The writing has been on the wall weeks.

On Monday via conference call, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan revealed they will not bring Trent Williams back for the final two games of the season. The ankle injury he’s been nursing doesn’t appear to improving and the 49ers don’t want to force him out there with the season lost.

This is the right course of action by the 49ers. Even if Williams was able to get healthy, there is zero reason to put him out there in meaningless games. The 49ers have no issue sitting their starters all the time when it comes to the preseason, so these last two games should have the same approach.

Williams has been dealing with an ankle injury that he worsened in the Week 11 loss to the Seahawks. It was a game where he toughed it out with the playoffs hanging in the balance for the 49ers. Unfortunately, Williams paid the price by agitating his ankle injury and hasn’t been active since.

Being without Williams has stung the 49ers’ offense. Jaylon Moore has been fine filling in for but he’s not Williams. There’s a talent gap that can never come close to shrinking. There’s also the leadership aspect the 49ers are missing with Williams not out there.

So, the 49ers’ offense will have been without Williams, Christian McCaffrey, and Brandon Aiyuk for the majority of their season. It’s no secret that the offense has taken a step back this year. The 49ers never had all three players on the field at once.

Williams will look to flip the page to forget this season with the hope of being strong in 2025.