Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Trent Williams explains why he didn’t make any contract demands after trade to 49ers
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.
More San Francisco 49ers News
George the jinx? Kittle explains why he had to stop watching 49ers-Jets
By David Bonilla
Sep 24, 2020
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle didn't make the trip to MetLife Stadium with his teammates for this past weekend's game against the New York Jets. He arrived at The Greenbrier in West Virginia — where the team is staying and practicing this week between its two East Coast games — late on Sunday night.
Kittle did watch the Week 2 action, though. Well, part of it, at least. At one point, once the injuries started mounting, Kittle had to stop.
"I was actually doing some rehabbing when I was watching the game," Kittle shared with reporters on Thursday. "I watched the first quarter, and then I saw two injuries, and then I went outside and did my workout."
Those injuries were to defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas. Both
49ers' Trent Williams ranks viral block vs. Cardinals as his best ever 'kill shot'; Nick Bosa praises teammate
By David Bonilla
Sep 17, 2020
Trent Williams received a video from his head coach on Sunday after the San Francisco 49ers' loss to the Arizona Cardinals. It was the block he had on linebacker Jordan Hicks during the game.
"Wow, it's good to have you back," Kyle Shanahan said in the message that included the highlight.
That block went viral on Sunday, and rightfully so. Williams absolutely obliterated the defender on the play, which featured tight end George Kittle on an end-around run.
Here's some cleaner video of that viral clip of Trent Williams killing a man in broad daylight.
Fred Warner feels 49ers can overcome injuries while Trent Williams calls loss of Nick Bosa 'heartbreaking'
By David Bonilla
Sep 20, 2020
The San Francisco 49ers leave MetLife Stadium on Sunday with a costly 31-13 victory over the New York Jets.
Very costly.
The team watched as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (high-ankle sprain), and defensive linemen Nick Bosa (likely an ACL injury) and Solomon Thomas (knee) left the game with injuries. They did not return. Running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman also suffered knee injuries, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
That is quite a price to pay for the win.
Linebacker Fred Warner felt for his teammates but believes the 49ers have the depth to overcome the injuries, if necessary.
"I think this team's built for that," Warner said after the game. "You mention how we've got a lot of depth, and over the years,
