Niner Noise
FanSided

Refuting complaints about the 49ers’ 2018 NFL free agency class

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
GREEN BAY, WI – JANUARY 8: Weston Richburg #70 of the New York Giants sits on the sideline in the third quarter during the NFC Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 8, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WI – JANUARY 8: Weston Richburg #70 of the New York Giants sits on the sideline in the third quarter during the NFC Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 8, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Claim No. 4: The 49ers Spent Too Much on Weston Richburg and Jerick McKinnon

On the surface, the deals for center Weston Richburg and Jerick McKinnon appear pretty pricey:

Richburg is now the third-highest paid center in the NFL, and his $16.5 million guaranteed ranks fourth most.

True, that’s a lot of money for an interior lineman, who appeared in just four games last season.

What’s important here is the scheme fit, as the video from Better Rivals’ Oscar Aparicio shows:

Centers are integral parts of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. In 2016, the Falcons brought aboard veteran center Alex Mack, when Shanahan was offensive coordinator there. Mack, now 32 years old, owns the highest guaranteed money out of any center, $20 million.

With Richburg, only the first three years are the ones to which San Francisco is totally committed. 2021 and 2022 start to show a substantial increase in cap savings if he’s cut before the deal expires.

Jerick McKinnon’s Deal Massively Front-Loaded

Sure, McKinnon’s $14.3 million guaranteed is a lot of money for a tailback, who has never crested 600 rush yards in a season.

But if you want to understand the scheme fit — why McKinnon is seamless for Shanahan’s offense — just read this.

Related Story: 49ers film room: Jerick McKinnon's fit in Kyle Shanahan's offense

That’s a Shanahan running back. And he’s worked wonders with runners before. Just ask the 2016 Falcons.

Stat worries aside, let’s dive into the contractual details. McKinnon’s deal is heavily front-loaded, with a whopping $11.9 million in dead money if cut before Jun. 1.

From years two through four, though, the dead money is negligible:

Essentially, the 49ers are committed to McKinnon for one year. That’s it. If he’s a fit, great. If not, the Niners can walk away after 2018 without much worry at all.

And all that cash for future extensions and re-signings remains in place.