Perhaps another barrier was added Thursday that stands between Trent Williams and the 49ers reaching a contract agreement.
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs to a reported five-year, $140.63 million contract extension, it pushed Williams down one spot further on the list of the top-paid linemen in the NFL.
Wirfs’ deal includes $88.24 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN. Williams has three years remaining on his contract with the 49ers but has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal.
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A week ago, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan sounded optimistic about the prospects of the sides reaching an agreement to get Williams in camp. But, now, Williams has racked up at least $350,000 in fines as he holds out for a new contract.
“I was hoping that he would be here, but I knew it could be a possibility,” Shanahan said of Williams’ holdout on July 24. “I feel pretty confident it'll all work out in the long run. And he'll be here and we'll get on the same page with everything.”
Williams, 36, has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the past 11 seasons in which he has played. He was chosen as a first-team AP All-Pro for the past three years.
But, now, Wirfs tops the pay list of offensive linemen with his new deal. He is set to make an average of $28.126 million per season.
San Francisco 49ers
Detroit right tackle Penei Sewell was previously the highest-paid offensive lineman with a $28 million average, followed by Minnesota’s Christian Darrisaw ($26 million), Houston’s Laremy Tunsil ($25 million) and the New York Giants’ Andrew Thomas ($23.5 million).
Williams remains on the contract he signed with the 49ers as an unrestricted free agent in 2021 that pays him $23.01 million. Williams became the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league when he signed the contract. Now, he's No. 6 on the list.
At the time of his signing, the final year of Williams’ contract was considered a move only for optics. The deal included a base salary of $32.21 million for the 2026 season to artificially inflate his average per year.
Wirfs’ new contract likely strengthens Williams’ resolve to adjust his contract to once again place him at or near the top of the list.
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