Christian McCaffrey & George Kittle Left ‘Heartbroken’ as 49ers Ditch $9.1M Star Under Kyle Shanahan

The 49ers are either clearing the deck for a massive extension for Brock Purdy or pivoting to youth after a poor season. Less than two weeks ago, San Francisco sent wideout Deebo Samuel packing to Washington. And if that wasn’t enough, the latest development proves that the 49ers are done making choices based on sentiment—something we saw last season with Brandon Aiyuk. With free agency in full swing, the team has now cut ties with the longest-tenured player on the roster, proving sentiment has little value in their rebuild.

The 49ers signed backup tight end Luke Farrell and re-signed two reserve players on Monday, but so far, their free agency has been defined more by departures than arrivals. A chaotic Monday in San Fransico on the first day of free agency saw 11 players leave, including franchise Pro Bowl and All-Pro cornerstone fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Juszczyk was one of the first players signed by the 49ers after coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch took over in 2017. He took a pay cut last season to stay with the team and was reportedly asked to do it for the second consecutive time. But this time, he decided to opt out and test the free agency market. The news of his departure hit Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle hard and they didn’t hold back their emotions.

McCaffrey took to Instagram to share a story about his heartbreak over Kyle Juszczyk’s sudden departure. He posted a photo from their game days, side-hugging his longtime teammate, along with the caption, “My Brother (with a broken heart emoji).” Kittle also shared a throwback picture from their early practice days, a moment that held deep meaning. And guess what? It wasn’t just any photo, it was from their very first day together at training camp. His caption made that clear: “Day one juice (with a broken heart and juice pack emojis).”

Veteran Juszczyk had been a key part of Shanahan’s roster and helped the team to NFC title success in 2019 and again in 2023. But with the fullback position phasing out, Juszczyk started trending more like a tight-end. In 2024, he logged 200 snaps in the backfield and 337 in other positions, with 191 of those as an inline tight end. In 2023, Juszczyk played a total of 604 snaps, including 201 in the backfield. His exit is yet to be officially announced, but ESPN has reported that it will be finalized on Wednesday.

Juszczyk, whose contract value was $9.1 million, was a Pro Bowler in each of his eight seasons with the team. His contributions as a blocker, receiver, and a runner, highlight his versatility. He racked up 2,107 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns on 244 touches during his stay in San Francisco. In addition, he also made it to the First Team All-Pro in 2023 and second-team All-Pro in 2024.

During the NFL Combine, General Manager John Lynch was asked about Juszczyk sticking around. At that time, the GM said, “We’ll see. We’re thinking of a lot of things right now. We’re trying to make everything work.” But they worked to release him in the offseason. The reports suggest that this move could be because Kyle Shanahan and Co. want a younger squad as well as they are shifting away from a traditional fullback. They are leaning on tight ends and 12 personnel sets. But this isn’t just a football move. It’s a financial one too.

By releasing Kyle Juszczyk, the 49ers clear $2.9 million in cap space this season. But there’s a catch – they’ll still carry $6.7 million in dead money over the next four years, with $3.57 million hitting this year alone. Juszczyk was set to count $6.5 million against the cap in 2025, with more costs tied to void years through 2028. The numbers didn’t work, and the decision was made.

Monday’s departures from San Francisco included three defenders, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga, cornerback Charvarius Ward, and a potent offensive guard in Aaron Banks. Greenlaw and Hufanga reached agreements with the Broncos. Ward agreed to a deal with Indianapolis while Banks also reportedly has agreed to a deal with Green Bay. But that’s not all.

Backup tackle Jaylon Moore and running back Elijah Mitchell are headed to Kansas City, and backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs left for New England. These moves hint that the 49ers are looking to go all-in for Purdy’s extension, pretty much the way they did for Brandon Aiyuk last season. But there is more to the story.

The 49ers aren’t making changes only in the playing squad. In January, defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen and special teams coordinator Brian Schneider were let go after a poor season. Then came February’s shocker—the exit of quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, the mastermind behind Brock Purdy’s selection in the 2022 draft.

This points to a more measured approach by the front office to help the team recover from a 6-11 season and be among the contenders again next term. The plethora of departures does signal a youth movement for Shanahan though, who was left red-faced after running quite literally after the 49ers executives for Aiyuk’s four-year, $120-million extension, only to be left disappointed by the player.

So, what does this new direction mean for Purdy and his hopes of a new contract in San Francisco?

Will the 49ers offer Purdy what he wants?

The 49ers have a number of players with high-paying contracts at their respective positions. Despite the recalibration by the franchise to focus on a young core, they cannot ignore the team’s most important position and arguably their biggest player.

Purdy initially signed a four-year rookie contract with the 49ers after the 2022 NFL Draft. That contract pays him about $3.7 million over four years, making him one of the lowest-paid quarterbacks. His base salary for the 2024 season was $985,000. It was reported that the Niners offered him a $45 million a year contract, but the report was swiftly refuted by Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Purdy’s camp is believed to be looking for a deal in the $50 million region, while the franchise might offer him something in the $40 million range. However, there is another option that could see the 49ers save money, but it may not be a good look.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “I think people forget the fact that if they can’t get a deal done, the Niners simply could have him play this year for $5.1 million, tag him again next year for $41 million, and tag him the year after for $51 million. That would be essentially $97 million over the next three years, which is great, but by quarterback standards, it’s not great.”

If the 49ers play this card, it will be seen as insulting to the player who has become crucial to Shanahan’s plans. The franchise is looking to adjust its salary cap and perhaps cut down on its losses, but they will need to spend somewhere if they are looking to challenge in the NFC again.

The 49ers are clearing the board for a massive reset and the question is where will they spend their salary cap in the coming days.