The San Francisco 49ers have been making headlines this offseason with their big spending, but some are questioning if they have truly improved their roster with these moves. Despite having a talented squad, the 49ers had to navigate through tough contract negotiations, particularly with star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
“After finally locking down both Aiyuk and star offensive lineman Trent Williams, San Francisco made one more move in order to free up cap space. The team agreed to restructure the contract of wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who was due to carry a $28.6 million cap hit,” stated a source close to the negotiations.
Reports indicate that the Niners and Samuel reached an agreement to convert his $21 million base salary into a signing bonus, reducing his cap hit to $12.2 million and creating $16.4 million in savings for the team.
With Aiyuk signing a lucrative four-year, $120 million deal and Williams agreeing to a restructured $82.6 million contract over three years, including $48 million guaranteed, the 49ers needed to make some strategic financial moves to accommodate these big contracts.
“Before restructuring Samuel’s deal, the 49ers had over $51 million in cap space, a chunk of which will likely be rolled over into next year for a potential contract extension for Brock Purdy,” said an insider familiar with the team’s financial strategy.
Overall, the 49ers have been making bold moves this offseason to secure their key players, and it remains to be seen if this financial maneuvering will pay off in the long run. As the team prepares for the upcoming season, the focus will be on maximizing the talent they have locked in for the future.
