Finally, the 49ers came to a contractual agreement with Brandon Aiyuk, who most likely will play in the season opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 9 despite missing all of training camp.
Will Trent Williams play in the season opener, too?
Like Aiyuk, Williams wants a major raise. But unlike Aiyuk, Williams seems willing to retire if the 49ers don't give him what he wants. And while Aiyuk is a good player who's important to the 49ers, Williams is a great player who's integral to their success. They're 3-6 without him since 2020. They absolutely need him to beat the Jets, because the Jets have an elite defense and the 49ers have the worst offensive line in the NFL if Willliams isn't part of it.
Williams wants to be the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league, which means he wants at least an additional $8 million this season on top of his $20 million base salary. He probably wants his money guaranteed as well.
You could understand why the 49ers would prefer not to redo Williams' deal: he still has three years left on it plus he's 36. There's no guarantee his career will last beyond this season. He could retire at any time. He has made more than enough money in his career.
But the 49ers don't have a replacement for Williams if he sits out. They pretty much have to give him exactly what he wants. And as we just learned from the standoff with Aiyuk, the 49ers usually cave and give their star players what they want at the last minute.
Expect Williams to play Week 1.
