49ers Richard Sherman to bury hatchet with Trent Williams

The San Francisco 49ers made a blockbuster trade by acquiring former Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams, who has a history with Niners cornerback Richard Sherman.

Well, let’s hope this won’t get awkward for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020.

Amid the backdrop of day three of the NFL Draft, the Niners executed a blockbuster trade with the Washington Redskins to acquire veteran offensive tackle Trent Williams in exchange for a fifth-round pick and a 2021 third rounder.

The move, as reports later confirmed, was to find a replacement for San Francisco’s longest-tenured player, left tackle Joe Staley, who plans on announcing his retirement and had told the team of his intentions before the draft kicked off.

Williams should be familiar with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme, given Shanahan was Washington’s offensive coordinator when Williams was there from 2010 through 2013.

Yet there’s another small caveat to look at here, which actually ended up being rather entertaining.

Fans of both the Redskins and Seattle Seahawks may remember a brief postgame altercation between Williams and now-49ers cornerback Richard Sherman back in January of 2013, which was pointed out by Barstool Sports shortly after news of the trade was announced.

The person who made the first attempt to quell any such remaining animosity, also essentially confirming the Williams trade?

None other than Niners CEO Jed York:

Granted, this shouldn’t be anything too new. Sherman wasn’t exactly a San Francisco fan favorite before signing his three-year deal with the team back in 2018. Even Staley had his remarks about the one-time hated rival before the two became teammates.

And now, Sherman is considered one of the Niners’ locker-room leaders.

But the story didn’t end there, of course, as Sherman was quick to take to Twitter and welcome Williams aboard the squad. Although it was pretty funny to see the veteran corner ask for a rematch at some point:

One has to wonder where the odds makers will place the money line on that Sherman-Williams bout, right?

OK, maybe not.

Either way, the 49ers are getting a perennial Pro Bowler to replace another perennial Pro Bowler. And what both Williams and Staley had in common, aside from being among the best to play the position, is a previous dislike for Sherman.

Staley’s dislike evaporated. And one might guess Williams’ one-time dislike for the cornerback will eventually dissipate, too.

Unless someone actually wants to place bets on the would-be bout between the two veteran players.