Williams: 49ers were my No. 1 destination when they got interested a few months ago

San Francisco 49ers Trent Williams spoke to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport for about 15 minutes. Williams told Rapoport he is still getting used to being a 49er. How Williams became a Niner was a hot topic. Rap Sheet said he kept hearing before the trade happened, that Williams was going to land somewhere he was comfortable and had familiarity with the team and staff. Not only did Williams play for Kyle Shanahan, but Mike McDaniel spent three seasons in Washington as well. Also, Chris Foerster, the 49ers game-planning assistant coach, was the offensive line coach in Washington from 2010-14.

Williams was asked about what he likes about the 49ers so far:

I’ve loved it. I’ve loved every second of it. There’s not one critique I have. My time so far has been amazing. Not only coach Foerster and Kyle, Mike is still around. Mike Shanahan of course. Mike McDaniel, I seen him basically get his first job 10 years ago. To see how far his career has came has been eye-opening. Even coach Turner, the running backs coach, Coach Embree, the tight ends coach. It’s a ton of familiar faces. I’m just lucky to be in the NFL for 10 years and I don’t have to go through a culture shock or a change when I switch destinations.

Williams said there were a few others teams that he could have gone to that had a smooth transition, but the 49ers were one of the better teams and Joe Staley’s retirement made it an easy decision.

Trent said his agent told him that he knew Staley was going to walk away right around when the quarantine restrictions were starting to be put in place:

“We were told then that they were going to sit still until they understood which direction Joe was going to go in. They couldn’t get a firm hold on his situation with the quarantine it was all medical, and not being able to get in a facility hurt. I knew there was a possibility, but I just kept close tabs on it because that was my No. 1 destination. That’s where I wanted to be, and once it started to play out and I heard that he wasn’t going to return, that’s when it all turned back to the 49ers.”

Williams was asked about his contract, and he said, “they did some restructure on it to the last year of the deal. For me, I just want to get into the swing of things, get my feet wet, and get back on the field. I didn’t want to make any lofty demands coming off a year where I didn’t play. Obviously, I have all the confidence in my world and itself. I know the type of work I’ve put in, and I know it’ll show. It’s the NFL, it’s all about, ‘what have you done for me lately.’ Realistically, I want to come in and cement myself with dominant play and not going off what I have done in the past.”

Williams, on the facing the Niners defense in practice:

I’m looking forward to it. When I looked for a team to go to, I looked at the opposite side of the ball to see who I can sharpen my iron on every day in practice. When I get on the field, I can’t come up with a rust excuse. I’d rather be rusty in practice and be able to sharpen my iron then than have to do it Monday night with all the cameras on me. Coming to this organization where the defense is probably the best in the league. When you talk about defensive lines that get after the quarterback, anyone with a pulse will throw the 49ers out there in the first, second, or third groups. That in itself excites me as a competitor because I know I can get some of the best work done during the week. On Sundays, you’re not going to see too many guys better than that group. Especially not too many individual guys better than Bosa. They just don’t have that many guys in the league better than him.