Trent Williams is the star of the 49ers’ O-Line, but there’s a strong case to be made that the group up front is too reliant on the future Hall of Famer.
Perhaps unsurprisingly following a season in which he missed seven games due to an ankle injury, Trent Williams’ reputation as the premier tackle in football has slipped in the eyes of many.
Jeremy Fowler’s annual poll of NFL executives, coaches and scouts ranking the top 10 players at each position for ESPN saw Williams ranked fourth among offensive tackles. Williams was ranked first in the same poll after the 2023 campaign.
Still, in explaining Williams’ drop-off, Fowler revealed a stat that illustrated why the All-Pro left tackle remains critically important to San Francisco’s hopes of success in 2025.
In his blurb on Williams, Fowler wrote in part: “Williams allowed an average time to pressure of 3.78 seconds last season, per Next Gen Stats, the longest among left tackles with at least 25 pressures allowed.”
Simply put, Williams rarely allowed pressure and, when he did, he still managed to afford Brock Purdy a considerable amount of time to throw.
Purdy recently articulated what it is like having Williams protecting him in an appearance on the ‘Bussin’ with the Boys’ podcast.
He said of Williams:
“He does this ninja move thing, and then pushes guys in the ground. And then, outside of that, just pass [protection] and stuff, he’s locked down over there. And so, year after year, for me, blindside as a quarterback, right-handed quarterback, knowing that my left side is good, I can’t even describe to you. It’s like a sense of freedom.”
Purdy held the ball much longer last season as the 49ers transitioned to a more dropback-heavy passing attack in 2024. He was often guilty of holding the ball too long, but it was clear his process was rapidly sped up down the stretch when Williams was sidelined.
Indeed, per Pro Football Focus, Purdy’s average time to throw from Week 1 to Week 10 was 3.15 seconds. Only Jalen Hurts (3.16) had a longer time to throw among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 dropbacks in that span.
Between Weeks 11 and 18, Purdy’s time to throw decreased to 2.7 seconds, the ninth-quickest average in the league (min. 100 dropbacks).
The 49er passing game since Shanahan took the helm in 2017 has primarily put the onus on the quarterback to process efficiently and get the ball out quickly to playmakers who can create after the catch.
Processing efficiently is still extremely important, but with more of an emphasis on attacking downfield with dropback concepts, the freedom Williams gives Purdy takes on a greater importance.
But, for the 49er passing game to bounce back in 2025 after a dip in 2024, San Francisco will ideally need others on the offensive line to step up and ensure that freedom is not entirely dependent on Williams’ health and his stellar play in pass protection.
San Francisco is set to start a new left guard, which will likely be Ben Bartch, in 2025, while Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni and Colton McKivitz will all be expected to stay in their respective positions at center, right guard and right tackle. The 49ers will be hopeful of Puni taking a step forward after a promising rookie year in 2024.
If the 49ers get that progress from Puni and the positive flashes Bartch has shown in limited playing time translate into strong performances over the course of a full season, the 49ers’ line will be in much better shape to give Purdy the platform he needs to thrive throwing the ball this season.
Williams remains the most important piece on the O-Line, a player who elevates the entire group around him with his play. However, San Francisco’s fortunes up front can’t be entirely dependent on him. The focus this offseason in terms of additions has been on the other side of the trenches, but the development of the O-Line into a more reliable all-round group figures to be just as crucial to the 49ers’ prospects of contending in the NFC this year.