Tag: Trent Williams

Commanders select athletic left tackle in new 3-round mock draft

Commanders receive help at multiple positions of need in a new three-round mock draft.

The Washington Commanders used the first week of free agency to upgrade the roster. While the Commanders didn’t do anything extravagant — outside of extending franchise-tagged defensive tackle Daron Payne — they filled multiple holes without breaking the budget.

Even though Washington added two offensive linemen last week, the position remains a focal point in next month’s NFL draft. The good news is the Commanders shouldn’t feel desperate to add any specific position with their first-round pick. While certain positions, such as defensive tackle and wide receiver, should be off-limits for Washington, the best-player-available approach should be the way to go.

In a new three-round mock draft from Pro Football Focus, the Commanders land their left tackle of the future at No. 16 overall in Anton Harrison of Oklahoma. Harrison is a Washington, D.C. native and could play either tackle position for the Commanders, but in this scenario would be left tackle Charles Leno’s likely backup in 2023.

Even with the Commanders signing right tackle Andrew Wylie, Charles Leno Jr. is 32 years old and is entering the more experienced two seasons of his contract. They could draft his eventual replacement while not having to throw the rookie out there right away.

Drafting a future left tackle to move into the starting lineup next year would be an ideal scenario for Washington while giving them depth in 2023.

In the second round, PFF sends Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks to Washington. Ricks, who transferred to Alabama from LSU, has a lot of upside. He may not have the same profile as Christian Gonzalez, Devon Witherspoon and Joey Porter Jr., but he does project to be an excellent NFL cornerback.

In the third round, the Commanders select SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice. Yeah, I don’t see that one happening. Rice is a fine player, but there are so many other ways Washington could and should go here.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

6 Sooners among Pro Football Focus’ top 101 players in the NFL in 2022

Led by offensive line standouts, 6 former Oklahoma Sooners made Pro Football Focus’ top 101 players in the NFL for 2022.

It was quite a season for former Sooners in the NFL, giving the University of Oklahoma a lot of positive pub throughout the season and into the playoffs.

Jalen Hurts represented the first Sooners quarterback to make a Super Bowl. Creed Humphrey and Orlando Brown were fantastic in helping the Kansas City Chiefs capture another Super Bowl with Patrick Mahomes at the helm.

In other playoff news, Trent Williams was once again one of the best players in the league, helping the San Francisco 49ers reach the NFC Championship with Brock Purdy at quarterback.

Pass catchers Mark Andrews and CeeDee Lamb had fantastic seasons leading their teams’ passing attacks.

For their efforts in 2022, six Oklahoma Sooners were ranked in the top 101 players in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

Kyle Shanahan expects LT Trent Williams to return in 2023

Trent Williams didn’t commit to playing in 2023, but Kyle Shanahan didn’t sound concerned about his left tackle walking away.

49ers left tackle Trent Williams didn’t sound committed to playing football for the 2023 season when he spoke with reporters Tuesday during the team’s locker room availability. Kyle Shanahan isn’t worried about having to replace his left tackle though.

Williams didn’t exactly hint at retirement, but just a couple days removed from a second-consecutive NFC championship game loss, the 34-year-old offensive lineman didn’t confirm he’d be back.

“You do get to that age, especially at the end the year like this, as exhausting as it was,” Williams said via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “And still not getting quite where you want to be. I get it. You get to that age, But, honestly, I’m just taking it one day at time and we’ll see how that goes going forward.”

Part of the issue for Williams is generating excitement to play another season and get back on what he called a redundant day-to-day grind.

“But I’m blessed,” Williams added via the SF Chronicle. “I’m blessed to have played this game for as long as I have. And whatever God has in the future for me, I know I’ll have it. But to answer your question, yeah, it does get a little like a rerun almost.”

Despite semi-veiled language from Williams, Shanahan didn’t sound concerned. He attributed it to the interview coming within such close proximity to the season coming to an end.

“Yeah, I do, but if everyone had to do a press conference and talk for a while after these games, I’m sure we’d say a lot of things that didn’t tell you guys exactly everything that’s going to happen for the next eight months,” Shanahan told reporters in a press conference Wednesday. “But I didn’t read his words as that’s a big thing for him. I know Trent loves football. I know it’s very hard at his age, in any situation to do what you do for that long and come up short, but I’d be really surprised if Trent wasn’t fired up in a few weeks.” 

Williams in 2021 signed a six-year, $138,060,000 deal with the 49ers. He has four years left on that deal, and he’ll have to decide by April 1 whether to opt in to the final three years of the contract, which run from 2024 through 2026 and guarantee him $10 million.

The 49ers have to hope Shanahan’s assumptions are correct. They got lucky once landing Williams in a trade shortly before long-time LT Joe Staley officially retired during the 2020 NFL draft. Finding a player to replace Williams would quickly become their most important, difficult task of the offseason.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbxacb60r3mr0ac player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

[listicle id=682329]

Former Washington left tackle Trent Williams not ruling out retirement

Trent Williams will be 35 when the 2023 NFL season begins.

Since Trent Williams left Washington ahead of the 2020 NFL season, he has earned three trips to the Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers.

Williams, of course, was the No. 4 overall selection in the 2010 NFL draft by Washington, where he spent the first 10 seasons of his career. Things didn’t end well between Williams and Washington due to his season-long squabble with former team president Bruce Allen. Williams had a cancerous growth removed from his scalp ahead of his final season in Washington and couldn’t wear a helmet, forcing him to miss the 2019 season.

Now, after three seasons with the 49ers, Williams is playing at an elite level for one of the NFC’s best teams. San Francisco has been one game short of the Super Bowl in the past two seasons.

Could Williams finally be considering retirement after 13 NFL seasons [12 played]?

