Reigning NFC champions will have to navigate a top offensive lineman’s contract situation ahead of the 2024 season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, offensive tackle Trent Williams was added to the Reserve/Did Not Report List, meaning the veteran is officially holding out. Williams has three years remaining on his six-year, $138.1 million contract he signed in 2021.
Williams’ holdout comes amid a “hold-in” from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who reported to training camp on Tuesday but is not practicing, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
Williams, who will enter his 13th NFL season and fifth with the Niners this year, reported for San Francisco’s mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said a holdout wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Shanahan also expressed that he’s confident Williams and the team will figure something out to keep him in San Francisco.
“It’s something I knew could be a possibility, and I was hoping that he would be here,” Shanahan said on Wednesday.
“But I knew it could be a possibility, and I feel pretty confident that it will all work out in the long run and he’ll be here, and we’ll get on the same page with everything. It’s just one day of practice, and I think Trent will be alright missing a few practices.”
Williams finds himself in a similar position to star running back Christian McCaffrey earlier this offseason. While Williams is among the highest-paid offensive tackles in the league, he has no more guaranteed money left on his deal and that’s likely what he’s hoping to get out of the holdout.
McCaffrey was given a two-year, $38 million extension in June which includes $24 million guaranteed, and that kind of contract would be favorable for the 36-year-old Williams.
As history has shown, the 49ers are willing to work with holdouts for an extended period if it ensures both parties are happy. In 2022, San Francisco gave wide receiver Deebo Samuel an extension in the final days of July while Nick Bosa held out through the preseason before getting his new contract.
Williams has proven his value as a blindside protector for quarterback Brock Purdy, and it would be surprising if the 49ers let that value go unrewarded.
