Over the past month, rumors and reports have slowly trickled out that the San Francisco 49ers and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams might be headed for a surprising divorce.
The contract negotiation escalated on Monday.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the 49ers “are now said to be open to trading” Williams, 37, “if the situation doesn’t get resolved.” Rapoport added, “A resolution has not been easy, and Williams is frustrated with the process.”
The future Hall of Famer is entering the final year of the three-year, $82.66 million extension he signed after a holdout in September 2024. Williams is due $32 million in salary in 2026, and his salary cap hit is over $38.8 million, according to Spotrac.
If the 49ers and Williams can’t come to terms on an extension, First Things First‘s Danny Parkins relayed intel on where the 2010 No. 4 overall pick could land.
“I do think the Bears are gonna kick the tires on this,” Parkins said on Monday afternoon. “The reports are that they were willing to do two first[-round] picks for [Maxx] Crosby but got outbid. They need a left tackle badly. Obviously, he would make every team better. But it’s a short-term thing because of his age.”
Parkins predicted it would be a one-year pact between Williams and the Chicago Bears if it gets to that point.
Bears rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo suffered a ruptured patellar tendon during the team’s comeback win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card round in January.
“Bears are prepared to be without starting LT Ozzy Trapilo for at least most of this season and are exploring options internally, in the draft and in free agency,” the Chicago Sun-Times‘ Jason Lieser reported on Feb. 24. “However, moving Joe Thuney to LT isn’t on the table. That’s only an emergency, short-term option.”
Williams is due a $10 million bonus on March 20, as per The San Francisco Chronicle‘s Eric Branch and Noah Furtado, so the clock is ticking.
Read the full article here
