The San Francisco 49ers have certainly been making waves in the NFL news cycle as of late, with a flurry of moves that has raised eyebrows across the league. One thing is for sure, the Niners are not sitting idly by.
First up, they locked in wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to a lucrative four-year, $120 million deal. Aiyuk is a key playmaker for the team, and the front office clearly sees him as a vital piece of the puzzle moving forward. But that’s not all – they also reworked left tackle Trent Williams’ contract, securing him a whopping $82.66 million over the next three years. Williams is an anchor on the offensive line, and the Niners wanted to make sure he was compensated accordingly.
But wait, there’s more. Field Yates of ESPN dropped a bombshell when he reported that the 49ers had also restructured the contract of receiver Deebo Samuel, freeing up a significant $16.4 million in cap space. Samuel, who was set to earn $20.9 million in base salary in 2024 with a hefty $28.633 million cap hit, is now looking at a more manageable financial situation.
However, Samuel’s future with the team beyond this season is now up in the air. With Aiyuk locked in for the long term and rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall joining the fold, there are questions about where Samuel fits into the plans. The star receiver signed a three-year extension in 2022 with $41 million in guarantees, but the landscape has changed since then.
Trade rumors swirled around Samuel before the 2024 draft, but he ultimately remains a member of the 49ers. His cap number is now lower, which could potentially make him a more attractive trade piece. It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out as the season progresses.
In the fast-paced world of the NFL, the 49ers are certainly making moves and shaking things up. Keep an eye on San Francisco as they continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of professional football.
