:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69327412/usa_today_14978571.0.jpg)
Marqise Lee was terminated with an injury waiver designation. That likely means Lee had a pre-existing injury that’ll save the 49ers from having to pay Lee in the event he gets hurt again at their facility.
Jones also carries a big cap hit, and due to the number of suitors, an interested team might have to absorb all of Jones’ salary for the upcoming season.
Also, given the potential number of suitors, the price for Jones would be relatively high in terms of draft capital, and the 49ers are lacking in that department after trading their next two first-round picks to Miami for the No. 3 overall selection in this past draft.
Reuben Foster situation taught 49ers GM John Lynch a tough lesson
“I do think it’s very helpful. You lived it,” Lynch told Michael Robinson and Bucky Brooks on the latest NFL Total Access: The Locker Room podcast. “You know what’s it’s like to be a player and the challenges asked of them. And you’d better have a really mentally tough person because the NFL’s hard. There’s nothing easy about it. That’s what makes it so great, in my mind.”
“I don’t say that anything is a mistake, but I had so much belief in Reuben Foster and my ability to get to him,” Lynch shared. “‘OK, if he’s got some issues, I can help this young man out. I can be the one. I’m not playing anymore. I’m in the GM seat. I can put resources around him,’ and all those things, but I think, probably, I’ve learned some tough lessons that that’s going to be hard to have that kind of influence and have that kind of connection because I’m not his teammate anymore. I’m actually in a different role.”
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Round 1 (2): EDGE Nick Bosa, Ohio State
Round 2 (36): WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
Round 3 (67): WR Jalen Hurd, Baylor
Round 4 (110): P Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
Round 5 (148): LB Dre Greenlaw, Arkansas
Round 6 (176): TE Kaden Smith, Stanford
Round 6 (183): OT Justin Skule, Vanderbilt
Round 6 (198): CB Tim Harris, Virginia
Then: Above Average
Now: Excellent
Everyone knows the impact studs at the top of the draft — Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel — but the 49ers also found a late-round gem in Dre Greenlaw. He made Kwon Alexander an afterthought, posting coverage grades of 72.6 and 65.3 in his first two NFL seasons.
Julio Jones trade offer simulation: Can 49ers, Patriots or Ravens pry him from Falcons?
The 49ers obviously wouldn’t expect Atlanta to pay the majority of Jones’ salary, but they could still ask the Falcons to take on about a third. Let’s say $5 million. This would allow the 49ers to fit Jones on their roster with about $1 million to spare. Later in the offseason, they might be able to convert a small chunk of Garoppolo’s salary into a signing bonus to free up enough room for Warner’s extension and other in-season business. The 49ers would like to have at least $5 million free come September.
Under this scenario, the cash-strapped Falcons would still gain more than $10 million of salary cap space, enough to sign their draft class and remain sustainably operational. Of course, Atlanta would also acquire cost-controlled draft capital. That’s mandatory if they’re to re-establish salary cap health.
Nothing would be more detrimental to the start of Lance’s career than just putting him in a sink-or-swim situation. That isn’t to say he wouldn’t be able to stay afloat, but the odds just wouldn’t be strongly in his favor. The 49ers invested heavily into Lance, so perhaps they are thinking they want to be as careful as possible with their investment. By having him sit behind Garoppolo, he can continue to embed himself in the playbook and improve any issues with his technique that Kyle Shanahan sees.