5 players 49ers won’t bring back after final 2022 season
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers won’t mind keeping these five players around through 2022, but they’re entering their final season with the Niners nevertheless.
It’s amazing how quickly a team roster can experience turnover, and the San Francisco 49ers are no exception.
If one just thinks about the Niners’ Super Bowl team from the 2019 season, already a number of key contributors are long gone. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders isn’t there. Neither is cornerback Richard Sherman nor defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Same with left tackle Joe Staley and a number of others, too.
Entering 2022, there’s already more turnover. Running back Raheem Mostert, left guard Laken Tomlinson and cornerback K’Waun Williams, longtime pieces of San Francisco’s roster, are also elsewhere now.
While there are some holdovers, a number of 49ers players are all but guaranteed to be entering their final year with the squad this upcoming season and probably won’t be back in 2023.
No. 5: 49ers offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill
Brought back on a restricted free-agent deal in 2022, the versatile Daniel Brunskill has shown plenty of value for the Niners since 2019, essentially playing every position on the offensive line and starting all 17 regular-season games for San Francisco at right guard last season.
The 49ers are likely to look for upgrades for the interior of their O-line during this year’s NFL Draft. And with the desire to infuse last year’s second-round pick, Aaron Banks, into a starting role to replace Tomlinson, the next position in need of an upgrade is Brunskill’s spot.
The Niners would nevertheless value Brunskill as a backup in 2023 when his one-year deal expires, should that scenario pan out.
However, even though Brunskill is just a modest-level starter, he’ll likely be looking to cash in on what’ll be his first substantial contract in the NFL.
It wouldn’t be unlike how Tomlinson departed, although Brunskill likely wouldn’t receive a massive contract.
Still, it’ll be tough for San Francisco to squeeze in another cheap deal for Brunskill a year from now.