Trent Williams wants a new contract.
Think about this for just a second. Trent Wiliams just turned 36 years old and plays one of the most physically demanding positions in sports as blindside protector. And Williams has not only held up as a player able to extend his career well beyond the normal lengths of such endeavors but he's done so at the most elite level possible as the single greatest offensive lineman in the game of football today.
Ever since Washington selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Williams has installed himself as an all-time great at a position filled with NFL legends. Most franchises will forever honor a truly great player in the role because they are so difficult to find. Just ask Chiefs fans how they feel about Willie Roaf.
Brett Veach was right to chase after Trent Williams like he did.
At this point, Williams has been named to 11 consecutive Pro Bowls and he's been named first-team All-Pro in each of his last three seasons. In other words, even as he's playing more games than ever for a competitive San Francisco 49ers team making deep postseason runs, Williams is playing his best football yet—as if he's blocking Father Time as well as pass rushers who are 10-15 years younger.
Back to the contract. Williams is certainly in a position to demand top-of-the-market payment for his level of play, so that's not news. What's interesting here for our purposes is just how vindicated Brett Veach should feel (just in case three Super Bowls hasn't done the trick) for chasing him in the first place.
If you'll recall, Brett Veach went to work on the Chiefs offensive line as the general manager just over three years ago. At that point, the line was decimated by injuries in the previous postseason and an infusion of youth and talent was needed across the line. In free agency, Veach decided to go shopping for the biggest and best products available.
While simultaneously chasing New England Patriots guard Joe Thuney and Williams, he came away with only one of them. But reports later stated the Chiefs were extremely close on a deal with Williams, who decided instead to remain in a familiar situation with the Niners.
At the time, Williams was a dominant force but he was also an aging product with a couple of injury-laden seasons late in his time in Washington. Despite his success with the 49ers early, some Chiefs fans weren't sold on the wisdom of chasing Williams to be the Chiefs new left tackle, especially given the expenditures involved.
Looking back now, what's clear is that Brett Veach knew exactly what he was doing back in 2021. That year he would go on to draft Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith to that same offensive front and that group has never missed a Super Bowl. If only Williams would have somehow climbed on board, the Chiefs would be able to impose their will on opponents up front left to right. For now, at least Veach can point to Williams' new demands and say, "I told you so."