Mass exodus: That is what the San Francisco 49ers experienced with their eight-man loss. In a shocking development, the Niners have let go of their formidable stars, which has been the breeding ground of a huge debate. Despite their controversial moves, one man has come forward in support of the Niners.
NFL veteran Chase Daniel said on “The Facility” that he shared that he supports the 49ers’ decisions, and he has his own reasons for it.
Chase Daniel Reasons Out His Stance on 49ers’ Slashing
“I’m going to say one number. Two hundred and seventy-seven — $277 million. That is how much money they saved by not re-signing all these guys: $277 million,” Daniel said. “It’s called the great reset, and they need to get younger, faster, cheaper, and in the meantime they will get better.
“It reminds me of the [Los Angeles] Rams a little bit ago when they said, ‘F them picks,’ and decided to rebuild the team and they made the playoffs in back-to-back years with a really good quarterback,” Daniel said.
The 49ers’ departures included Deebo Samuel Sr., Kyle Juszczyk, Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Aaron Banks, Talanoa Hufanga, Jaylon Moore, and Elijah Mitchell. These moves freed up $277 million in salary space, according to Daniel.
“When you look at the guys, because I had the same reaction as you had, and I am like, ‘Look at all these names. These names are huge names.’ But when you really dig into it … the only one that really hurt me to the core for the 49ers is Dre Greenlaw. Like Dre Greenlaw to me, like that’s gonna be a loss,” Daniel said.
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Greenlaw was widely considered one of the top linebackers in free agency this year. When he missed time last season due to injury, the 49ers struggled, dropping from fourth to 13th in defensive DVOA and from fourth to 10th in pass defense.
“But when you look at Banks, OK, he is a very good guard … is he $77 million worth of a guard for the 49ers? No. Dre, Hufanga, and Mitchell are all coming off injuries … I just don’t know what they will be,” Daniel said.
“I already said Dre is the one that I wish [they kept],” Daniel said. “Ward needs a fresh start, you knew that, and there’s no way they could afford him. Deebo was too expensive in my opinion for 12% of the snaps played. Moore, the offensive tackle, he’s a backup, dawg; like, he never fully developed, but he got $30 million from the Chiefs.”
Ward signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts, including a $20 million signing bonus and $35 million in total guarantees. Meanwhile, Samuel was traded to the Washington Commanders, who will cover his full $17.55 million salary. Moore signed a two-year, $30 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“[Juszczyk] is 34 and he’s not the same. He didn’t wanna take a pay cut. OK? So when you’re acting like that and when I further dive in and put my analyst hat on and not my fan … it makes sense,” Daniel said.
“This is what happens when you have a Super Bowl window that is now closed. … They need a year or two to get their feet back under them. Quite honestly, I like these moves by the 49ers because it’s completely doing the opposite of what they did,” Daniel said.
Last season, an injury-plagued 49ers team finished fourth in the NFC West with a 6-11 record. Daniel believes the team’s overhaul could be the reset they need.
According to Daniel, it’s time to rebuild and invest in their quarterback. Last year, when Brock Purdy missed games due to injury, the 49ers struggled to recover. These changes might be what they need to turn things around.