The San Francisco 49ers will have a decision to make next offseason surrounding offensive tackle Trent Willams, whom the team traded for during April's draft. He is playing on the final year of his deal and is scheduled to make about $12.5 million in 2020. If the offensive lineman plays well, which is very likely, that number will only go up, and San Francisco will have to use a large chunk of the salary cap to keep him.
Williams did not play in 2019, so he lost out on a lot of money. His new team, likely as a gesture of good faith, helped him out with that. The team restructured the final year of his deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, not to find some salary-cap savings in 2020, but to give Williams some upfront money.
Rapoport spoke with Williams this week for his RapSheet and Friends podcast, which will be released next week.
"One thing that Trent Williams told me during this interview is that he did get an agreement on a restructured final year of his contract," Rapoport said on NFL Network. "He's due to make $12.5 million. He's still going to make about that sum, but the 49ers put some of this money upfront. A little help for a guy, remember, (who) didn't make anything in 2019."
From NFL Now: New #49ers LT Trent Williams told me on RapSheet + Friends that he's agreed to a tweaked final year of his contract, pending physical. My understanding is it gives him some upfront money (a nice thing, since he earned zero last year). pic.twitter.com/fAf28yGm15
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 28, 2020
Williams is preparing to play in his 10th NFL Season after missing all of last season with Washington. The 49ers on April 25 surrendered a fifth-round pick in this year's draft and a third-rounder next year to acquire Williams.
Williams told Rapoport that he was ready to play last season before Washington placed him on the non-football injury list. There was speculation that the tackle used the discomfort with his helmet as an excuse not to play for Washington, which Williams denies.
"It was almost impossible for me to fight the urge to get back on the field," Williams told Rapoport during the interview. "I was literally waiting on my new helmet to come in. I was getting ready to kind of gear up. It was going to be somewhat of a surprise to some, but I think for the people who know me best, they kind of know how competitive I am."
On next week's RapSheet + Friends, we have an exclusive talk with #49ers LT Trent Williams, one of our most enlightening interviews. Niners & Skins fans will love to dig in. A short clip is below with a surprising revelation (full interview will post at https://t.co/yGplUseycG) pic.twitter.com/snTZQ6kwpf
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 28, 2020