Deebo Samuel did not approve of the 49ers’ cost-cutting measures.
The 49ers’ star receiver expressed his frustration with the team for releasing veteran defensive lineman Arik Armstead after he refused to take a pay cut.
Samuel posted an Instagram Story featuring Armstead on Wednesday, labeling it “Breaking News” and captioning it with six faceplant emojis.
49ers Officially announced on Wednesday They said that NBCimportant”Pay cut.
Armstead, 30, is in the final year of a five-year, $85 million contract extension he signed before the 2020 season, with a cap hit of $28.4 million next season.
Armstead is designated for cut after June 1, so this release will save the team approximately $18 million. According to The Athletic.
While Armstead is a good player, the 2015 first-round pick is not one of the best defensive linemen in the sport, and the 49ers have Nick Bosa on a major-league contract.
Armstead had five sacks in 12 games last season.
Ironically, Samuel’s contract is one of the reasons the 49ers are in such a tight salary cap situation.
Samuel, a jack-of-all-trades who also functions as a running back, carries a cap hit of $28.6 million and a dead cap hit of $42.8 million for the 2024 season. According to Spotrac.com.
Although Samuel is a strong player, his cap hit is high for the team’s third-most skilled offensive player behind running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Since losing Armstead, the 49ers have been trying to fill their defensive backs in free agency.
They are reportedly added They signed rusher Leonard Floyd to a two-year deal and acquired defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott and defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos.
Defensive end Chase Young, acquired in a mid-season trade, remains a free agent.
The 49ers missed out on signing linebacker Eric Kendricks, who originally agreed to a one-year deal with the 49ers, but instead ended up signing him with the Cowboys.
San Francisco is hoping these moves can strengthen a roster that lost in overtime to the Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl, even if one of its star players isn’t happy at the moment.
