The San Francisco 49ers reportedly agreed to terms on a 5-year contract extension with Ian Williams back on March 9, but the team has not announced the deal, and now it would seem we know why. Matt Maiocco initially reported Ian Williams's contract was revised to one year due to rehab from a procedure that was taking longer than planned. Then, Adam Schefter dropped the more significant information.
49ers DT Ian Williams has undergone more than one ankle surgery that has left his status for the season opener in question, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2016
After Ian Williams could not pass physical, he and 49ers redid their 5-year, $27.5M contract and created a 1-year deal worth up to $6M.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2016
Aaron Wilson tweeted out some contract specifics that broke down the $6 million deal. Williams will have a $1 million base salary. He then has $2 million in game-day roster bonuses, which breaks down to $125,000 per game. He also has $2 million in playing time incentives. There would seem to be another $1 million unaccounted for in this, but as we can see, this is heavily incentivized for playing time.
Williams missed 21 of 32 games in 2013 and 2014 due to leg injuries. He played all 16 games this season, but there was obviously some kind of issue that had to be dealt with after the season. Williams originally was slated to sign a 5-year deal, but clearly the injury is significant enough that the 49ers wanted some protection against missed time. If Williams can get through this season healthy, it will be interesting to see what happens a year from now if he again hits free agency.
This opens the door to defensive line being even more significant in the upcoming draft. Whether it be DeForest Buckner, or a pick later in the draft, the line will be addressed even further.