Every offensive line facing the Los Angeles Rams defense this season recently got more concerned in the wake of L.A.'s blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end Myles Garrett.
For an NFC West rival like the San Francisco 49ers, the threat of playing an already-elite L.A. defense that now boasts the NFL's single-season sack leader not once, but twice a year has to be a massive shocker.
Yet the Niners can take some solace knowing they have one of the best left tackles in the game, future Hall of Famer Trent Williams, manning his side of the offensive line. And while Garrett won't automatically line up over Williams on every snap these two rivals square off, at least Williams' presence alleviates some of the worries San Francisco should have with the league's most elite pass-rusher when facing him at least twice a year.
At least for now.
The 49ers have long been punting on identifying Williams' heir apparent, and considering the fact he'll turn 38 years old this offseason, the lack of a true successor is awfully concerning.
And the Niners' inaction certainly led to him having the clout to rework his contract earlier this offseason, gaining more guarantees than he otherwise would have had entering 2026.
It's possible San Francisco gets a dose of this in 2026, as Williams has experienced stretches of being banged up over the last few years, including a seven-game absence in 2024. The chances of him missing a game or two this season seems high, and should that absence come against Garrett and the Rams, the need for a true successor at left tackle couldn't be any more obvious.
Using a silver-lining approach, perhaps that'd be what the 49ers need to convince themselves that finding Williams' eventual replacement should be a bigger priority than originally thought.
And, possibly, Garrett's arrival had to unfortunately move that along quicker than initially anticipated.
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