The San Francisco 49ers declined to exercise a $10 million option bonus on star left tackle Trent Williams' contract Friday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The decision pushes Williams' salary cap number to nearly $47 million, though the team plans to restructure his deal before next month's NFL Draft.

Williams and San Francisco have spent much of the offseason negotiating without reaching an agreement. He enters 2026 with no guaranteed money beyond this season and no years remaining on his contract after 2026. His cap figure had previously stood at $38.84 million, including a $22.21 million base salary.

Despite the prolonged talks, 49ers general manager John Lynch expressed confidence a deal will get done.

"Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner, and it's up to us to figure that out and to thread that needle," Lynch said at last month's combine. "I think we're all on the same page and feel very positive about where that's going."

Williams, who turns 38 in July, has told ESPN he expects a short extension that would provide additional guarantees while delivering cap relief to the club. He has also stated repeatedly that he intends to play until age 40.

San Francisco has no proven replacement on its current roster. The team added swing tackle Vederian Lowe from New England in free agency and retained Austen Pleasants, but both moves were viewed as depth additions rather than succession plans.

Williams earned his 12th Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors in 2025, cementing his status as one of the premier offensive linemen of his generation.

"My hope is that his name is up there in the rafters with the greats that have played for the Niners because he certainly fits that category," Lynch said.