Is Trent Williams the 49ers' Best Player Entering 2025?

The San Francisco 49ers cemented their core group of players once they extended Fred Warner.

Eight players comprise that group, and in it resides their best player on the team. It isn't an obvious choice at all. The best player can be argued for several players.

Warner (my pick) being the best is logical, and so is Nick Bosa. George Kittle deserves some recognition as well. It's almost like there isn't a wrong choice.

If you were to ask Pro Football Network, their choice wouldn't be any of those players I listed. Their choice for the best player on the 49ers entering 2025 is Trent Williams. Here is their explanation.

"The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of blue-chip players on their roster. George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa are all some of the best players in the league at their respective positions. Given how consistent Trent Williams has been over the years, though, it's hard not to take him as their best player here.

"Williams has been an elite offensive tackle throughout much of his tenure in the NFL. The only reason he missed the Pro Bowl in 2024 for the first time since 2011 was due to injury, but he was right on All-Pro pace had he stayed healthy. An ageless wonder who turns 37 in July, he's a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and still one of the best offensive linemen in the game today."

Williams being the pick is absolutely fair. The only pushback to have is that the 49ers haven't been derailed when he is out of the lineup.

Jaylon Moore was able to shrink some of that hole whenever Williams was out. Typically, the best player on a team isn't so easily substituted, no matter how temporary.

It's why Christian McCaffrey would never be my pick. He was easily filled in by Jordan Mason last year. The pass game wasn't the same without him, but the run game was nearly identical.

Now, maybe that is more of a testament to Moore's talent than Williams' replaceability. With Moore gone, the 49ers may start to truly feel the sting of Williams' absence if he misses games again.

In any case, Williams being the pick as the 49ers' best player is more than feasible.