It's been clear since the trade that sent him from Washington to the San Francisco 49ers that veteran offensive tackle Trent Williams is excited to have a change of scenery. The offensive lineman is happy to be reunited with coach Kyle Shanahan, who was serving as Washington's offensive coordinator the year Williams was drafted.
Williams spoke with reporters on Thursday via a video conference call. The offensive lineman shared that he noticed a difference between Washington and the 49ers as soon as he stepped into the building — even amid a pandemic.
"As soon as you walk in this building, the vibe is different," Williams said. "I think my first team meeting, before it even started, the first time with us all being together, I could just feel the vibe then. This environment here that Kyle has created, I think they've done an outstanding job.
"They've got a bunch of like-minded fellas in the locker room. I think everybody feeds off of each other and everybody encourages each other. It's just one of those things you've got to experience to believe."
In June, Williams shared with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that he's excited to work with a quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo.
"I think Jimmy G is awesome," Williams told Rapoport at the time. "I think he's proven he's a quarterback you can win with. In this league, that's just hard to find. Quarterback is the toughest position to pin down."
Williams has had some time since that conversation to get to know Garoppolo better, and on Thursday shared what else he has learned.
"I think the player that he is is well-documented," Williams said of his new quarterback, "but as a person, I think he is one of the most down-to-earth guys you'll meet. He's probably the hottest thing walking around this Bay Area. He is a very laid-back, very welcoming guy.
"I just can't wait to get started. I feel like it's going to be a blast, and I can't say enough good things about this team."