The San Francisco 49ers have made a few players from the 2023 NFC Championship team feel uncomfortable in the offseason regarding money. An offensive weapon who earned All-Pro honors for his efforts last season said they were hurt when the front office asked him to take a pay cut.
The 49ers have a roster loaded with talent but a front office that is trying to be wise with where they spend their resources. They’re in negotiations with receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason. They’ll have to pay quarterback Brock Purdy a lot of money next year.
Arik Armstead was given a disrespectful offer
![REPORT: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Offensive Weapon 'Hurt' By Front Office Decision 1 USATSI 22522847 1](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/USATSI_22522847-1-759x1024.jpg)
As previously discussed on GH, star defensive lineman Arik Armstead said this spring that he had to leave the 49ers after they gave him a disrespectful offer:
“First off, I want to say I don’t have any animosity toward the organization, Kyle [Shanahan], John [Lynch], the York family,” Armstead said in a video posted on his X account. ” I felt extremely disrespected. They extended an offer to me,” the video cuts out to a blank number of millions the 49ers offered him.”
Aiyuk feels the offers he’s received from the 49ers fit into that category. The 49ers also had fullback Kyle Juszczyk take a pay cut after a tremendous 2023 season. Per David Lombardi and Over The Cap, the 49ers saved $4 million by cutting Juszczyk’s salary to a base of $1.21 million and a signing bonus of $2.79 million.
Kyle Juszczyk's reworked deal (OTC) actually saved 49ers $4m of 2024 salary-cap room — not just $1.75m.
How? SF cut Juszczyk's salary from $5.75m to $1.21m. But they then gave him new $2.79m signing bonus, added 3 void years to 2028 to prorate.
2024 hit..
Old: $7.6m
New: $3.6m— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 16, 2024
Kyle Juszczyk was ‘hurt’ by the San Francisco 49ers this offseason
![REPORT: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Offensive Weapon 'Hurt' By Front Office Decision 2 USATSI 22058643](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USATSI_22058643-683x1024.jpg)
Juszczyk didn’t feel good about the pay cut. In an interview with Matt Maiocco on 49ers Talk, the eight-time Pro Bowl nominee said the process hurt him.
“Honestly, it hurt,” Juszczyk said. “When [general manager] John [Lynch] came to me and asked, I wasn’t necessarily expecting it, and I think it’s natural for anybody that it kind of hurts your ego. It hurts your heart a little bit. I do understand that it’s a business, but I do feel like I’m as valuable as what I was expected to get paid.”
The extra cap space allowed the 49ers to further invest in the backfield, specifically for a player that will benefit the most from Juszczyk’s run blocking, Christian McCaffrey. Juszczyk said accepted the deal because he wanted a chance to win the Super Bowl.
Juszczyk wants to win the Super Bowl with the 49ers
![REPORT: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Offensive Weapon 'Hurt' By Front Office Decision 3 USATSI 22501960 168410494 lowres](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USATSI_22501960_168410494_lowres-794x1024.jpg)
“At the end of the day, though, I really, truly, I wanted to be a Niner. This is where I wanted to be. I absolutely love it here,” he said.
“I still love John and Kyle [Shanahan], still have great relationships with them. I think this is the best team in the league, and I think we have the best chance to win a Super Bowl. So, this is where I wanted to be. This is where my roots [are]. I have a home here. So we got it done, and I’m back with the Niners, and so I am happy. There’s no hard feelings.”
For More Football News:
Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and NFL news, click here!
Our Partners
![REPORT: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Offensive Weapon 'Hurt' By Front Office Decision 4 Book An Athlete Appearance MSM 2023 CTA 720x90 1](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Book-An-Athlete-Appearance-MSM-2023-CTA-720x90-1.webp)
![REPORT: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Offensive Weapon 'Hurt' By Front Office Decision 5 book athlete 1 1 600x600 1](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/book_athlete-1-1-600x600-1-300x300.webp)