Trent Williams Calls One Rookie a "Steal" for the 49ers

Trent Williams likes this rookie so much that he thinks he's a "steal" of the draft for the 49ers.

Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) during a press conference before Super Bowl LVIII at Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Trent Williams is finally back with the San Francisco 49ers.

The two sides reached an agreement on a restructured deal. Williams will receive $48 million fully guaranteed and a $25.69 million signing bonus. He gets the security and pay raise that he deserves.

Having Williams end his holdout from the 49ers is uplifting. However, just because he was holding out doesn't mean he wasn't watching the team closely. At his press conference on Tuesday, Williams was asked which newcomer to the 49ers has impressed him the most.

"Obviously, Puni coming in and playing the way he played in those preseason games," said Williams. "Looking at his poise, and just looking like he's been there before. I was looking at that guy, I'm like, 'Man, he looks like he can contribute day one.' He's such a steal. Such a good find for those guys."

For Williams to have such high praise for a player, especially a rookie, is everything. For Puni, it means he is promising and the real deal. To be called a "steal" from arguably the best offensive tackle in the NFL goes a long way.

It is like when Fred Warner called second-year linebacker Dee Winters the "best player" in OTAs. When superstars hand praise like that, it isn't just for fluff. They mean it. Puni was arguably the best player for the 49ers in the preseason.

And to think, he never would've gotten the chance if not for injuries to Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano. Puni has made the most of his opportunities. He'll now get to start alongside Williams whom he idolizes.

"He a legend, man," said Puni (h/t 49ers Webzone). "He the GOAT. The whole camp, I've been waiting for him, just to see him, watch him practice, because anything you can take, any type of lessons or notes you can take from a guy like that, it's priceless. So I'm gonna do everything. I'm gonna be a sponge around him. Everything he say or everything he do, I'm gonna take it and just try and learn as much as I can."