As we approach the start of the new league year, it's time to take a closer look at the potential changes coming to the San Francisco 49ers roster. A number of players' contracts will expire on March 11 at 1:00 p.m. PST and, at that time, those players will become either exclusive rights, restricted, or unrestricted free agents.
According to NFL Football Operations, below is a summary of the three free agency designations:
- Exclusive rights free agent: Any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum (based on his credited seasons), the player cannot negotiate with other teams.
- Restricted free agent: A player with three accrued seasons who have received a qualifying offer become restricted free agents when their contracts expire at the conclusion of the new league year. Restricted free agents are free to negotiate and sign with any team, but their original team can offer them one of various qualifying offers (or tenders) that come with the right of first refusal and/or draft-pick compensation.
- Unrestricted free agent: A player with four or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired. He is free to sign with any club, with no draft-choice compensation owed to his old club.
- Additionally, each NFL organization can designate a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent with an (exclusive or non-exclusive) franchise tag or a transition tag. This is a collective bargaining tool that can be used by a team once per offseason. A more comprehensive look at franchise/transition tag implications can be found here.
Player movement is one of the NFL's few certainties, with franchises across the league dedicating each offseason to retaining key contributors and acquiring fresh talent to strengthen their rosters for the year ahead.
Below are the 49ers players currently on the roster that are set to become free agents:
Exclusive rights free agents:
Restricted free agents:
- DL Robert Beal Jr.
- DL Kalia Davis
- DL Tarron Jackson
- DB Chase Lucas
- DL Sam Okuayinonu
- TE Jake Tonges
Unrestricted free agents:
- OL Ben Bartch
- WR Kendrick Bourne
- OL Spencer Burford
- DL Jordan Elliott
- DL Clelin Ferrell
- DL Kevin Givens
- LB Luke Gifford
- DL Yetur Gross-Matos
- OL Matt Hennessy
- WR Jauan Jennings
- WR Skyy Moore
- P Thomas Morstead
- K Eddy Piñeiro
- S Jason Pinnock
- RB Brian Robinson Jr.
- LB Curtis Robinson
- RB Patrick Taylor Jr.
- WR Trent Taylor
- LB Garret Wallow
- LS Jon Weeks
