After nearly a month of drawn-out drama between the Washington Redskins and All Pro left tackle Trent Williams, the saga has officially come to an end. On the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Redskins have elected to trade Williams to the San Francisco 49ers. According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson and Adam Schefter, Washington will receiver SF’s fifth-round pick in this year’s draft and their third-round pick in 2021.
I'm told the #49ers are trading for Trent Williams, per source for a future pick. https://t.co/tbqF1f5794
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 25, 2020
Trade: Washington has agreed to send Pro-Bowl OT Trent Williams to the SF 49ers in exchange for a fifth-round pick this year and a third-round pick next year, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2020
However, there was one obstacle that needed to be cleared for the Niners to swing a trade for Trent Williams: the future of offensive tackle Joe Staley. According to a statement he posted to his Twitter account, the 35-year-old Staley will retire after 13 seasons in the NFL.
It’s been a hell of a ride. Thank you pic.twitter.com/V2VB2xKDzp
— Joe Staley (@jstaley74) April 25, 2020
Adding someone the caliber of Trent Williams helps ensure that San Francisco is going all out after another run to the Super Bowl next season. The Niners have been one of the more active teams in the entire NFL this offseason and it’s carried right on over into the draft.
The Niners were able to shore up their defensive front with their first draft pick after trading DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts. They also addressed the hole in their WR corps left by Emmanuel Sanders’ departure, drafting Brandon Aiyuk late in the first round. Now, adding perhaps the premier left tackle in football to replace Staley will allow the Niners to possess one of the strongest rosters in the NFL heading into next season.
