Sports
Could 49ers’ Trent Williams hit free agency? Sides working through contract situation
An outstanding six-year run for left tackle Trent Williams with the San Francisco 49ers could be in danger of coming to an end. With Williams set to carry a $39 million cap number in 2026, he and the 49ers are engaged in talks but are struggling to find a contractual solution to the sizable impact he will have on the team’s payroll next season, according to ESPN. If the sides cannot find a middle ground, Williams could become a free agent this offseason.
The 49ers want to keep their star tackle in town despite the reported stalemate, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. John Lynch, the team’s general manager, effectively said as much Tuesday at the NFL Combine.
“In recent weeks, I’ve met with both Trent and with his agent, Vincent Taylor, and had really good, productive and substantive meetings,” Lynch said. “Here’s what I know. Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner. It’s up to us to figure that out and to thread that needle.
“There’s some unique circumstances in that we all know what Trent is as a player and how great of a player he’s been. He’s gonna be 38 years old, so there’s some things that go into that. But I think we’re all on the same page and feel very positively about where that’s going.”
A release before June 1 would save the 49ers $4.7 million in cap space. If they were to release him after that date, they would save $15.5 million this year — though that would require them to split his dead cap hit across the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Williams, a five-time All-Pro honoree and 12-time Pro Bowler, would be among the most highly sought-after players of the 2026 free agent class. Even entering his age-38 season, the veteran tackle remains a premier blind-side protector with potentially multiple more years left in the tank. He said last offseason that he would “love to play until I’m 40.”
The 49ers and Williams agreed in September 2024 to a restructured three-year deal that made him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman that season.
One of the few accolades that Williams has left to add to his résumé is Super Bowl champion. Remaining with the 49ers should allow him to achieve that goal, but his significant cap hit could also limit San Francisco’s ability to surround him with enough talent to contend in a loaded NFC West. The 49ers secured a wild-card berth in 2025 despite finishing third in the division at 12-5. With two Super Bowl appearances and a pair of conference championship game berths since 2019, the 49ers are knocking on the door of a title. Losing one of the NFL’s best tackles without getting anything in return would be a significant blow in that quest.
Williams joined the 49ers in 2020 via a trade with the Washington Commanders. The former No. 4 overall pick spent the first decade of his career in Washington and was a perennial Pro Bowler. He took his game to the next level upon arriving on the West Coast, securing three consecutive first-team All-Pro honors and a second-team selection in 2025.