SANTA CLARA -- During the first week of training camp, 49ers left guard Aaron Banks was not the least-bit concerned about Trent Williams missing any practice time.
“When he shows up he's going to be Trent Williams," Banks said five weeks ago.
On Tuesday, Williams was back on the field, lining up next to Banks, after signing a new three-year contract worth $82.66 million.
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When reminded of his words, Banks said, with a laugh, “Yeah, I’m sticking by that.”
On the practice field, Banks said it felt as if Williams’ protracted contract holdout never happened.
“I don’t think there will be any hiccups between the two of us playing next to each other,” Banks said.
Williams cashed in this week, and Banks is in a position to earn a big contract at the end of the season.
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He lined up next to Williams for the bulk of his 36 starts over the past two seasons. Banks, 27, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March.
Williams, 36, has been selected to 11 Pro Bowls and enters the season with a streak of three consecutive AP First-Team All-Pro selections.
That experience of playing alongside one of the all-time greats is something from which Banks believes he can draw in order to elevate his game to the next level.
“He’s very wise,” Banks said of Williams. “With a guy who has so many reps at a high level, there’s just a certain amount of trust that comes from playing next to a guy like that.
“Plus, this will be our third year playing together, playing next to each other, so we have continuity. We know how each other is going to play.”
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