(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
With less than two weeks to go before their regular season opener, the San Francisco 49ers still have two disgruntled stars who aren’t taking part in practice.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been a hold-in as he looks for a contract extension, while left tackle Trent Williams has been holding out entirely and wants a restructured contract.
According to reports, Williams will not play in the regular season until his demands are met.
However, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he’s still “optimistic that things will work out with Trent,” per NBC Sports Bay Area.
“I’m optimistic that things will work out with Trent.”
Kyle Shanahan offers an update on Trent Williams’ status for Week 1 pic.twitter.com/jyimI2jaYs
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 28, 2024
It’s easy to argue that while the 49ers need both Aiyuk and Williams in order to compete for a Super Bowl championship, Williams is more important than Aiyuk.
Williams is considered by most to be the best left tackle in the league and one of the game’s best overall players, as the three-time All-Pro is something of an immovable object on the offensive line.
It’s no wonder a lot of the 49ers’ plays, especially their running plays, gravitate toward the left side of the field where Williams often clears enough space for the man with the ball to gain considerable yardage.
At age 36, he has three years left on his existing contract, including this season, but there is no guaranteed money remaining from that deal, and thus this could be his last chance to get some more.
The rest of San Francisco’s offensive line is iffy at best, so the Niners absolutely need Williams in order to remain an elite team.
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