Report: 49ers, OL Williams at impasse over contract, could lead to release

The San Francisco 49ers and veteran offensive tackle Trent Williams are struggling to bridge their differences in regards to his contract, which carries a $39-million cap hit for next season, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

If the two sides can't reach a solution, Williams is expected to be released, Schefter adds.

Williams is due to receive a $10-million bonus on April 1, which could be a self-imposed deadline for San Francisco to decide whether to keep him. The 49ers also have the option of designating Williams as a post-June 1 release, which would save them $25.5 million against their 2026 cap, according to Over The Cap.

"What I'll tell you is that in recent weeks I've met with both Trent and with his agent, Vincent Taylor and had really good and substantive meetings," general manager John Lynch told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to NFL Network's Nick Shook. "Here's what I know: Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner, and it's up to us to figure that out and to thread that needle."

Williams, who will be 38 years old at the start of next season, has been with the 49ers since 2020. He started 18 games during the 2025 campaign, including the team's two postseason contests, en route to earning second-team All-Pro honors.

Williams has made 12 Pro Bowls during his 15-year career and three first-team All-Pro nods since joining San Francisco.

"There's some unique circumstances in that we all know what Trent is as a player," Lynch added. "How great of a player he's been. He's going to be 38 years old. So, there's some things that go into that. But I think we're all on the same page and feel very positive about where that's going."

The 49ers currently have roughly $25 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. Wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne and defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos are a few of their players set to become unrestricted free agents in March.