The saga between the Washington Redskins and Trent Williams is finally over, with the veteran left tackle being traded on day three of the 2020 NFL Draft. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the San Francisco 49ers have completed a trade for Williams.
When Williams was first given permission to seek a trade, it was believed that the Redskins were seeking a first or second-round pick. Seeing that San Francisco surrendered a fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick, it's evident his value decreased rapidly.
Of course, Williams has prior experience with Kyle Shanahan, the head coach of the 49ers. Earlier in his career with the Redskins, Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Washington. Given that, it doesn't come as a surprise that Shanahan was interested in reuniting with the talented left tackle.
If Williams is healthy, San Francisco is getting a remarkable steal in trading for him. Even though Williams sat out for the entire 2019 season, the 49ers appear comfortable surrendering future draft picks for his services.
Also, the acquisition of Williams could give an insight into what Joe Staley plans on doing this offseason. Since the end of the 2019 season, Staley has been considering retirement after 13 seasons with the franchise.
In the event that Staley does in fact retire, San Francisco is replacing him with another Pro Bowler at left tackle. As of this moment, there isn't an extension in place for Williams upon joining the 49ers. Nevertheless, the NFC West continues to become the most competitive division in the NFL.