49ers Star Javon Kinlaw Finally Choose Raiders Over Chicago Bears Due To….
Even though the San Francisco 49ers fell just short of a championship – again – they are still bringing back one of the best top-to-bottom rosters in the entire NFL. They are poised to be Super Bowl contenders again, but have a few big moves to make this offseason to create salary-cap space and maintain long-term success. Here is one trade, one cut and one signing the franchise should be considering.
TRADE: WR Brandon Aiyuk
This would be a tough move to make considering how important Aiyuk has been to the 49ers offense, but it might be a necessity. Or at least a proactive move to help position the team for the long-term.
Aiyuk is entering the final year of his contract and the 49ers might not have the salary-cap space to keep him at length, especially with quarterback Brock Purdy having a major contract extension looming over the coming years.
Putting Aiyuk on the market could bring back a significant draft pick in return while also creating salary cap flexibility for the future. The harsh reality in a salary cap league is you can not keep everybody, and sometimes you have to make tough decisions. He also might welcome the opportunity to be a No. 1 option in another team’s offense, something he won’t really have in San Francisco playing behind Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel.
CUT: LB Dre Greenlaw
If the idea of shopping Aiyuk is difficult to ponder, this might even downright impossible for 49ers fans. But again, it might be a necessity given the the team’s salary-cap situation. Greenlaw has been a major cog in the 49ers defense since the start of the 2019 season.
But he is likely to miss a significant portion of next season after suffering a torn Achilles in the Super Bowl and may not be 100% effective when he eventually returns. Cutting Greenlaw, while harsh given his importance to the team and his injury, would save the 49ers $6.8 million in salary-cap space this season. That would be big savings for a team that is entering the offseason with only $6 million in salary-cap space.
SIGNING: G Robert Hunt
The 49ers do not have any serious flaws or major weaknesses, but one area they could stand to upgrade is the right side of their offensive line. Hunt, a key part of Miami’s offensive line the past couple of years, would be an ideal fit as a right guard in San Francisco’s offense. He is a mauling run-blocker and would be a big upgrade over Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano.
The 49ers do not have a ton of salary-cap space with which to work – at least before making any major cuts or trades – but Hunt could be well within their price range as a mid-level free agent.
After hanging up his cleats following an 18-year NFL career, Gould is set to take the reins of the Rolling Meadows High School football team as its new head coach, per reports from the Chicago Sun-Times.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Gould, one that sees him returning to the Chicago area, where he not only became the Bears’ all-time leading scorer but also where he’s laid down roots with his family.
And it’s not just Gould who has ties to the NFL at Rolling Meadows; the high school is also an alma mater to NFL quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, a teammate of Gould’s during their time together on the San Francisco 49ers.
Swapping rolling kicks for calling plays, Gould is stepping into the cleats of former coach Sam Baker, who took the helm at Rolling Meadows for the past four seasons.
Fans still smarting from the Bears’ decision to cut Gould back in September 2015—a move that triggered a well-documented odyssey of kicking woes for the team—will delight in seeing him stay in the sport.
