The 49ers’ attempts to generate salary cap space by way of pay cuts for some of their more expensive players will already cost them defensive lineman Arik Armstead. They’re hoping the same won’t be the case for fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who has also been approached about a pay cut per NFL insider Adam Caplan.
Juszczyk, 32, has two years left on the five-year deal he signed ahead of the 2021 season. He’s due to make $5.75 million in each of the next two seasons with salary cap hits of $7,588,750 in both of those years. He’s by far the highest-paid fullback in the league thanks in part to his importance to San Francisco’s offense.
It’s unclear whether the team plans to release him without a pay cut like they did with Armstead. It’s also unclear how amenable Juszczyk is to a pay cut at this point.
With enough teams running a version of the Kyle Shanahan offense it would make sense if there was a market for him in free agency, but given that no team has come close to giving a fullback the contracts Juszczyk has gotten from the 49ers it stands to reason that there wouldn’t be a sizable free agent deal for the soon-to-be 33-year-old.
Replacing Juszczyk wouldn’t be easy for San Francisco. He’s been a vital cog in their offense since arriving as a free agent in 2017. Juszczyk has been a Pro Bowler in each of his seven seasons with the 49ers and earned an All-Pro nod this year when his position was put back into the All-Pro balloting.
In seven years Juszczyk has missed only seven games for the 49ers. He’s accounted for 1,881 yards and 15 touchdowns in that stretch.
