5 players who have played last game in a 49ers uniform
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers don’t have a lot of pending roster turnover heading into 2020, yet there are some players who have likely played their last game with the Niners.
On the surface, it’s a bonus the San Francisco 49ers aren’t expecting a lot of roster turnover heading into 2020. After far exceeding expectations last season and making it all the way to the Super Bowl, the Niners can feel pretty confident about staying as contenders, given the vast majority of their roster is both young and under contract into the upcoming year.
That said, it’s going to be nearly impossible for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan to keep the same squad together from last season.
A number of key players could depart via free agency this offseason. Likewise, others are going to be victims of cap-casualty cuts, and the latter is much more apparent this year than in previous seasons, given the 49ers currently have just over $13 million available in cap space.
And there’s the ever-present desire for each team to constantly improve, make upgrades and change out players who may no longer fit within the team’s long-term plans.
Such is the nature of the NFL.
With those elements in mind, Niner Noise takes a look at five players who have likely played their last game with San Francisco.
No. 5: Wide Receiver Marquise Goodwin
In 2017, it appeared as if the Niners struck gold with free-agent wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who came over from the Buffalo Bills and nearly hit 1,000 receiving yards his first year in San Francisco.
The speedy Goodwin seemed a perfect deep threat for Shanahan’s offense, only to see his subsequent 2018 and 2019 campaigns largely derailed by injuries and personal tragedy.
Wide receiver is a glaring need for the 49ers this offseason, so it would make sense why Shanahan would want Goodwin back, but only to a point. Considering the 29-year-old wideout had just 12 receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown last year, it’s safe to assume the Niners look to a deep NFL Draft class at the position to find a younger upgrade.
Shanahan told reporters the team would consider trading Goodwin this offseason, yet the return would likely not be much more than a late draft pick at best.
And if San Francisco was to cut Goodwin, it would save over $3.6 million against the cap with $1.25 million in dead money, suggesting Goodwin could be a victim of the numbers game amid a likely shakeup at the position this offseason.