The 49ers got another uneasy moment Sunday when Trent Williams had to leave their Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals on a cart.
Williams exited in the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium and was taken to the locker room. San Francisco said the veteran left tackle was dealing with a stinger and labeled him questionable to return.
That kind of exit is enough to make any sideline tense, and this one carried extra weight. Williams is still one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles at 38, and the 49ers lean on him heavily to keep Brock Purdy clean and the offense functioning. The team showed exactly how much it values him in April, when it signed Williams to a four-year, $103 million extension.
He came into Sunday with no injury designation. After resting Wednesday, he was back as a full participant in practice Thursday and Friday.
The concern around Williams only adds to an already messy early stretch for San Francisco. The 49ers were already without Nick Bosa, who suffered a calf injury during the week and is expected to miss multiple games. The team chose not to place Bosa on injured reserve.
Wide receiver Mike Evans also left the Arizona game with a rib injury and was ruled out.
If Williams is sidelined for any length of time, that would be a major blow. He protects Purdy’s blind side, anchors the line and remains a key part of the 49ers’ rushing attack.
For now, the first word was stinger. That’s the positive. But a cart ride from the field is still the kind of image the 49ers were hoping to avoid.
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