Trent Williams (stinger) back at it on Thursday

Williams still has a chance to play in Week 4 against the Broncos, and he does not necessarily need to practice. The 49ers could choose to play it conservatively by sitting him until he is fully ready to go, though. We will see how the week unfolds.

The 49ers don’t play until Sunday, so we’re assuming Shanahan is referencing when we should first expect Williams to take the practice field this week. Williams suffered what was classified as a stinger in Week 3’s win over the Cardinals, but appears to have avoided any serious injury. Shanahan said the team plans to manage he and LB Dre Greenlaw (quad) throughout the week, and didn’t rule out either player playing in Week 4 against the Broncos.

According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, “it was unclear exactly what happened to Evans.” He got hit hard in the sternum on a catch over the middle, but remained in the game for a few plays before needing help from the training staff to get off the field. Shanahan said the team couldn’t tell if Evans broke a rib or injured his oblique, but he believes those questions will be answered tomorrow, indicating Evans will likely undergo imaging. He entered the game with a hip injury. Wagoner adds that LT Trent Williams (stinger) and LB Dre Greenlaw’s (quad) injuries “seemed less severe” than Evans’ injury.

Williams left in the third quarter, taking the cart to the 49ers locker room. The veteran left tackle was officially diagnosed with a stinger and is questionable to return. Vederian Lowe is in at left tackle with Williams out.

McCaffrey and Williams were listed as DNP simply for rest, while Bosa had a rest/knee designation and Greenlaw had a rest/Achilles designation. This is notable as the 49ers have several key veterans who have dealt with injuries throughout their career and practice reps will be managed for these players, especially coming off a Week 1 in Australia. McCaffrey reportedly dealt with cramps in the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Rams; though he is not injured, his experiences with Achilles tendinitis will certainly lend to rest days throughout the season. We expect the 49ers to continue to rest veterans in practice throughout the season in an effort to remain healthy.

Fresh off a two-year contract extension signed in April, Williams enters his 17th season in the league and said 2027 will “probably be his last.” The 12-time Pro Bowl tackle has been a mainstay for the 49ers up front since being acquired prior to the 2020 season, receiving All pro honors in 2021, 2022, and 2023. “I’m toying between the idea of going until I can’t no more and just leaving while I still got some good product left and I get ran out of the league, " Williams said Wednesday. “It’s hard not to compete when you can, so we’ll see.”

Williams and the Niners appeared to be at an impasse earlier this offseason after the team opted not to pick up his $10 million option bonus and reporters noted that the 38-year-old was said to be available in trade. Williams had one year left on his old deal, but with his new contract extension, he will be under contract through 2027. Of the $50 million Williams is set to receive, $34 million will be guaranteed. He allowed just four sacks on 32 pressures last season, per PFF, earning a 79.9 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Lynch made clear he wanted to avoid saying a new deal is “right there” because things can change quickly, but he believes the two sides “are on the precipice of something good happening.” Lynch complimented Williams’ consistent play quality, saying the 37-year-old blocker is one of the great players to ever play the game while acknowledging that Williams’ age is a big factor from the team’s perspective. The 49ers chose not to exercise Williams’ $10 million option bonus earlier this month, which would have allowed them to move money around via future void years. The decision was a positive indicator that they believe a new deal can be agreed upon. Things are seemingly still headed in the right direction. Williams is scheduled to enter free agency in 2027.

Williams is scheduled to enter free agency in 2027, and up until now, none of his 2026 salary was guaranteed. Today’s option deadline guarantees Williams $10 million and brings his salary cap number to nearly $47 million. Had the 49ers exercised the option, it would have allowed them to spread the $10 million out over future years. The 49ers still want to reduce his cap hit and Williams reportedly wants more guaranteed money. It is unclear if the 37-year-old left tackle also wants an extension beyond this season. Despite the increased cap hit, Schefter reports that the 49ers are “not overly concerned” about today’s increased cap hit and are planning to rework his contract before the 2026 NFL Draft.

Greenlaw played in just eight games with the Broncos last season, dealing with a quad injury, a hamstring injury and a one-game suspension. He totaled 25 solo tackles, five TFLs, one interception, two quarterback pressures and one sack despite the bumpy year. Prior to 2025, he spent his whole career playing for the 49ers.