Trent Williams’ lengthy holdout has come to an end. On Tuesday morning, multiple reports stated that the San Francisco 49ers are finalizing a deal with the All-Pro offensive lineman, ensuring his return before next week’s regular-season opener against the New York Jets.
The 49ers are reportedly signing Williams to a three-year deal worth $82.66 million. The agreement includes $48 million guaranteed at signing, with $27.65 million in cash for the upcoming season and a $25.69 million signing bonus.
It took considerable effort to bring Williams back, but both sides understand that the 49ers’ championship prospects are significantly better with Williams anchoring the left side of the offensive line.
During his holdout, Williams accrued millions in fines but acknowledged the necessity of sacrifice to achieve his goals.
“For lack of a better word, it’s kind of war, where both sides are gonna lose a little blood, but you wave the white flag at the end. We both sign a little peace treaty, and we good,” Williams told reporters on Tuesday.
Williams was already signed through the 2026 season under a six-year, $138.06 million contract extension he signed in 2021. However, with no guaranteed money remaining in that deal, Williams sought additional financial guarantees and a pay raise to reflect his status as the best offensive lineman in the NFL. As a result, he did not report to training camp.
When asked about his demands from the 49ers, Williams emphasized, “Just security. Obviously, it’s a volatile league. I got my stature, my age. I thought security was important, and that was all.”
Williams earned an impressive 89.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance last season, the second-highest mark among all NFL offensive linemen. He trailed only Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell, who received a 90.7 grade.
Remarkably, Williams did not allow a sack in his 438 pass-blocking opportunities last season and has allowed only two sacks over the past three seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
Williams has been a cornerstone on the left side of the 49ers’ offensive line since the team acquired him from Washington via trade in 2020. The 11-time Pro Bowler has earned first-team All-Pro honors in each of the past three seasons.
