Not long after ending Brandon Aiyuk‘s hold-in with an extension, the 49ers have a resolution in place with Trent Williams. The All-Pro left tackle returned to San Francisco on Tuesday to finalize a new agreement, his agency announced.
A few minor details are still to be ironed out, as noted by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, but once signed this new pact will finish the team’s last major piece of financial business for the offseason. Three years remained on Williams’ contract prior to today’s news, but no guaranteed compensation was in place. To no surprise, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that is now expected to change.
Indeed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds Williams will receive $48MM at signing. Overall, this is a three-year, $82.66MM agreement, with the $48MM serving as a signing bonus. The 49ers will be able to spread that amount into the future, though this deal does not add any years to Williams’ deal, which still runs through 2026.
Among non-quarterbacks beyond age 35, the $48MM guarantee is an NFL-record sum. As a massive talent gap exists between Williams and the rest of San Francisco’s O-line cogs, the team certainly needed him back to open the season. Talks intensified Sunday night, per Fowler, and Williams will have a week of practices with his team to prepare for the 49ers’ opener against the Jets. Williams effectively maximized his leverage, with Wilson adding he will collect $27.65MM in 2024.
Williams was absent from the start of training camp, adding another layer to the financial challenges the 49ers dealt with over the summer. Trade talk persisted in Aiyuk’s case, with a trade agreement being worked out with the Steelers. That wound up being a moot point after the parties agreed to a four-year, $120MM contract which will keep Aiyuk in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future, though. The same will now be true for Williams, whose deal ran through 2026 before the adjustments which will be finalized today.
The 11-time Pro Bowler was due $20.9MM in 2024 under the terms of the previous contract, one which carried an AAV of just over $23MM. Williams’ efforts to land an upgraded pact had come during an offseason in which the top of the tackle market has reached new heights with Tristan Wirfs, Penei Sewell and Christian Darrisaw landing big-ticket extensions. Each of those agreements are for second contracts, though, making them notably different than Williams’ case.
The 36-year-old has previously been linked to retirement, although one year ago he made public his intention of playing until age 40. Williams has landed first-team All-Pro nod in each of the past three years, serving as the anchor of the 49ers’ offensive line during that span. That longevity helped give him leverage to angle for a new arrangement, but it will certainly be interesting to see if the 49ers have added any new years to the pact given Williams’ age.
In 2019, Williams sat out the entire campaign while attempting to land a new deal at the end of his tenure in Washington. That was eventually ended by the trade which sent him to San Francisco the following offseason (and, later, the six-year accord he had been playing on), but it illustrated how willing the Oklahoma product was to extend a holdout into the regular season. A chance of that tactic being repeated loomed throughout the summer, though a recent update pointed to the parties making progress on contract talks. Regardless of what the new deal looks like, today’s news means San Francisco’s offense will be at full strength in time for Week 1.
As a vested veteran, the daily fines Williams accumulated for his training camp holdout cannot be waived. Due to missed camp time ($2.05MM) and three missed preseason games ($3.34MM), Williams incurred $5.39MM in fines to secure this rework, CBS Sports’ Joel Corry tweets. With over $171MM in career earnings, that fact did not dissuade him, but the threat of a regular season absence is no longer in place.
I am so old I can remember when these comment sections were filled with people saying the 49ers were going to have to trade Aiyuk and/or Williams. Those were the days.
No now it’s Debo and Kittle…..
Next offseason.
Yep one of them will have to go for sure. Hopefully not both but that’s how it goes in the NFL. That’s why they need to finish the job this year.
And not sign Brock to a long term contract.
Let me see if I have this straight. They have a quarterback under the age of 25. In his two seasons being the starter has led his team to the conference championship both years and Super Bowl one year. He was the most efficient Quarterback in the league last year in throws of ten yards or longer. He set the franchise record for Quarterback rating last season in a franchise that had Joe Montana and Steve Young. Yet you think they should just let him walk? Remarkable idea.
No what I am saying with all these contracts they are going to have hard time signing him to a new one. When did I say let him walk? Was adding to a comment abut having to let some one go. You just stated all the reasons Brock is gonna get paid.
My bad I misunderstood.
They are 51 million under the cap for next season. They have room to get things done.
Did they also mention Trey Lance?
“… absent from start of training camp”.
Does this mean he misses some of season?
I highly doubt it.
lol no it does not.
Oof and sn33. No doubt Trent is the best at his position, but he’s an “ole man” out there. No concerns about being game ready? And not meaning the mental part of “knocking heads” but the physical part of “knocking heads”.
Not for me. I think a lot of this was by design to try to keep his body fresh. People always talk about all the weapons that they have on offense and rightfully so. But Big Trent is the most important player on the team. The last two years when he has had to miss time with injuries the offense goes from dominant to disaster. In my opinion there isn’t a player in the league who needs training camp and preseason reps less than him so I’m not even a little concerned. Aiyuk is a little bit different of a story haha
Yeah, I think keeping him fresh is probably more of an issue than getting him ready.
Williams knows how to play and keep his body in shape. But week 1 I’ll be rooting for him to get beat and Purdy to get sacked. At a minimum show up to camp and don’t blow it off like a jerk. Nice co-worker eh?
