One of the league's best left tackles is on the mend.
Left tackle for the 49ers Trent Williams will not play against the Chargers in Week 2 of the preseason. Williams was absent from the team's first joint practise with Los Angeles on Thursday, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said he will be out for the entire week.
Williams was named the league's best tackle in 2020, his first season with the San Francisco 49ers after a contract dispute with the Washington Redskins concluded in a trade that took him west. He was a rock-solid protector for whoever was at quarterback, and he was even better in the run game, according to Pro Football Focus, with the top run-blocking grade in the league.
The good news for San Francisco is that Shanahan expects Williams to be out for no more than a week. Following a hit in Monday's practise, the left tackle had his knee drained.
When asked about a potential long-term problem for Williams, Shanahan remained unconcerned. It's not a big issue if you miss the second week of preseason.
If this continues into the third week, there may be cause for concern. For the time being, the 49ers expect the veteran to be out for only a week, giving rookie LT Jaylon Moore more reps against the Chargers starters.