The Arik Armstead era in Santa Clara is coming to an end. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the San Francisco 49ers are set to release the veteran defensive tackle, allowing him to become a free agent.
Sources to @BleacherReport: #49ers star DL Arik Armstead has decided to become a free agent and will be released.
Armstead comes off a 6 tackle, 1-sack performance in the Super Bowl, and ranks 4th in playoff sacks among all active players.
His 8 playoff sacks rank second… pic.twitter.com/og5m3RsU3s
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 11, 2024
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the 49ers approached Armstead about taking a pay cut from his scheduled $17.41 million base salary. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Armstead and the 49ers came close to a deal but couldn't reach an agreement.
Source: The 49ers approached Arik Armstead about accepting a significant pay cut from his scheduled salary of $17.41 million. He declined, so the 49ers are set to release him and he will become a free agent.
— Matt Maiocco (Threads @maiocconbcs) (@MaioccoNBCS) March 11, 2024
After the 49ers and DL Arik Armstead attempted but failed to work out a restructured contract, San Francisco now plans to release him, per source. Armstead now is expected to become a free agent. The two sides came close to a deal, but Armstead, as @Schultz_Report reported,…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2024
Armstead (6-7, 290), the 49ers' longest-tenured player, was drafted out of Oregon with the No. 17 overall pick in 2015. Last season, he recorded 27 tackles, including four for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and five sacks in 12 starts with the 49ers, according to Pro Football Reference.
Armstead recorded 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits in his three playoff appearances, adding a sack against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl 58.
At 30 years old, Armstead has amassed 302 tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 88 quarterback hits, 33.5 sacks, six passes defensed, and three forced fumbles in 116 game appearances (97 starts) over his nine NFL seasons. He has missed 13 games over the last two seasons.
Have to figure the 49ers would designate Armstead as a post-June 1 release. Doesn't seem to make a ton of sense to release him otherwise, given that it would only free up $2.2 million in cap space. ($17.8 million comes free if he's a post-June 1 release.)
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) March 11, 2024
According to OverTheCap.com, designating Armstead a post-June 1 release will create about $18 million in salary cap savings and $10.3 million in dead money. He was slated to count about $28.4 million against the cap.
Last month, Armstead revealed that he played through a torn meniscus in his right knee, an injury sustained during the team's December 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Initially, he feared his season might be over, but the defensive lineman managed to return for the postseason, playing through the injury.