Nick WagonerMar 30, 2026, 07:38 AM

CloseNick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In over a decade with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga.

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PHOENIX — Although the San Francisco 49ers and star left tackle Trent Williams have struggled to find common ground on a reworked contract this offseason, general manager John Lynch provided his most optimistic update yet when asked about the situation Sunday.

“We’ve had good communication throughout,” Lynch said. “I would say in the last week it’s kind of intensified and feel like we’re on the precipice of something good happening, but we’ll see. Don’t want to make any statements that, like, ‘Hey, we’re right there,’ because these things have felt like that before, but I do feel like we’re in good communication and hopeful.”

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Perhaps not coincidentally, the talks heated up after the Niners declined to exercise the $10 million option bonus Williams was due March 20. That decision boosted Williams’ 2026 salary cap number to around $47 million, but sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter at the time that the team was “not overly concerned about it” and still planned to rework his deal before April’s NFL draft.

As it stands, Williams is slated to enter next season with no guaranteed money or years left on his deal beyond 2026. Although there had been speculation that the 49ers might move on from Williams, they have not actively looked to do so, with Lynch repeatedly expressing optimism that the sides can find a solution.

Williams told ESPN in February that he expects the team to do some maneuvering with his contract, probably in the form of a short extension that would give him further guarantees and provide the Niners additional 2026 cap relief. Like Lynch, Williams said he also was optimistic a deal would get done.

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As was the case with the 2024 contract impasse between the sides, one of the sticking points has been how much longer to compensate Williams and how to spread out that money. Williams turns 38 on July 19 and has told ESPN he wants to play until he’s 40. But he remains among the league’s best and most productive offensive tackles. He earned a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors this past season, bringing his career totals to 12 Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams.

The Niners, meanwhile, do not have an obvious replacement for Williams on the roster. They signed swing tackle Vederian Lowe, previously of the New England Patriots, in free agency and kept exclusive rights free agent Austen Pleasants as additional depth.

Throughout the offseason, Lynch said the contract discussions with Williams have not grown contemptuous despite the outside speculation.

“This one’s never got ugly,” Lynch said. “It’s been very straightforward, direct. And I just think there’s a lot of nuance to that situation. He’s one of the great players, I think, to ever play the game, but there’s a reality with his age. It’s like, how do you thread that needle and how do you find a deal where everyone’s taken care of and happy?”