SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The start of free agency for the San Francisco 49ers was marked more by departures than by acquisitions. Though the team secured a deal with backup tight end Luke Farrell and re-signed two reserve players on Monday, they also saw the departure of several key contributors from a team that made it to the Super Bowl just over a year ago.
San Francisco informed Kyle Juszczyk, a nine-time Pro Bowl fullback, that he would be released before the new league year begins on Wednesday. Juszczyk, a versatile player who has been pivotal to the offense since 2017, was compelled to take a pay cut last season and will now enter free agency as the team aims to revamp the roster with younger and more cost-effective options. The 33-year-old was due to earn $4.1 million this season, and the Niners will incur a $3.6 million dead cap hit with his release.
Other notable departures in free agency include Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga to Denver, Charvarius Ward to Indianapolis, Jaylon Moore and Elijah Mitchell to Kansas City, and Joshua Dobbs to New England. Aaron Banks is reportedly heading to Green Bay, while defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins are also expected to be released.
Additionally, the 49ers have agreed to trade Deebo Samuel to Washington, and a total of 25 out of 41 players who saw significant playing time in the 2023 season will no longer be on the team’s roster.
On a positive note, San Francisco did bring in Luke Farrell on a three-year deal worth up to $20.25 million, with $11 million guaranteed. Farrell, known for his blocking skills and special teams contributions, will bolster the tight end position behind George Kittle. The team also retained defensive lineman Kevin Givens and running back Patrick Taylor Jr. on one-year deals.
The developments were confirmed by sources familiar with the transactions, as the signings cannot be finalized until Wednesday.
