Ian Rapoport spoke with Trent Williams last week, revealing that the San Francisco 49ers had reworked the final year of their new offensive tackle's deal, which only extends through the 2020 season. If the 49ers want to retain him after that, they will likely need to pay big money to Williams.
The entire conversation with Williams finally aired this week on the RapSheet + Friends podcast. Williams could have come to his new team and demanded a new contract but opted not to do so. For now, he is excited to be in one of his top desired destinations, and playing for a coach with whom he holds a great deal of respect in Kyle Shanahan.
Williams shared why he didn't make any contract demands after being traded from Washington in exchange for San Francisco's fifth-round pick in this year's draft and a third-rounder next year.
"They did some restructuring to the last year of the deal," Williams shared with Rapoport. "For me, I just want to get back into the swing of things, get my feet wet, get back onto the field. I didn't want to make any lofty demands coming off a year where I didn't play.
"Obviously, I still have all the confidence in the world in myself, and I know the type of work I put in is going to show. It's the NFL, and it's all about what have you done for me lately. Obviously, I didn't play last year, so, realistically, I want to come in and just kind of cement myself with dominant play, not just going off what I have done in the past."
Williams missed all of last season after Washington placed him on the non-football injury list. The tackle also admits that he had every intention of playing last season, despite the narrative that the issues he had with his helmet were an excuse not to play for Washington.
In March, Washington granted Williams and his agent permission to seek a trade, and the deal with San Francisco went through on April 25, during the final day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Williams is entering his 11th NFL season and is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
You can listen to Rapoport's entire conversation with Williams below. It begins at about the 20:30 mark.