The San Francisco 49ers made it to the NFC Championship Game last year thanks in no small part to All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams having a season for the ages. But now the 49ers will need to figure out how to win without him – for a while at least.
On Monday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that Williams suffered a high right ankle sprain. Surgery will not be required.
However, a high ankle sprain is hardly something you can come back after just one week from. Analysts on Twitter are estimating that Williams will be out for four to six weeks.
Fans on Twitter are gutted for Williams and also believe that the 49ers have little-to-no chance of winning without him. Some are looking ahead to their upcoming games with quite a bit of despair, while their opponents are looking forward to facing Williams’ backup.
Trent Williams was traded to the 49ers in 2020 after a successful nine-year run with the Washington Commanders. He immediately returned to Pro Bowl form in 2020, and had his best season ever in 2021.
The 49ers were confident that with Williams as their pass rusher, they’d be able to transition successfully into the Trey Lance era. But then Lance got injured and they had to return to Jimmy Garoppolo.
Now without Williams, the 49ers’ offensive line becomes something more normal as opposed to something spectacular. And with all of the injuries they have, that won’t be enough.
Will the 49ers be as bad as people say they will now that Williams is out?