3 reasons why SF 49ers must re-sign Trent Willams in 2021

No. 1: SF 49ers could use first NFL Draft pick on a quarterback

If you’ve been following the buzz, you’re well aware the SF 49ers could potentially move on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.

Doing so would make it much easier to re-sign Trent Williams, of course, freeing up over $24 million in cap space for 2021.

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But that would prompt yet another problem the Niners would have to solve: Who becomes the next quarterback?

Moving on from Garoppolo would likely trigger San Francisco to go after a quarterback early in the 2021 NFL Draft, perhaps someone in Round 1. While Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields are probably going to be well out of reach, perhaps BYU’s Zach Wilson winds up being on the team’s radar.

Sounds great. Especially if he falls to the SF 49ers. But that eliminates the Niners’ chances for landing one of those top-tier offensive linemen mentioned earlier.

And with a number of other potentially high needs in the draft pending, not re-signing Williams would add yet another problem the Niners front office would have to address. That could be particularly important when suiting up a rookie quarterback.

Perhaps Williams will give San Francisco a team-friendly deal to stay within a system he knows and enjoys. But considering he’s turning 33 years old before the start of the 2021 season, it’s likely this’ll be his last shot at a massive contract.

That doesn’t mean the Niners should avoid trying, though.