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Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Defensive lineman Arik Armstead is one season away from earning a coveted spot on the San Francisco 49ers' facility wall, which honors players who have played at least 10 years with the team. is expected to become a free agent.
Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday night that Armstead and the Niners were close to working out a restructured contract and were unable to reach an agreement, so Armstead will be released and become a free agent. he admitted.
Armstead is coming off a season with 27 tackles and five sacks in 12 games. He will also count $28.53 million against the salary cap in 2024, which is why the Niners were seeking a reworked contract to reduce that number.
Releasing Armstead would save the 49ers about $18.2 million in cash next year, but releasing him immediately would result in a $25.86 million dead money charge and only save $2.492 million against the cap. . However, the Niners could save more than $18 million against the cap by adding the post-June 1 designation, and would spread the remaining dead money over the future.
Armstead is preparing for a potential second unrestricted free agency, but is still dealing with a torn meniscus in his right knee suffered in a Dec. 3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. be. Armstead exited the game after being injured on the second play, but did not play again until January 20 in the NFC divisional round victory over the visiting Green Bay Packers.
His subsequent injury report listed a knee and foot injury (plantar fasciitis), but he stated after the season that the knee problem was more of a problem than the setback.
“After the Philadelphia game, I thought my season was over,” Armstead said on February 13. “I tore my meniscus, so I didn't know if I was going to be able to come back and try as hard as I could.'' Come back for the playoffs. ”
Armstead appeared in all three of San Francisco's playoff games, recording 11 tackles, one sack, seven QB pressures and a fumble recovery on 148 snaps. He said in February that knee surgery would require a long recovery, but he hoped to be able to return by the time training camp begins in late July or August.
San Francisco originally used the No. 17 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft on Armstead. He started his career as a defensive end, but transitioned to an interior role in 2019 after dealing with a myriad of injury issues early in his career. His 10-sack breakthrough that year earned him an early five-year, $85 million contract. Free agent in 2020.
Over nine seasons in San Francisco, Armstead played in 116 regular season games and had 33.5 career sacks. He also played in 12 postseason games and recorded eight sacks.
Armstead, a native of near Sacramento, is not only San Francisco's longest-tenured player, but also a leading figure in philanthropy in the Bay Area and his hometown. For the past four years, he has been a candidate for the Niners' Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
Bleacher Report first reported Armstead's expected release.