Williams missed preseason work he was largely going to sit out no matter what, so you’re rooting for Purdy to get punished?
That’s what happens when your LT doesn’t show up for work. Actions could have consequences. “Punished” is a bit of a harsh term. Purdy should be the most upset by al this.
He’s a 36 year old hall of famer who’s still a better athlete than almost everyone at his position and has played for this offensive play caller the first four years of his career and the last four years. Work starts Monday.
I’m sure Purdy and the rest of the offense are happy about that. Work started months ago. He couldn’t be bothered to even make an appearance. Not sure why you keep justifying him blowing off the team. Some players deserve to hold out. Not Williams and not like this. I’ll still root for him to get burned week 1.
I mean, I’m rooting for that too, but in my case it’s because I root for the other team.
SF signed up for this when they gave new money and a raise to CMC when he was still under contract and already easily the highest paid at his position. Did they think the best left tackle in football wouldn’t expect the same?
Sure, but at least show up and hold out. Not just blow it off and stay home. At least meet your new teammates, attend meetings, etc. It isn’t like he needs his needs the second contract to feed his family. Going to a new normal where the best player at every position doesn’t show up every year because he wants to be paid top money is a bit too far on the pendulum swing. He’s already been paid top $$ and is still up there.
Williams has been like this since before there was any pendulum swinging and he always puts up performance to justify it. At this point, if you’re SF, you’re just trying to make sure the guy doesn’t retire and leave you with a disaster of a line.
I’ll still be on my couch rooting for him to get beat. Maybe it happens, maybe not.
On a side note, someone in the Washington Commanders front office is getting fired tomorrow
link to x.com
Seattle had this tackle that would miss preseason a lot. He would sign his contract the last week of camp. He did pretty good and even made it to the HOF. Trent is that type of tackle. Unfortunately he plays for SF. lol
One of….if not THE best to ever play the position. Pretty sure you can throw him out there in game 1 and he doesn’t miss a step.
Yep. Trent’s a baaaad man. Says me, the Redskins err Comnanders, fan that watched the FO give him away. Ugh.
Big Walt waves from the HOF.
Best ever, no!
Now just pay that quarterback
They aren’t even allowed to until next offseason.
I understood that . I mean that’s now the next one to get done right . They did what they had to do and this is going to be were it gets difficult
You didnt understand that.
Yep, I did. It will be in the offseason and it will be tougher . Which was my point. I am glad that you made sure to comment thou . Quarterback is the most important position and now they will have to cut and restructure contracts to keep this team together next year. Mortgaging the future for maybe winning this year.
Hope you at least learned something. Research before posting.
You woke up this morning and thought you be clever. Newsflash you failed. Now go back to your moms basement and try to do better troll.
The 49ers Super Bowl contention window is RIGHT NOW, thus Lynch needs to be doing everything possible to get his best team on the field. Next year changes will obviously need to be made, but that is next year’s problem.
Top me, amateur GM extradinaire, through 2026 is their window? Basing it on how I’m reading the Aiyuk and Williams restructurings.
Way to get it done early.
Next off-season you will have Brock purdy holding out for top dollar as well as every vet that has less than 3yr on their contract now that they set that precedence. Once it implodes they’ll get the top draft pick for a year or two. Enjoy this season niner fans before it gets ugly for awhile
A team with Purdy CMC Aiyuk Williams Bosa Warner etc is going to get the top draft pick for a year or two? When did they start legalizing crack? The people predicting the end of the 49ers after this season are pretty delusional. Teams are able to manipulate the cap with restructures all the time. There will be a couple of core guys for the last several years gone next year sure that happens in the NFL all the time. But to act like it’s all over after this season is just plain foolish.
They can afford all those weapons because Purdy is on a rookie contract. Next off-season he can hold out until he’s the highest paid QB, CMC can pull a Williams and say pay me more or I retire, deebo will need a new contract. Never said they couldn’t keep it intact for 2-3more years but they’ll be in salary cap hell when it finally bursts.
His name is shitball. Pay no mind to the deuce, he obviously doesn’t know what he thinks he knows
I’m looking forward to Williams reaching 40 years of age. He can then switch to the TE position and get a contract offer from the Bears…lol.
If any player should have held out it’s Brock Purdy. It’s disgusting what he is making. Had he held out, maybe he could have challenged the rookie pay scale provision of the CBA? Something has to give. What if he gets hurt again? They could cut just cut him loose.
Purdy doesn’t have a SB ring like Wilson and he hasn’t paid dues by being sacked over 500 times. There would be no point in him challenging the pay scale set forth in the CBA.
Holding out would be a waste of time for Purdy. The CBA rules prevent the team from giving him a new contract for another year. He’ll get paid big time next year unless he falls off a cliff.
I realize it’s hard to challenge the pay scale but hopefully the team can somehow take care of him off the books. Winning an NFC Championship deserves something … let’s hope he stays healthy and gets his due next year.
Unlike Dak Prescott, a Dallas Cowboys starting QB, a SF offensive lineman has limited endorsement opportunities. It makes sense that Williams would play hard ball. In the end, the fines take this year’s paycheque below what he should have received from the old agreement.
Pretty outrageous to hold out when he’s already the top paid lineman.