49ers lose retiring OL Staley but add Williams
The defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers acquired one Pro Bowl left tackle and said goodbye to another.
The 49ers acquired seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams from the Washington Redskins on Saturday for a pair of draft picks and later announced that six-time Pro Bowler Joe Staley is retiring. The Niners sent a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft and a 2021 third-rounder to acquire Williams, who still must pass a physical for the trade to be finalized.
The 49ers had a big need at left tackle because Staley informed them he planned to retire. Staley said a deteriorating neck injury led to his decision to retire after 13 seasons. Staley also missed nine games last season with injuries to his leg and finger.
“The game of football has been a true passion of mine since I was 8, but my body is telling me it is time,” Staley said in a statement. “Football is a physical sport and I have given my all to the game and pushed my limits. Last season was a dream to be a part of, having the opportunity to chase a championship. ”
Staley was a first-round pick in 2007 and played
181 games over 13 seasons. He was selected to the NFL’s all-decade team for the 2010s and played a big role in San Francisco’s runs to the Super Bowl following the 2012 and ‘19 seasons.
Williams, 31, sat out the entire 2019 season because of a dispute with Washington’s front office. The Redskins did not trade him before the Oct. 29 deadline and Williams renewed his request for a trade this offseason. The deal reunites him with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who was the offensive coordinator in Washington when Williams was drafted fourth overall in 2010.
Williams made the Pro Bowl every season from 2012-18 and is considered one of the best left tackles in the league when healthy. He has one year remaining on his contract, which will pay him $12.5 million this season.
Minutes after completing the trade, the Redskins drafted Williams’ potential replacement, LSU lineman Saahdiq Charles, with the 108th pick.
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Bills: Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm, who surprised more than a few folks by deciding to skip his senior season at UGA, finally heard his name called in the NFL draft when he was selected by Buffalo in the fifth round with the 167th overall pick. Fromm, projected to be one of the top five quarterbacks in the draft, instead was the eighth quarterback off the board. The Bulldogs went 37-6 with Fromm under center, with one SEC Championship, three SEC title games, a College Football Playoff victory in the Rose Bowl and national championship game appearance.
Fromm’s 8,224 career passing yards ranks fourth on UGA’s all-time list and his 78 career TD passes places him in second.
Eagles: After baffling their fan base with the second-round selection of quarterback Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia went a more conventional route by taking Clemson safety K'Von Wallace with the 127th overall pick. They also traded for veteran wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who has played seven NFL seasons for Buffalo and San Francisco. Goodwin is known for his 4.27second 40, and also for having suffered several injuries. He has appeared in a full 16 games only once, in 2017 with the 49ers, when he caught 56 passes for 962 yards.
Patriots: New England drafted Marhall kicker Justin Rohrwasser in the fifth round to potentially replace two-time All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who was released last month despite helping the Patriots win three Super Bowls. Rohrwasser says a tattoo on his arm is not representative of the Three Percenters, a loosely organized right-wing, antigovernment group that has adopted the symbol. He said in a conference call that he thought the tatto supported the military. “It evolved into something I do not want to represent,” he said. “It will be covered.’’
Panthers: Carolina coach Matt Rhule hasn't coached a down in the NFL and already made history when the Panthers used all seven of their draft picks on defensive players, the most in the common draft era to be made all on defense, according to ESPN Stats and Information.