49ers GM: Trent Williams 'a godsend' following Staley's retirement

The San Francisco 49ers lost longtime offensive tackle Joe Staley to retirement last week, but much to the relief of general manager John Lynch, they quickly filled the void by acquiring seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams during the draft.

"The reality on that deal, we didn't really have the conversation with Joe until the week of the draft," Lynch said Tuesday, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "Because I think Joe was trying to give himself and his body time. Joe wanted to keep playing, his body simply didn't allow for it."

Lynch added, "It was very opportune that Trent Williams was sitting out there. We quickly interjected ourselves in that conversation. I worked hard with (Washington Redskinds head coach) Ron Rivera to try to get it done and we did. ... We'll miss Joe. Joe's been a huge part of this franchise. But to come up with a guy like Trent Williams at that late date was a godsend for us."

The 49ers acquired Williams from the Redskins in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-rounder. Several other teams had reportedly entered into discussions with Washington before San Francisco closed the deal.

Williams, 31, emerged as one of the NFL's most reliable offensive linemen after being drafted fourth overall in 2010. His relationship with the Redskins grew strained, however, due to the player's dissatisfaction with the medical staff.

He'll now assume the position that Staley occupied for the last 13 seasons.

"We knew there was an opportunity or a chance that (Staley) wasn't going to be with us and that was going to be tough, but we were able to pull something off for Trent Williams, which I think was the cherry on top of this draft," Lynch said.

The 49ers added five players in the 2020 draft, including defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the first round.

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