Trent Williams
Getty
Trent Williams thinks 49ers rookie Mykel Williams has sky-high potential
The San Francisco 49ers are navigating a complicated offseason, and it is only just beginning.
Contract talks with franchise left tackle Trent Williams have reportedly stalled, and now a trade destination has emerged that should send alarm bells ringing in Santa Clara. Meanwhile, a former fan favorite has unexpectedly hit the free agent market, handing San Francisco a potential opportunity to address another area of need.
There is a lot to unpack.
The Trent Williams Situation Just Got Worse
Trent Williams San Francisco 49ers
GettyTrent Williams #71 of the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have long been linked to a potential Williams trade, but the latest development takes things to a new level. According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom, the Kansas City Chiefs are seen by many around the league as the team most eager to land Williams and the best fit for him.
That is about as bad a scenario as San Francisco could imagine.
Williams has been one of the best offensive linemen in football since arriving with the 49ers in 2020. He earned his 12th Pro Bowl selection in 2025 and was named second-team All-Pro. At 37, he is in the final stretch of his career, but he remains an elite player when healthy.
The sticking point is money. Williams carries a $38 million-plus cap hit and is due $32 million. La Canfora reports that San Francisco’s initial contract proposal was viewed as decidedly low by Williams’ camp. The 49ers have a well-documented tendency to open negotiations conservatively, but with a player of Williams’ stature, that approach carries real risk.
Williams wants to win a Super Bowl. Kansas City has won three during the Patrick Mahomes era and pursued Williams aggressively the last time he hit the open market. The only reason he ended up in San Francisco then was Kyle Shanahan, whose father coached Williams during his early years in Washington. That personal connection may not be enough to overcome the gap this time.
Sending Williams to Kansas City would be a damaging outcome on multiple levels. It would weaken San Francisco’s offensive line at a critical moment while simultaneously strengthening a team that has beaten them in two Super Bowls in the last decade. John Lynch needs to close this gap quickly.
Dov Kleiman
𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: The Chiefs are a team to watch if Trent Williams is released, per @JasonLaCanfora
The Dre Greenlaw Opportunity
Dre Greenlaw, Denver Broncos
GettyDre Greenlaw has been released by the Denver Broncos.
While the Williams situation threatens to overshadow everything else, a separate development has handed the 49ers an unexpected opportunity on the defensive side of the ball.
The Denver Broncos have released Dre Greenlaw after just one season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Denver exercised a built-in opt-out in his contract, saving $6 million in cap space, and have already moved on by signing other linebackers to replace him.
Greenlaw, still just 28, is now a free agent for the second time in as many offseasons.
San Francisco tried to retain Greenlaw last offseason before he chose Denver on a three-year deal worth $31.5 million. The fit in Colorado never quite materialized. He appeared in just eight games for the Broncos in 2025, producing 43 tackles and a sack before his season was curtailed once again by injury.
Why the 49ers Should Bring Greenlaw Home
The case for a reunion is straightforward. Greenlaw spent five seasons in San Francisco from 2019 through 2023. He formed one of the better linebacker partnerships in the league alongside Fred Warner. In back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023 he posted 75-plus combined tackles. He thrived as the complementary piece to Warner’s all-around brilliance.
Warner has made no secret of his desire to play alongside Greenlaw again. He told FanSided prior to Greenlaw signing in Denver that he would love to have his former partner back.
A linebacker room featuring Warner, Greenlaw, and Dee Winters would give San Francisco genuine depth and flexibility at the position.
The injury concern is real and cannot be ignored. Greenlaw is now nearly two full years removed from his torn Achilles. A short-term incentive-laden deal would protect San Francisco financially. It would also give him the chance to prove his health in a system he already knows inside and out.
Final Word for the 49ers
This offseason is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in the Lynch and Shanahan era. The Williams situation demands urgent attention. Losing him to Kansas City would be a gut punch the franchise may struggle to recover from in the short term.
There is some good news, however. The 49ers agreed to sign six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans to a three-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star is a significant addition that gives Brock Purdy a genuine No. 1 receiver to work with.
The Greenlaw development is another piece of good news amid the noise. San Francisco missed out on him last offseason, but his time in Denver did not work out. Now the opportunity is back.
Lynch has built this roster through calculated, smart decisions. Sorting out Williams, bringing Greenlaw home, and adding Evans suggests that despite the chaos, San Francisco is still very much in business.