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The San Francisco 49ers ended the questions around their center debacle when they re-signed starter
Jake Brendel to a four-year deal worth $20 million on Tuesday, locking up a key player from their offensive line a season ago.
Brendel, 30, reportedly received more money from the New York Jets, but elected to remain in San Francisco on a four-year deal, providing the 49ers with a capable option at center, a position the organization has heavily valued during the Kyle Shanahan era.
Here are the key implications of Brendel's new deal with the 49ers.
49ers in C market
The San Francisco 49ers were definitely involved in the center market, as they placed an interest in multiple players at the top of the market at a position that didn't see the significant numbers that some analysts expected, signing in the $6-8 million per year range, as opposed to the $8-11 million range.
However, the 49ers were unable to secure a deal with several players, as Ethan Pocic and Garrett Bradbury re-signed with their original teams on three-year deals worth $18 and $15.75 million, respectively.
Bradley Bozeman, a scheme fit with guard/center flexibility, was another player linked to the 49ers, but the Panthers center elect to re-sign with his organization as well.
Both players would've been good signings at their prices, but the 49ers instead went back to their original option after striking out on the top centers, signing Brendel to a four-year deal that essentially boils down to a two-year, $8 million deal.
Brendel contract
As stated above, Brendel's four-year deal is essentially a two-year contract worth $8 million, as the 49ers center earned that amount of guaranteed money on his new contract, which is expected to be backloaded.
In doing so, the 49ers have the flexibility to move off Brendel after a season or two, while also likely keeping his 2023 cap hit fairly low, allowing the team to maximize their championship window.
However, does this deal lock Brendel into being the 49ers starting center in 2023?
While the veteran may be the favorite after a solid 2023 season, the 49ers will likely give 2022 sixth-round pick
Nick Zakelj a shot at the position to evaluate his current status, amongst other options.
If Zakelj is able to beat out Brendel for the starting job in 2023, the 49ers know they have a center capable of playing to the veteran's level in 2023, which provides well for their future outlook.
If the Fordham product can't beat out Brendel, the 49ers have a starting center who has several years of experience in the Shanahan system, while continuing to develop their potential center of the future.
But, Brendel didn't seem to be San Francisco's first option, and it's somewhat surprising that the 49ers couldn't beat out other teams for an upgrade at the position, given the relatively cheap costs of the top-tier options in free agency.
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
