It wouldn’t be a San Francisco 49ers offseason without a little drama, so left tackle Trent Williams is simply honoring tradition as he reportedly seeks a new contract.
At least, that’s what seems to be happening after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Niners could release Williams given the big salary cap hit he will be next season.
General manager John Lynch did not sound too worried about the proceedings in comments to the media at the NFL Combine, but there is always a chance that he could be sneakily working behind the scenes on a trade involving Williams.
It is no secret just how valuable Williams is. The numbers show that San Francisco is much better and more likely to win whenever he is on the field, and Williams is also a beloved veteran presence who has established a rapport with quarterback Brock Purdy, so he fills a key leadership role as well.
But, he is age 37, and at some point, the 49ers are going to have to think about a succession plan.
What if Lynch decided to get aggressive and offload Williams to potentially even get an upgrade?
49ers can explore blockbuster Trent Williams replacement trade
Why not swing for the fences and go for Tampa Bay Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs?
Some consider Wirfs to be the best tackle in the NFL, and he is just 26 years old. Wirfs is also under contract through the 2029 season, so this would not be some short-term replacement for Williams.
Of course, a one-for-one trade would not be in the cards here. There is no reason the Bucs would send out a guy 10 years younger than Williams in exchange for him, so the Niners would have to sweeten the deal by a large margin.
Maybe they could include something like a second-round draft pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, plus some change. Maybe Tampa Bay would demand more, but that would not be all that bad of a deal from the 49ers' perspective. They’d get arguably the best tackle in the game in Wirfs, and whatever pick they give up is one that they’d probably have to spend on a tackle to replace Williams anyway.
Obviously, Lynch and the 49ers are going to do all they can to keep Williams around, but if things do not work out, then do not be shocked if the Niners pull off a trade to ensure they are set at left tackle for the foreseeable future.