The San Francisco 49ers did not exercise Trent Williams’ $10 million option bonus, which was due on March 30.

To this point, Williams and the 49ers have struggled to reach a contract agreement even after several weeks of offseason discussions. Even with complications, during April’s scouting combine, 49ers general manager John Lynch said, “I think we’re all on the same page and feel very positive about where that’s going.”

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However, both financially and logically, many think it is simply not a good idea for the 49ers to keep Trent Williams on the roster.

San Francisco needs to make a decision fast before this situation ruins the team and their future.

High Age for a High Price

On July 18, Williams will turn 38 years old, which already puts him at a disadvantage and amongst the oldest players in the NFL. If the San Francisco 49ers want to build for the future, Trent Williams is simply too old to be in the 49ers’ long-term plans.

Before March 30, Williams’ salary cap number was slated to be around $47 million, which includes a base salary of $32 million. If Williams wants to re-sign, this is the ballpark of what he will end up costing, which is a lot of money for a player his age.

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In total , teams sacked 49ers quarterbacks, including Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, 27 times through 17 games, with an average of 1.59 sacks per game.

Both Purdy and Jones were pressured a combined 122 times and hurried their throws a combined 42 times. Those offensive stats are simply not good enough for the 49ers to achieve Super Bowl success, whether trying to rebuild or to win now.

This then bears the question: Do the 49ers let go of Williams now? Or do they bring him back for less money and forego drafting his inevitable replacement?

Trent Williams is still currently playing at an All-Pro level at his age; however, his high-level play will only get worse with age.

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If the 49ers are wanting to part ways with the left tackle, it should be sooner rather than later if they want value in return for Williams.

Possible Replacements at Left Tackle

If they do breakup with Williams, the 49ers are going to have to find a replacement fast. They signed tackles Vederian Lowe and Brett Toth to the roster, both of whom appeared in all 17 games for their former teams, the Patriots and Eagles, respectively, last season.

Now, if the 49ers were wanting to trade Williams, one possible trade partner could end up being the Chicago Bears. The Bears make sense as a trade partner since they’re in win-now mode and lost their 2025 starting LT, Ozzy Trapilo, to a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs, which will take a while to recover from.

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Williams carries $33 million  in cash compensation in 2026, which can scare a lot of teams away from him. However, the Bears can very well negotiate a re-work deal and would potentially give up a Day 2 pick or more to the 49ers for Williams.

This would then give the 49ers plenty of options to draft a replacement with their current 27th-overall pick, or a Day 2 pick.

This replacement pick could end up being prospects such as Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Utah’s Caleb Lomu, Ohio State’s Austin Siereveld, or even Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan.

All these players are suitable replacements for Williams; they would all be younger, and on a cheaper contract, which may provide more hope for the future of the 49ers’ franchise.

If 49ers Keep Williams 

If the 49ers decide not to get rid of Williams and keep him, the team would have to pay his 2026 cash compensation of $33 million, as well as find a new deal for him to be on the team longer. This would hold the 49ers back from using that money elsewhere, evening out their roster.

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Consequently, this could also be a sticky situation for the upcoming draft, as the 49ers are projected by many to use their 27th overall pick on an edge rusher.

If they do so, most of the tackle prospects who could replace Williams more immediately would be gone by the time the 49ers pick next.

This means if the 49ers are going to make a decision when it comes to Trent Williams, it needs to happen sooner rather than later if they want to keep pace in the NFC.

Overall, Trent Williams has the power and potential to change the course of the 49ers team not just this upcoming season but also for many years to come. San Francisco should be willing to make the tough decision that’s necessary for the long-term viability of the team.

The post 49ers Need to Move on From Trent Williams for Long-Term Stability appeared first on The Lead.