49ers hold their breath after Trent Williams leaves game on a cart image
The San Francisco 49ers’ growing injury concerns took another troubling turn Sunday when star left tackle Trent Williams was carted to the locker room during their Week 3 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
Williams exited during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium and was taken to the locker room on a cart. The 49ers announced that the veteran offensive tackle was dealing with a stinger and listed him as questionable to return.
The sight of Williams leaving on a cart was especially concerning considering his importance to San Francisco’s offense.
Even at 38 years old, Williams remains one of the NFL’s premier offensive tackles and one of the most important pieces protecting quarterback Brock Purdy. The 49ers signed Williams to a four-year, $103 million extension in April, further demonstrating how highly the organization values the longtime All-Pro.
Williams entered Sunday without an injury designation. He sat out Wednesday’s practice for rest before returning as a full participant Thursday and Friday.
San Francisco’s offense takes major hit
His injury adds to what has already become a frustrating early-season injury situation for San Francisco.
The 49ers entered Sunday without star defensive end Nick Bosa, who suffered a calf injury during the week and is expected to miss multiple games. San Francisco decided not to place Bosa on injured reserve.
Then wide receiver Mike Evans suffered a rib injury against Arizona and was ruled out after leaving the game.
Now Williams becomes another major name to monitor.
Losing him for any extended period would create a significant problem for the 49ers. Williams anchors the offensive line, protects Purdy’s blind side and remains a major part of San Francisco’s rushing attack.
The encouraging news is that the initial diagnosis was a stinger rather than an immediately announced long-term injury.
Still, with Williams being carted away, the 49ers will undoubtedly be hoping their latest injury scare doesn’t turn into another significant absence.
For a team with championship expectations, keeping Williams healthy could be just as important as keeping any offensive star on the field.
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