Report: The 49ers and FB Kyle Juszczyk have had preliminary contract exchanges

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk will become an unrestricted free agent in March. The way head coach Kyle Shanahan has spoken about Juszczyk in the past; you’d think the Niners would do everything in their power to bring the fullback who has made the Pro Bowl in the past five seasons back to the Bay Area.

Whether you’re a fan, a player, or a part of the coaching staff, you’re aware of Juszczyk’s value to the 49ers. Both Shanahan and John Lynch refer to Juice as an offensive weapon and not a fullback. Star tight end George Kittle said this about Juszczyk:

“He is, in my opinion, one of one. I don’t know that anyone does the things that he does on the football field. I also think he’s incredibly underappreciated. But people that watch football, the people that understand football, they get how important Juice is.”

Josina Anderson reported that the 49ers and Juszczyk had had a few preliminary exchanges about a potential return to San Francisco. She added that Juszczyk would be “happy to return” to the 49ers if they can work something out. For now, it’s a wait-and-see game to determine if Juszczyk can fit into the team’s budget.

Juszczyk’s cap number in 2020 was $6.7 million, thanks to a base salary just north of $5 million with a prorated bonus of $1.2 million. Knowing the salary cap will likely be around $180 million, it’s difficult to imagine the 49ers giving Juice that much money in 2021.

Over the Cap’s valuation for Juszczyk in 2020 comes in at $3.1 million. We’ll see what the front office offers Juice, but it’s safe to assume it’ll be below what he made in 2020. The fact that the two sides are talking is a great sign. As Kittle said, Juszczyk’s importance to the offense is noticeable for anyone to see.