Christian McCaffrey drops heartbreaking 2-word message to Kyle Juszczyk after 49ers release 9x Pro Bowler
Kyle Juszczyk finds his time in San Francisco coming to an end. The 49ers have decided to move on from the nine-time Pro Bowl fullback. The decision isn’t exactly shocking, given GM John Lynch’s comments at the NFL Combine, where he kept things vague about Juszczyk’s future.
The 34-year-old veteran fullback’s effectiveness as a blocker had started to wane. His role was evolving more toward that of a hybrid tight end.
Teammate and 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey took to Instagram with a gut-wrenching reaction. Sharing a photo of the two in Niners uniforms, McCaffrey wrote a two-word message for Juszczyk:
“My Brother 💔"
Juszczyk may have seen this coming. After the 49ers' season ended in a 47-24 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in January, the Niners fullback shed light on his future in an interview with ESPN.
"There hasn’t been any discussion yet, but I am aware of the kind of situation that we have. There’s a lot up in the air and who’s going to be here, who’s not, some contracts that need to be figured out. So, I’m aware of that. I just hope it doesn’t affect me," Juszczyk said.
It looks like the Niners are going all in on embracing a shift toward traditional 12-person sets, which would give TE George Kittle an enhanced role.
Also read: In Pics: 49ers star Christian McCaffrey joins teammates George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk for star-studded night at SNL’s 50th anniversary
49ers financial motive behind releasing Kyle Juszczyk
The San Francisco 49ers made a cost-cutting move by Juszczyk in a financial decision that frees up cap space for the future. The nine-time Pro Bowler, who had been with the team since 2017, was let go after taking a pay cut last year. Kyle Juszczyk had signed a restructured contract worth $9.1 million, creating $4 million in cap space.
However, it wasn't enough as this is the second consecutive year the 49ers have parted ways with a longtime veteran to manage their salary cap even more. Just before cutting the veteran fullback, San Francisco signed former Jaguars tight end Luke Farrell to a three-year, $20.25 million deal.
Farrell will potentially be taking over some of Juszczyk’s duties while serving as Kittle’s primary backup. From a financial standpoint, the move makes sense. The 49ers will save $4.2 million against the cap in 2025 but will carry a $2.2 million dead money charge.