49ers Cut Arik Armstead as Free Agency Begins

The 49ers let him go and will save $2.2 million against the cap.

In an uncharacteristically aggressive move, the 49ers asked Arik Armstead to accept a significant pay cut, he refused and demanded a release to explore free agency. The 49ers let him go and will save $2.2 million against the cap.

PFN Insider reports the Niners have also asked Kyle Juszczyk to accept a pay cut, that talks are ongoing, and no agreement has been reached. What happened with Armstead casts an ominous shadow over that negotiation.

For the first time in his tenure, Kyle Shanahan the true GM of the team is taking a hard line with expensive older veterans to accept a big pay cut or be released.

Meanwhile, NFL free agency opens today with the start of the legal tampering period. The Niners are rumored to be shopping for edge rushers.

EDGE

Mike Silver reports that the likely 49ers targets are Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter, Houston’s Jonathan Greenard, and Leonard Floyd of Buffalo.

The 29-year-old Hunter led this group with 16.5 sacks. Greenard, 26, had 12.5 sacks, and the 31-year-old Floyd had 10.5. Greenard is also known as a stout edge setter, he ranked in the top 10 at defensive end in run defense and pass rush win rate.

Now that Jacksonville has put the franchise tag on Josh Allen, Hunter moves up to the 2nd-ranked edge in free agency behind Carolina’s Brian Burns. It will be difficult for the Niners to win a bidding war against teams with more cap room. The Niners can pitch title contention but so can Detroit.

The 49ers will also keep an eye on the Chargers, who may release or trade Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Bosa has struggled to remain healthy while the 33-year-old Mack continues to produce with 17 sacks this year. A Chargers reporter says Bosa to the 49ers can’t be ruled out.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

With the recent signings of Chris Jones and Justin Madubuike, the top interior defensive lineman on the market is Miami’s Christian Wilkins. Detroit, Minnesota, Houston, and Cleveland are reported to be the top suitors.

Denver is rumored to be considering the release of former 49er D.J. Jones. If so, the Niners should be interested as Jones would fill a primary need to stop the run. Jones has a 2024 base salary of $9.5 million. How much the Niners would be willing to spend is an unknown. The draft has capable talent, but Jones is a known commodity, specifically in this defense.

LINEBACKER

The injury to Dre Greenlaw makes linebacker an unanticipated priority. While the Niners drafted Jalen Graham and Dee Winters last year, young linebackers throughout the league are showing a need for a three-year learning curve or more before getting significant playing time.

So the Niners have an immediate need for a plug-and-play veteran, and as luck would have it, there's a solid group of affordable free agents.

Some hope the 49ers bring Azeez Al-Shaair back, but he has stated his preference is to remain in Tennessee or rejoin DeMeco Ryans in Houston. The Niners are unlikely to have the cap space necessary to compete for Al-Shaair, who is now a top 10 linebacker statistically.

The Niners are rumored to be interested in Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David. While 34, David had a solid year leading the Bucs in tackles at 134, with 4.5 sacks and five passes defended. 

Additional free agents include Houston’s Blake Cashman, the league’s best pass coverage linebacker, and Kansas City’s Drue Tranquill, who played well in the playoffs. However, both will be looking for long-term deals and the Niners prefer a one-year investment, hence the interest in David.

There are great draft fits for the Niners scheme at linebacker, they've talked with North Carolina’s Cedric Gray, but after a comp pick moved from the 3rd to the 4th, Gray may now be out of reach. Plus they have Graham and Winters in the development pipeline already.

DEFENSIVE BACK

Cleveland is floating the possibility of trading 23-year-old defensive back Greg Newsome, a 6-0/192 first-round pick in 2021. The Niners are rumored to be one of several interested teams. A player at Newsome’s playing level and age would likely require a 2nd round pick.

He had two interceptions including a pick-six this year, with 34 solo tackles and four tackles for loss in 14 games played. His completion percentage against was 56.7% and his missed tackle rate was 16.9%.

The evaluation for the Niners is what they plan to do in the draft. The need is for an outside cover corner that plays the run well and can blitz. That’s not Newsome but it is Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr. or Iowa’s Cooper DeJean in the late first as the best run defenders. Alabama’s Kool Aid McKinstry excels in coverage, and Notre Dame’s Cam Hart is a cover-run D player in the 3rd.

Newsome is a better value than the 63rd pick in this draft, but if the Niners plan on taking a DB in the first three rounds they’ll pass.

OFFENSIVE LNE

An acute need, but the Niners don’t spend on OL in free agency unless it’s relatively cheap.