Free agency is just a couple of weeks away, and there could be an unexpected name joining the group: San Francisco 49ers star left tackle Trent Williams.
Williams has been a bookend left tackle in San Francisco for the past six seasons, earning five Pro Bowl honors, three First-Team All-Pro selections, and one Second-Team All-Pro selection. The lone year that Williams didn’t earn any awards was cut short due to injuries.
While the star is entering his age-38 season, he still is performing at a high level and was expected to be the 49ers’ left tackle in 2026 with one year left on the three-year, $82.66 million deal he signed in 2024.
However, Williams does carry a $38.8 million cap hit for the 2026 season, which would cover nearly 13 percent of the cap. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers and Williams have struggled to find a contract solution to lower his cap hit for this year, which could lead to the left tackle hitting free agency.
“With five-time All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams scheduled to carry a $39 million cap number this season, he and the 49ers currently are struggling to find a contractual solution, per league sources,” Schefter tweeted. “If the two sides can’t bridge their differences in their standoff, Williams would be expected to join this year’s free-agent class, making him one of the premier players available.”
With one year left, it would make sense that Williams wants another one or two-year extension for more security. It also would make sense for the 49ers to find a way to lower that 2026 cap hit to create more space to bolster the current roster.
Losing a player of Williams’s caliber would be crushing, as the 49ers don’t have any immediate solution at left tackle. But it would also be costly to release Williams. According to OverTheCap, the left tackle has a $34.2 million dead cap hit if released before June 1st. That would lower to $13.3 million if the 49ers designate him as a post-June 1st release, with the rest of the dead money carrying over to 2027.
So it would also be quite costly to let go of Williams, especially with no apparent heir at the position. There is still time for the 49ers to find a way to a resolution, with free agency not starting for a couple more weeks.
Currently, Williams’s average yearly salary of $27.5 million is fourth amongst tackles in the NFL. Rashawn Slater ($28.5 million per year), Tristan Wirfs ($28.1 million per year), and Penei Sewell ($28 million per year) are the three highest-paid tackles at the moment.
With the 49ers, there’s always a storyline in the offseason. The drama has begun.
