49ers and OL Trent Williams reach contract agreement to end his strike

The San Francisco 49ers have settled their last major contract dispute less than a week before the start of the regular season.

Trent Williams is finalizing a new deal with the 49ers that will end his sabbatical, his agency Elite Loyalty Sports announced Tuesday. The 36-year-old All-Pro left tackle missed all of training camp and the preseason as he attempted to rework his contract. While the terms of Williams’ deal have not yet been announced, he had three years remaining on his six-year, $138 million deal he signed with San Francisco in 2021.

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Williams has become a key cornerstone of the 49ers’ success in recent years after the team signed him from Washington in 2020. He has been named first-team All-Pro each of the past three years, according to Pro Football Focus, and did not allow a single sack last season.

Williams has been considered arguably the best offensive lineman in the NFL since arriving in San Francisco, but his salary has dropped several spots compared to his peers this offseason. Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell and Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw all signed generous contract extensions this spring, dropping Williams’ $23 million average salary to sixth among offensive tackles, according to Over The Cap.

Williams, a Texas native, had spent training camp in the Houston area preparing for the season. San Francisco placed him on the reserve/non-reporting list when rosters were trimmed to 53 players in late August. With the new contract, Williams could potentially play in the 49ers’ season opener against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

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Regardless of Williams’ status in Week 1, San Francisco will now have nearly all of its key players from its 2023 Super Bowl run back on the roster for the 2024 season. The 49ers spent their offseason pleasing players who were still under contract to prepare for another Super Bowl run and get over the hump. They reworked star running back Christian McCaffrey’s contract in June, keeping his salary as the highest-paid player at his position.

The 49ers were also able to retain Brandon Aiyuk. The star wide receiver was entering the final year of his contract and did not participate in practice during training camp before agreeing to a four-year, $120 million contract extension late last week.

San Francisco has lost a few notable players on defense this offseason, however. Defensive linemen Chase Young and Clelin Ferrell signed deals with other teams as free agents, while standout defensive tackle Arik Armstead was released in a cap-saving move. On offense, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, a 2024 first-round pick, will miss at least the team’s first four games after being injured in a shooting in downtown San Francisco over the weekend.

However, the 49ers are still widely considered one of the favorites for the Super Bowl, mainly due to their strong offense. A contract extension with Williams should only improve San Francisco’s status as a contender.

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