Trent Williams of the 49ers didn’t try to “dodge” camp in favor of “security” with his new contract.
Williams gave reporters more background on the protracted contract negotiations on Tuesday, saying he wasn’t “trying to dodge” training camp but rather was seeking “security.”
Williams stated, “It’s a volatile league,” according to NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “A guy my stature and my age, I thought security was important, and that was all.” He went on to say that he wasn’t “trying to dodge” the training camp, which is currently behind him.
Williams continued, “Obviously, I didn’t think it would get this drawn out.” However, the industry is difficult, and this was a complicated contract that needed to be restructured rather than referred to as a disagreement. Thus, it took some time to reach a situation where everyone felt that everyone would win.
We talked about minicamp and realized that conversations would get a little drawn out because there were other individuals present and obviously a lot of urgent requirements. Although I didn’t anticipate it taking this long, things are as they are.”
Williams added that the shooting of teammate Ricky Pearsall had an impact on his choice to return sooner, The 36-year-old Williams, who is starting his 15th NFL season, is back in the mix, and the 49ers are very delighted about it. The 11-time Pro Bowler has been named to the first team of the All-Pro squad three seasons in a row. He is ranked as the best offensive lineman in football by Pro Football Focus as well.
The wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (contract hold-in), running back Christian McCaffrey (calf strain), and wide receiver Williams (contract holdout) have all been sidelined for the reigning NFC champions.
However, Williams and Aiyuk have returned, having agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal extension. Additionally, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, McCaffrey—who is currently the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year—returned to practice on Tuesday.
Since losing the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game of the previous season, the San Francisco 49ers have been considered one of the favorites for the 2024 Super Bowl. In February, the 49ers were even favored over the recently crowned champions at +500 odds.
The Niners’ ability to reach their full potential this season was always contingent on the return of their finest players. And while Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk continued to skip practice in anticipation of trades or new contracts, it appeared unlikely that would happen until about a week ago.
Fear not, though, Niners wagerers. The group is now complete once more. The Niners are wrapping up a deal with Williams, his agency said on Tuesday, just in time for game week of their Monday night opener against the New York Jets. Only a few days have passed since San Francisco signed Aiyuk to a four-year contract.
At this point, the club is prepared to go for a championship and officially defend its NFC title. The Niners are still the NFC favorites and only trail the Chiefs at +500, despite the fact that their +600 odds aren’t quite as low as they were in February. After the Chiefs and Detroit Lions (+1200), they have drawn the third-highest amount of money at BetMGM.
San Francisco will need Williams and Aiyuk to live up to those bets. Both played crucial roles in the Niners’ 12-5 season the previous year and in Brock Purdy’s ascent to MVP contention.
Over his 13-year career, Williams has established himself as one of the top left tackles in the NFL. His protection of Purdy’s blind side and creation of space for Christian McCaffrey earned him a third consecutive selection to the All-Pro team. Leading the Niners in receiving with 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, Aiyuk was a standout player.
Without them, San Francisco would not have made it through the NFC, much less to the Super Bowl. Now that they’re back together, this is among the NFL’s top teams.