Trent Williams has done it again.
The future Pro Football Hall of Famer has landed another lucrative contract extension, agreeing to a two-year, $50 million deal to stay with the 49ers, Williams' agent announced Monday .
Williams' new deal includes $37 million in guaranteed money and a $22 million signing bonus, representing the latest and likely final big payday for a tackle whose contract-securing skills are nearly as legendary as his on-field performance.
Over the course of Williams' stellar career -- one that began with a prolonged negotiation as one of the final first-round picks selected before the league instituted a rookie wage scale in 2011 -- he's earned over $220 million, and will break $250 million with his $32.2 million in base salary for the upcoming season. This new contract will push his career earnings total beyond $300 million, a total deserved for one of the best players of his generation who also never backed down in his battles to receive his fair share.
Williams' extension solves a lingering issue for the 49ers, who faced the possibility of moving the soon-to-be 38-year-old tackle if they couldn't make progress on a contract agreement. The new extension avoids another holdout for Williams, who is no stranger to refusing to participate, having sat out the entire 2019 season before being traded from Washington to San Francisco, and also holding out until early September to sign an extension in 2024.
It didn't seem the 49ers were ever truly worried about Williams' negotiations. When asked about it in late March, head coach Kyle Shanahan appeared comfortable that the two sides would figure things out before long, telling reporters "we love Trent too much and eventually that will work out."
Shanahan was right, and it seems general manager John Lynch was able to find the perfect fit for a player who is nearing 40 but remains one of the best at his position. A two-year extension means Williams won't enter 2026 in a contract year and will be under team control at a premium rate for the next three seasons, leaving open the possibility of him playing his age-40 campaign in San Francisco if he doesn't first decide to call it a career.
At minimum, the 49ers bought themselves some time to find a long-term replacement. They also cleared a persistent topic just before the first round of the draft arrives on Thursday, freeing themselves from lingering drama at the perfect time.
