Trent Williams doesn't hold back on 49ers doubters

For an article published on July 18, ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote that he believes the San Francisco 49ers will bounce back positively from a disappointing 2024 season later this year. 

During an appearance on the latest edition of "The TK Show" podcast, 49ers left tackle Trent Williams sent a message to those who disagree with Graziano's take. 

"Last year, who had the Washington Commanders as an NFC Championship team? Nobody," Williams said, as shared by David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "Who had the Minnesota Vikings as a team to go [14-3]? Who had that? Nobody. So, I feel like we're in that same position. Everybody will look and say, 'Oh, you lost this All-Pro, you lost that All-Pro. You don't have this person. This guy's getting older,' this and that. But, in my opinion, we're in the same boat."

Back in February 2024, the 49ers were a fourth-down stop away from winning the Super Bowl. However, a noteworthy injury crisis plagued San Francisco last fall as it fell from 5-4 to 6-11. Specifically, Williams, quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle were among the 49ers players who missed games during the campaign. 

The Niners subsequently made some salary-cap-clearing decisions that involved the club parting ways with wide receiver Deebo Samuel and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, among others. 

"We have all the talent, but everybody's gonna kind of bat an eye at us because we don't have Greenlaw. Deebo isn't with us anymore," Williams continued. "I am 37. It's a lot of stuff that people are going to drag at and say, 'Oh, I don't think this can be the same team.' But honestly, that's how you want it, right?"

It is worth mentioning that the 49ers aren't necessarily flying under the radar ahead of San Francisco's preseason opener versus the Denver Broncos on Aug. 9. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Niners tied for fourth among the betting favorites at +950 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX. 

Nevertheless, it sounds like Williams may be looking for some bulletin-board material amid training-camp practices. 

"The fact that everybody's kind of sleeping on us, the fact that we finished last in our division, so it gives you a favorable schedule going forward, I think all of that plays into our hands," Williams added during the program.