What does Aiyuk signing mean for other 49ers superstar's holdout? Insider weighs in

Thursday night was a huge step forward for the San Francisco 49ers.

For most of the summer, the 49ers have been locked in a stalemate with two of their most important offensive contributors, hoping to reach agreements on new contracts. Finally, they ticked one of those items off their list.

The 49ers and star wideout Brandon Aiyuk agreed on a four-year, $120 million extension that keeps the 26-year-old in San Francisco through 2028. The deal includes $76 million guaranteed, and makes Aiyuk the fifth-highest-paid receiver in the National Football League this season.

Now that Aiyuk is locked down, attention naturally shifts to the other star holding out, 11-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams. However, according to one insider, progress in one negotiation does not necessarily signal progress in the other.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport spoke on the ongoing negotiations between the 49ers and Williams on Friday, indicating the two sides remain far apart on a potential extension. Williams, unlike Aiyuk, has not yet reported to 49ers camp in person.

"He is principled... he knows what he is worth," Rapaport said. "He is racking up fines, but as of right now, I do not believe they are close, so we will wait to see if the 49ers get their other big-time playmaker on the field before the season starts."

According to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, Williams has already accrued more than $4 million in fines as a result of missing every practice and preseason game thus far. He is entering the fourth season of a six-year, $138 million deal, but the final two years are not guaranteed.

He won't appear in the box score like Aiyuk, Brock Purdy, or Christian McCaffrey, but Williams is instrumental to everything the 49ers do offensively. The 36-year-old is widely regarded as the best left tackle in football, having been named first-team All-Pro each of the last three seasons.

Though the 49ers have not made a definitive statement, it seems highly unlikely Williams would be able to play Week 1 against the New York Jets at this point, with kickoff in just nine days.

All that remains to be seen is whether the 49ers get more desperate the longer they have to play without Purdy's blindside protector. Rapaport indicates Williams isn't budging, and if San Francisco doesn't budge either, this holdout could go on quite a while.

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