Story by
49ers’ Trent Williams forms one half of NFL’s best tackle duo, per analyst
- Story by
- 49ers’ Trent Williams forms one half of NFL’s best tackle duo, per analyst
49ers' Trent Williams forms one half of NFL's best tackle duo, per analyst appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The San Francisco 49ers haven't had the same success over the last two seasons that they had at the start of the 2020s, but they still have one of the best collections of talent in the NFL on the offensive side of the ball. While Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle get a lot of the love for that, Trent Williams is one of the top players in the NFL at his position even late in his career.
Advertisement
Williams has been the most dominant left tackle in football for a number of years now. That gap has closed a bit as he has gotten older, but the 37-year old is still elite at the position. Sports Illustrated NFL analyst Gilberto Manzano recently ranked the top five offensive tackle duos in the NFL, and Williams and Colton McKivitz came in at No. 1
"The 49ers have the league's best left tackle playing in the most productive scheme for offensive linemen," Manzano wrote. "The combination of Williams's elite skills and Shanahan's offensive mind has given San Francisco plenty of flexibility since Williams arrived from Washington in 2020."
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
While Williams is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for this duo, McKivitz has proven his worth as an above-average starter at worst in recent years. He is an iron man on a 49ers team that is always full of injury issues, which gives Shanahan some continuity to work with up front.
Advertisement
"McKivitz has proved his worth by starting in every game since 2023, which says plenty for a team that has been decimated by injuries in recent years," Manzano added of Williams' counterpart. "Williams has dealt with injuries throughout his decorated career, but he was healthy for most of 2025."
The 49ers are playing in arguably the best division in the NFL this season along with the defending champion Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, so they will need both Williams and McKivitz healthy to reach their full potential. If they are, San Francisco has as good a chance as any to come out of the NFC in January.
Related: 49ers' Mac Jones gets honest about life behind Brock Purdy
Related: Weak link that will sink 49ers' Super Bowl hopes during 2026 season
