Free agent left tackle Trent Williams is expected to test the market rather than re-signing with the 49ers before the NFL’s legal negotiating window opens March 15. That doesn’t mean he’s not aiming to return to San Francisco though, and he hinted strongly on the Cris Collinsworth Podcast featuring Richard Sherman that he was leaning toward staying in the Bay Area.
He didn’t outright announce his return, but his response when Sherman made a prediction for Williams’ impending free agency lent some hope that the left tackle would be back in San Francisco.
“I’ve got San Francisco,” Sherman said. “I’ve got him staying in San Francisco for the faithful. I think he stays in San Francisco. I think he makes you guys happy for another 5-6 years and gets his gold jacket, and then decides whether he wants it in Washington or San Francisco.”
Williams’ response after host George Chahrouri and Sherman both made their prediction for Williams to go back to the 49ers:
“That’s not a bad take, fellas. That’s not a bad take. Y’all are barking up the right tree.”
The 49ers acquired Williams from Washington last year for a fifth-round 2020 draft pick and a third-round pick in the 2021 draft. He seemed to indicate after the season he wanted to stay with the 49ers, but also said he’d explore the market to find out what he’s worth in what could be the 32-year-old’s last big pay day of his career.
It’d behoove Williams not to make any declarative statements one way or the other with free agent negotiations just around the corner, and a comment on a podcast is far from a binding commitment. The answer was good news for the 49ers for the time being though. They may just need to wait until after free agency unofficially begins on March 15 to get a real answer on Williams’ future.