The 49ers could be without Trent Williams for the start of the 2024 NFL season.
San Francisco's All-Pro left tackle held out the entirety of training camp as he awaits a reworked contract, and it appears the 36-year-old is prepared to wait even longer with the 49ers' Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium just 14 days away.
Williams will not return to the team until his contract is adjusted, and his holdout could carry into the regular season, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Monday on "SportsCenter."
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"I was told from somebody involved in the situation that he is not going to be available until he gets his contract adjusted," Fowler said. "He's got three years left on his deal. That could bleed into the regular season with us just being [two] weeks away. This is a player who's made about $150 million in his career.
"He's been taking up golf, kind of staying away from the team, doing his own thing. Training of course, getting ready for the season potentially. He's not overly stressed to have to be out there right now, and he's the fourth-highest-paid left tackle despite being the best in the last few years."
Fowler adds that San Francisco, as president of football operations/general manager John Lynch recently stated, feels the urgency to get something done with Williams and star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is with the team but also is waiting for a new contract before stepping foot on the field.
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"The 49ers know they have to do something here. They could sweeten the guarantees on his contract, but they're dealing with Brandon Aiyuk at the same time they're trying to get this guy done," Fowler adds. "So they're hoping he'll be in the lineup here soon."
Williams, a polished 13-year NFL veteran, probably doesn't need many practice reps to be prepared for Week 1, which theoretically could buy the 49ers a few extra days to get something done with Aiyuk before adjusting the left tackle's contract.
However, finalizing an agreement with Williams -- arguably San Francisco's most important player -- before the start of the season is paramount.
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