Kurtenbach: The 49ers' Trent Williams problem has only one right answer

"He's a surefire Hall of Famer who protects the franchise quarterback, and right now, he's got the front office by the throat. His agent is even playing games—why else do you think ESPN representative regurgitation machine Adam Schefter tweeted out that the Niners and Williams were in an impasse on Tuesday, roughly 90 minutes before Niners' general manager John Lynch spoke to the media at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis?"

"Williams has repeatedly said he wants to play until he's 40. That's easy enough to oblige. Add another year to his contract, guarantee both seasons, and kick the void-year dead-cap hits down the road to 2028 or beyond. By then, the NFL salary cap will make today's dollars look like Monopoly money and the 49ers will have oodles of cap space to absorb the blow."

Trent Williams, the 49ers' elite left tackle, is negotiating a contract extension with the team facing a March 20 deadline when his $10 million option bonus vests. Williams is leveraging his Hall of Fame caliber and role protecting the franchise quarterback to secure more money. His agent has strategically leaked information to media, creating pressure on the organization. The 49ers have historically capitalized to Williams' demands during training camp holdouts. A straightforward solution exists: extend his contract by one year with full guarantees on both seasons, deferring void-year cap hits to 2028 when the salary cap will be substantially higher, allowing the team to absorb the financial impact while maintaining championship contention.

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