The Kansas City Chiefs are carefully exploring the left tackle market once again. According to a new report, the squad is interested in trading for veteran San Francisco 49ers player Trent Williams if contract negotiations break down. The scenario occurs as Kansas City continues to seek long-term stability on Patrick Mahomes’ blind side.
Kansas City selected Josh Simmons in the first round last year, but injuries and a midseason sabbatical hampered his rookie season. That ambiguity has led the Chiefs to consider veteran alternatives. Now that discussions in San Francisco are unresolved, one of the league’s most renowned tackles has returned to their radar.
NFL Trade Rumors: The Kansas City Chiefs explore veteran tackle options as Trent Williams’ status remains uncertain.
According to Jason La Canfora of Casino. com on April 6, the Chiefs would be “ready to pounce” in a trade if Trent Williams and the 49ers fail to reach an agreement. The story said Kansas City still prefers a veteran at left tackle, despite spending a first-round selection on Simmons. That detail indicates true attention, not just regular monitoring.
The discussions heated up primarily after the San Francisco 49ers refused to exercise the $10 million option bonus that Williams was scheduled to get on March 20. That choice raised Williams’ 2026 salary cap figure to around $47 million, but sources told Adam Schefter at the time that the club was not extremely concerned about it and still intended to restructure his deal before the NFL draught in April.
Furthermore, GM John Lynch was rather optimistic about the situation, telling us in March that we’ve had excellent communication throughout. I’d say it’s sort of escalated in the last week, and I feel like we’re on the verge of something wonderful happening, but we’ll see. I don’t want to make any promises that, like, “Hey, we’re right there,” because these things have felt like that before, but I do believe we have excellent communication and are hopeful.
Williams is entering a contract year and will be 38 in July. The 49ers amended his contract two years ago, however negotiations have resumed this offseason. Although talks have intensified lately, no deal has been reached. That delay keeps trading speculation alive. Kansas City came in second place in the Williams sweepstakes in 2021, before San Francisco signed him to a six-year, $138. 1 million deal.
The Chiefs’ tackle history also helps explain the renewed effort. Orlando Brown Jr. played the part for two seasons before retiring in 2023. Donovan Smith filled the void during the Super Bowl LVIII run, but did not return. Kansas City swapped out numerous starters in 2025, including Joe Thuney, who moved to the outside. The position was unstable for the duration of the year.
Simmons’ rookie contract is valid through 2028, but he took time away for personal reasons before sustaining a season-ending wrist injury on Thanksgiving. That time created concerns about immediate reliability. The squad also signed Jaylon Moore to a two-year contract in 2025, however he may move to right tackle following Jawaan Taylor’s departure.
La Canfora also mentioned Taylor Decker as a backup option. The veteran Lions tackle requested a release after negotiations stalled and is projected to play in 2026. Still, the Chiefs appear to favor Williams. If talks in San Francisco fail, Kansas City may finally obtain the elite left tackle it sought for years.
