock Purdy.