Alex Mack is still weighing his options. The veteran center reportedly remains undecided between playing his 14th NFL season or retiring. If he chooses the latter, it will save the 49ers a significant amount of salary cap space this season—money that can be used to bring in someone like JC Tretter or saved by utilizing a player already on the roster to fill in for Mack.
According to ESPN's Field Yates, the Niners managed to create some salary-cap space even while Mack's status remains up in the air. The team restructured the center's contract, dropping his base salary in 2022 from $5 million to $1.12 million and saving over $4 million in cap space.
49ers C Alex Mack - who is contemplating his football future - agreed to a reworked deal in which his base salary drops from $5M to $1.12M this year and $3.35M to $1.165M next year.
The Niners add over $4M in cap space for now, though perhaps may need to find another C soon.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 2, 2022
At the start of organized team activities, head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about Mack's future. His response suggested that retirement could be likely.
"I'm going to leave that up to Alex, but I've got a pretty good idea," Shanahan said. "I think you guys do too."
Mack has two years remaining on the three-year deal he signed on March 18, 2021. The Cleveland Browns drafted Mack (6-4, 311) out of California with the No. 21 overall pick in 2009. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
Mack, 36, has started all 196 games in which he has appeared through his 13 NFL seasons.