The 49ers have plenty going right at 7-1, but one of the biggest reasons for the surge is sitting on the left edge of the offensive line. Trent Williams, at 38, is making a strong case that this might be the best season of his career.
San Francisco is coming off a 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and has spent much of the year looking like one of the league’s most complete teams. Brock Purdy has emerged as a top MVP candidate, the offense ranks third in points per game, and the ground game has been a major weapon instead of a side note.
That rushing success has been a real shift from the 2025 season, when the run game was more of a grind even with Christian McCaffrey healthy. This year, McCaffrey and Kaelon Black are both averaging 4.5 yards per carry, the 49ers are seventh in the NFL with 135.3 rushing yards per game, and they’re also seventh in rushing efficiency at 4.6 yards per carry. By EPA, they’re third in EPA per rush and first in rushing success rate.
Williams has been central to all of it. The 49ers are averaging 5.9 yards running behind the left tackle and 4.8 yards to the left end behind him.
He’s also been a force in pass protection, helping San Francisco avoid sacks early in the year and keeping the offense clean overall. The 49ers didn’t allow a sack over the first four weeks and have given up just eight all season.
Williams has allowed only eight pressures and one sack while staying fully healthy.
It’s hardly a surprise that Williams is still operating at this level. Since joining the 49ers in 2020, he’s been a three-time First Team All-Pro, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a one-time Second Team All-Pro.
His 2021 season stands out as one of his best, but this year is drawing serious attention too. He was ESPN’s Protector of the Year a quarter of the way through the season in Bill Barnwell’s awards, and he looks like the front-runner at the midpoint.
Kyle Shanahan didn’t leave much room for debate when asked about Williams on Wednesday.
“He’s playing damn good,” Shanahan said on Wednesday. “I mean, stat-wise, probably statistically and things like that, I’d say yes, [it’s the best year of his career].
He’s playing at a real high level. It’s hard to compare Pro Bowl years to other Pro Bowl years, but he’s playing at a very high level.”
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak was just as direct when asked last week about Williams doing this at 38.
“Yeah, I don’t know how to explain it,” Kubiak said of Williams’s level of play at his age. “It’s why he’s the best.
Trent’s got his way of preparing. A way of getting his body ready and his mind ready to play football games every week that’s unlike anyone I’ve been around.
The way that he goes out there on Wednesdays and he practices, and he goes through his routine. He gets himself ready to play, and he knows what it takes to get himself ready.
“He’s continuing to play at a very, very high level. To me, he’s still the best offensive lineman in the league, and to me, that’s a credit to his process and the way he approaches the game mentally and his love of the game.
He’s a great teammate. Just all around, everything he does to get ready to play football games and to be the best for his team, is exceptional.
To me, it’s what makes him so rare.”
In Other News...
49ers Just Added A New Wrinkle To Their Mike Evans Question
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What makes this one especially interesting in San Francisco is the overlap with Mike Evans, who is still working back from injury. Allen was asked about the history between the two and made it clear the issue is in the rearview mirror, which removes one potential distraction as the 49ers wait for Evans to return and sort out how all the pieces fit together. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Trade Deadline Push For A Star Receiver Went Further Than Fans Knew
The 49ers were active behind the scenes as the trade deadline approached, and their search for help went beyond the usual rumor mill. According to ESPNs Rich Cimini, San Francisco checked in on Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, a sign the team was at least exploring a major swing to bolster its passing game. New York never opened the door to real negotiations, but the inquiry fits the broader picture of a front office looking for impact talent if the right opportunity surfaced.
San Francisco also had its eye on Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack, another move that would have addressed a different need with a proven veteran. Los Angeles never made Mack available, leaving the 49ers to keep working through alternatives, including a possible pivot to Keenan Allen once those earlier avenues stalled. It is the kind of deadline posture that says plenty about the teams ambitions, even if the biggest names never got close to changing uniforms. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Receiver Move Reveals A Bigger Wrinkle In Their Injury Plan
The 49ers latest receiver addition did not come together overnight, and John Lynch said the path to Keenan Allen started with interest in another player before conversations shifted to Allen about two and a half weeks ago. For San Francisco, the move fits a familiar late-season pattern: patching together depth while trying to keep the offense functional, especially with the wide receiver room still dealing with a mix of players coming back and others staying out.
What makes the situation more delicate is the learning curve waiting for Allen once he gets in the building. Lynch and Kyle Shanahan both acknowledged how difficult it can be to absorb the 49ers playbook on the fly, so the team has already added extra meetings to help him get ready for upcoming games. It is the kind of adjustment San Francisco has had to make before, but this one comes with the added pressure of an injury picture that is still shifting around him. [Read more 🡒]