As the offseason progresses and free agency nears, the San Francisco 49ers are looking to clear up cap space and improve on their current $8 million, which brings into question the idea of restructures, trades, and cuts.
Among the forefront of the topic? Defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who is scheduled to make $23.9 million in 2023, and has been subject to restructure talks.
Earlier today, I highlighted why restructuring Armstead would be a mistake for the organization, listing out the details of his contracts and how the 49ers have much better options to create cap space.
However, a trade regarding Armstead would be even worse.
Contract
Armstead is scheduled to make $23.9 million in 2023 and $25.8 million in 2024, which certainly are high cap hits for a player entering his 30s.
However, it would be a massive mistake to think about moving the defensive tackle in 2023.
Because of the restructure that the 49ers did ahead of the 2022 season, Armstead currently holds a dead cap charge of $21.9 million, and would only save $2 million in 2023, which is unfeasible if the player isn't going to be on your roster.
If a trade were to be entertained, it would come in 2024 at the earliest, when Armstead's dead-cap charge would be $14.3 million, while the 49ers would save $11.5 million in cap space.
Value
Arik Armstead is one of the most underrated 49ers when he's healthy.
Many choose to box-score scout and see Armstead's sack numbers, but they don't paint the full picture at all.
Armstead is a three-down player, which the 49ers saw were extremely vital over depth during the 2022 season, and does both tasks at a high rate.
While he may not generate the sack numbers that his contract suggests, Armstead often eats up double teams, creating for his teammates, and consistently shows up in the playoffs, which is exactly what you pay for.
However, in terms of trade value, Armstead holds more value to the 49ers than other teams because they are unlikely to fetch a significant return for a 30-year-old defensive lineman with a big contract.
Without an extreme package in return, it doesn't make any sense for the 49ers to trade Armstead's, understanding the significant dead cap charge that comes with a trade in 2023.
Now, the 49ers could very well look to entertain offers in 2024, especially if they sign a high-caliber defensive tackle that commands a high salary, but it doesn't make sense to move the longtime 49er this offseason pre-June 1st.