Trent Williams in 2025: The Key Role He’ll Play for the 49ers

The answer could depend on the 49ers’ record.

Trent Williams still is an outstanding player.

He was the sixth-highest-graded left tackle in the NFL last season according to Pro Football Focus. But he missed the 49ers’ final seven games with an ankle injury and he’ll turn 37 in July. What should the 49ers expect to get from him next year?.

Remember, the 49ers restructured Williams’ contract last offseason to make him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL, so expectations for him should be sky-high. He’s supposed to be the best, not the sixth-best. And he was the best for a long time. That’s why he has made so much money in his career and why he will be a Hall of Famer one day.

Williams has nothing left to prove. He has made all the money he’s going to make — he’s signed through 2026 and won’t get another contract — plus he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame. The only thing left for him to achieve is a Super Bowl championship.

So when the 49ers season went off the rails, it makes sense that he didn’t return and try to play on a sprained ankle. He didn’t have anything to gain. As opposed to Fred Warner, who played 13 games on a fractured ankle.

The 49ers should expect Williams to miss more time this year — he hasn’t played a full season since 2013. The question is how much time will he miss?

The answer could depend on the 49ers’ record.