The 49ers need cap space.
They currently are about $3.5 million over the cap and their rookie draft class will cost them roughly $11 million. The 49ers could cut Arik Armstead, but doing so would save them only $2.49 million. They also could trade Deebo Samuel, but that would save them only $6.9 million.
But if the 49ers cut Kyle Juszczyk, who has no guaranteed money left on his deal, they instantly would create $4.9 million in cap space. And they need that cap space more than they need him.
Juszczyk was a great fullback for the 49ers, but he'll be 33 in April. When Tom Rathman was 33, he retired. I'm not saying Juszczyk should stop playing football, but he's clearly declining and has been getting phased out of the offense. Last season, he played fewer than 50 percent of the snaps and touched the ball a mere 19 times in 17 regular season games -- the lowest ratio of his career.
So the 49ers are paying more than $7.5 million for his blocking, which isn't as good as it used to be. And that's a lot of money to spend on a lead blocker when the 49ers can run just fine without him, considering their No. 3 wide receiver, Jauan Jennings, is one of the best blocking wide receivers in the NFL.
The 49ers absolutely should cut Kyle Juszczyk and use this money on another position, perhaps a tight end or a guard. But they probably won't cut Juszczyk, because he's good friends with head coach Kyle Shanahan, and friends take care of each other.
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