For 49ers’ Williams, eighth Pro Bowl honor the best

Early this season, 10 years after Trent Williams had been a rookie whose “head was spinning” and was being challenged by head coach Mike Shanahan, the 49ers' left tackle found himself in a similar situation.

Williams, 32, a No. 4 pick, again was trying to find his way with a new team that was led by an exacting Shanahan.

On Tuesday, Williams said his early-season hiccups weren't because of rust after he didn't play in the NFL in 2019. Instead, his missteps, most notably a forgettable performance in a Sunday night loss to the Eagles in Week 4, were about finding his way in head coach Kyle Shanahan's complex system.

“There were just some things I had to learn on the go,” Williams said. “Some plays happened in prime time where everybody could see. Some of them happened in practice. There were just some things that I had to get corrected.”

It's safe to say Williams made the necessary fixes.

On Monday, Williams earned his eighth Pro Bowl berth during a season in which he has grown comfortable in a new offense and proved his skills haven't been diminished by age or his season away from the league.

Williams termed his latest Pro Bowl honor his most satisfying. And that's largely because, in some ways, the future Hall of Fame candidate had to prove himself for the first time since he was struggling in Washington a decade ago after signing his six-year, $60 million rookie contract.

Williams smiled Tuesday as he recalled a transformative moment after Mike Shanahan called him into his office. Shanahan's message to the rookie: It was time to start earning his fat paychecks.

“I'll never forget, he quoted me how much I was getting paid a year — how much I had signed for,” Williams said. “And he was like, ` We're not helping you. You're going to have to grow up on the field. Show us you can do it, or prove to us that you can't.' From that day on, I was learning on the job. I was growing as I went. They challenged me a lot.”

This season, Williams' biggest challenges involved Kyle Shanahan's outside-zone blocking scheme. Shanahan had been Williams' offensive coordinator for his first four seasons in Washington, but his scheme had evolved during their six seasons apart.

“I was trying different things on the go,” Williams said, “and I just had to be open to that. I was in a new system, and Kyle wanted it a different way. And I have a ton of respect for Kyle, and I never would question him.”

There's no question Williams, who ranks fourth among all offen

sive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus’ grading system, has been the strength of an offensive line that will enter the offseason with question marks.

It’s not clear whether Daniel Brunskill, who has started at center and guard, and rookie guard Colton Mckivitz are long-term answers for an interior that has been leaky. In addition, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, the No. 9 pick in 2018, has been inconsistent as a pass protector, and general manager John Lynch said last week on KNBR that the 49ers probably will want him to add weight in the offseason to provide more “anchor.”

Williams and left guard Laken Tomlinson have been bright spots, but only Tomlinson is under contract for 2021.

Williams has shown this season that he’s still worth his fat paychecks, meaning plenty of teams would be happy to pony up for the perennial Pro Bowl selection whose preference is to stay in Santa Clara.

“I do know there’s interest on both sides, of course,” Williams said. “I would love to be here. And if the business (side) works out, you will see me here for years to come.”