No. 18: Trent Willaims, San Francisco 49ers
Not a bad situation for the 49ers — just as former franchise left tackle Joe Staley was announcing his retirement, Kyle Shanahan’s team was able to trade a couple of mid-round picks to the then-Redskins for Williams’ services. Williams sat out the entire 2019 season due to friction between himself and his former team, but it didn’t take him long to hit the ground running in his new home. Williams allowed three sacks in his first four games back in action, but gave up just one after that, along with three quarterback hits and nine quarterback hurries from Week 5 on. Williams has been a superlative pass-protector for years, but what sets him apart is his movement skills and commitment to demolition in the open field.
Trent Williams will remain a key anchor for the San Francisco 49ers for the foreseeable future. Before the eight-time pro bowl left tackle officially hit the NFL free-agent market, the 49ers made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in league history. The lucrative deal includes $138.06 million over six seasons with $55.1 million guaranteed. He received a $30.1 million signing bonus and will earn $23.01 million annually. The future Hall of Famer was top on San Francisco’s priority list and his record-breaking deal was well deserved.
Willaims returned to the field in 2020 and once again hit elite status after a one-year hiatus. He notched a 91.8 PFF grade, leading all offensive tackles. Although his pass protection is superb, his run-blocking in Shanahan’s wide zone attack is rare. Many teams were willing to take part in a bidding battle for his services but the 49ers prevailed. Williams is a cornerstone player and top-level talent.