There have been a couple of important 49ers players’ contract updates that occurred this month. Players such as Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel, and Charvarius Ward have all had updates that came into effect on April first. Here is more information on the 49ers players’ contacts.
49ers Players’ Contract Updates
Trent Williams
As the deadline passed, an interesting part of Trent Williams’ contract officially came into play. Of the 49ers players’ contract updates, this one has been discussed the most. When signing the extension with the 49ers, the team had the option to opt for a guaranteed $10 million 2023 base salary, as well as can opt into the 2024-2026 years of his contract. David Lombardi confirmed on Twitter that now that the deadline has come and gone, this portion of the contract will go into effect.
Trent Williams’ contract began as a six-year, $138 million deal. His base salary is set to be around $19 million, with a cap hit of just over $27 million, according to Spotrac. Williams has been a valuable player for the 49ers as a leader and a player. Williams is 34 years old, will be 35 by the time the season hits, and is still an elite player.
49ers LT Trent Williams (71) – John Amis/AP Photo
Williams’ age, along with his price, could still be a fear for the team. There were some questions going into this offseason if the veteran would retire before it was confirmed that he would return. The team could not have opted for this and given him a potential out in 2024. Now, this is not happening, but it could have been cheaper for the team, which is why this was one of the 49ers players’ contracts that was discussed the most, leading to the deadline.
Opting for three more years demonstrates the value San Francisco has for Williams, and as he is still playing at a high level, he is worth the money. If the team went the route of the potential out, Trent Williams’ contract would have left the team with a $15 million dead cap in 2024. Williams has a 93.0 overall on Pro Football Focus and has shown that age is not stopping him.
Deebo Samuel
Last season, the 49ers gave wide receiver Deebo Samuel a three-year deal worth just over $71 million. As of April first, $14 million of Samuel’s base salary and roster bonus becomes guaranteed, according to Akash Anavarathan on Twitter. While this was no major decision by the team, it was still an update on one of the 49ers players’ contracts that fans may have missed.
Deebo played in just 13 regular season games in 2022 and had 56 receptions for 632 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 232 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the regular season. Hopefully, in 2023, the receiver can stay healthy and have a repeat of the 2021 season.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel (19) – Stan Szeto/USA TODAY Sports
Charvarius Ward
Another one of the 49ers players’ contracts that had something become official on April first is cornerback Charvarius Ward. The 49ers signed Ward in the 2022 offseason, and now he is a solid starter for the team. Similarly to Deebo Samuel, Ward’s contract update is nothing too major, but any update to any of the 49ers players’ contracts is important.
As of April first, $8.56 million of Ward’s contract become guaranteed. Ward signed a three-year deal with the 49ers worth $40.5 million in 2022. His cap hit will be just over $6 million, which is not bad for a solid starter. In the 2022 regular season, Ward played in each regular season game with one interception and one fumble recovery. He also had 11 pass deflections.
These 49ers players’ contract updates have to do with the 2023 projected starters. While these updates are pricey, the team luckily only needed depth this offseason for the most part. They also do not have a draft pick until the third round, leaving room for some late-pick surprises.