“It’s a long season,” Williams said, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “And having two long seasons back-to-back, it does get pretty grueling for a 34-year-old guy like myself. I’ll be 35 when the season starts. You do kind of think about what’s life like after football. I’ve done this every year of my life since the second grade.”

For Washington fans, it’s hard to fathom that Williams will be 35 in 2023. Williams, along with Ryan Kerrigan, were Washington’s top stars for years, playing on multiple bad teams.

“You do get to that age, especially at the end of the year like this, as exhausting as it was,” Williams continued. “And still not getting quite where you want to be. I get it. You get to that age, But, honestly, I’m just taking it one day at time, and we’ll see how that goes going forward.”

It’s difficult to see Williams retiring this offseason, with so many having the lasting image of him slamming a Philadelphia player to the ground in frustration. However, if Williams did retire, ending your career by being named a first-team All-Pro selection for your final two seasons is a terrific way to go out.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

National reaction to Eagles earning Super Bowl berth after a 31-7 win over 49ers

The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to #SuperBowlLVII and we have all the national reaction from the 31-7 win over the 49ers

The Eagles advanced to Super Bowl 57 with a 31-7 win over the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday afternoon.

Jalen Hurts was 15-25 passing for 121 yards, while adding 11 carries for 39 yards and one rushing touchdown.

Miles Sanders had 11 carries for 42 yards and two rushing touchdowns while the Philadelphia defense sacked 49ers passers three times on the afternoon.

With the Eagles awaiting the Bengals-Chiefs winner, here’s the national reaction to Sunday’s win.

Top photos from Eagles 31-7 win over 49ers in NFC Championship Game

The Eagles are headed to #SuperBowlLVII and we have the top 100 photos from Philadelphia’s 31-7 win over the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game

The Eagles are heading back to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years after a 31-7 win over the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field.

The NFC Champions will now await the winner of Sunday night’s AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts was 15-25 passing for 121 yards passing on the day, as Philadelphia racked up the bulk of their yards on the ground.

Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell both had 40+ yards rushing, while Boston Scott scored a touchdown in his third straight game.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was forced to exit the first quarter with an elbow injury and the NFC West champions saw their offense sputter from theirs.

With the Eagles heading to the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, here are the top photos from Sunday’s historic win.

***

NFL fans ripped Trent Williams, 49ers for being ‘sore losers’ after instigating a needless fight

This was SO classless by Williams and the 49ers.

Any time you spend almost five months trying to reach the NFL’s summit, the Super Bowl, and still fall short, emotions will understandably run high. After all that hard work and effort, it almost feels like it all might have been wasted.

But nothing excuses how the San Francisco 49ers and Trent Williams reacted at the end of a 31-7 NFC title game blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. With the 49ers’ chances of winning partly influenced by an unfortunate quarterback-injury situation (one that almost saw Christian McCaffrey take snaps), frustrations started to boil over.

Late in the fourth quarter, it was perennial First-Team All-Pro Trent Williams who took the 49ers to their emotional peak, starting a fight well after the play:

For an established veteran like Williams to come so close to a Super Bowl and still fall short is undeniably tough to swallow. But acting like a sore loser down multiple scores is uncalled for.

Even with the 49ers’ injuries, the Eagles undoubtedly earned their berth in Super Bowl 57. Williams and Co. could’ve just taken their lumps like every conference runner-up rather than escalating their defeat to an unnecessary place.

Trent Williams, K’Von Wallace ejected from NFC Championship game

San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams and Philadelphia Eagles safety K’Von Wallace were both ejected from the NFC Championship game.

The NFC Championship game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers was chippy from the start, and things started to really devolve as the clock passed five minutes left in the game, which was a 31-7 blowout in the Eagles’ favor.

With 4:19 left in the game, and right after a Christian McCaffrey eight-yard run, the usual pushing and shoving turned into a real brawl, which was punctuated by 49ers left tackle Trent Williams throwing Eagles safety K’Von Wallace to the ground. This following Wallace getting into it in the middle of a large group of 49ers players.

Referee John Hussey cleared the field, sending both teams to the benches, and then disqualified Williams and Wallace from the remainder of the game with matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

As for Wallace’s status for Super Bowl LVII, the disqualification would not carry over to that game, unless he was suspended by the league.

Eagles advance to Super Bowl LVII with a 31-7 win over 49ers in NFC Championship Game

The Philadelphia Eagles have advanced to #SuperBowlLVII and they’ll face the Bengals-Chiefs winner after a 31-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers

The Eagles are heading back to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years after a 31-7 win over the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field.

The NFC Champions will now await the winner of Sunday night’s AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts was 15-25 passing for 121 yards passing on the day, as Philadelphia racked up the bulk of their yards on the ground.

Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell both had 40+ yards rushing, while Boston Scott scored a touchdown in his third straight game.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was forced to exit the first quarter with an elbow injury and the NFC West champions saw their offense sputter from theirs.

Purdy was forced back into action after fourth-string quarterback Josh Johnson suffered a concussion.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”TJo00DRHim-2514246-7498″]

[listicle id=682112]

[listicle id=682088]

Eagles vs. 49ers: 10 takeaways from the first half as Philadelphia holds a 21-7 lead

We’re looking at ten takeaways from the first half as the Philadelphia Eagles hold a 21-7 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game

The Eagles are just 30 minutes of good football away from advancing to Super Bowl 57 after taking a 21-7 lead over the 49ers at the half.

Jalen Hurts was solid, while San Francisco’s star rookie Brock Purdy was forced to exit Sunday’s matchup with an elbow injury after a strip sack by Haason Reddick.

49ers star tight end George Kittle was limited to one catch for nine yards in the first half, while his counterpart, Dallas Goedert, logged five catches for 23 yards on seven targets.

With the second half set to begin, here are 10 takeaways from the first half.