Day 1 of 2025 free agency was confirmation of the San Francisco 49ers' reset, with one outside signing, a player re-signed and several players leaving for contracts that weren't going to be matched to keep them in the Bay Area.
Day 2 has already brought a couple moves for the 49ers, with running back Jordan Mason being given a second-round restricted free agent tender (as had been expected) and safety Richie Grant agreeing to terms on a one-year deal.
The 49ers are trying to reduce cash spending, and the Deebo Samuel trade showed that dead money left behind will be no object if that can be accomplished. The release of fullback Kyle Juszczyk was a shocker to some, and it did not clear that much cap space. But it is a sign of the overall roster reset that is not a surprise, perhaps more than any other move that has been or will be made.
Defensive tackles Javon Hargrave (post-June 1 cut designation) and Maliek Collins (also likely a post-June 1 cut) are still on the 49ers' balance sheet.
But further cuts could be coming, and these players may be in the crosshairs.
3 more 49ers players who could be cut amid roster turnover
3. EDGE Leonard Floyd
Floyd was not able to extend his streak of seasons with at least nine sacks to five last season, and Pro Football Focus was not high on his work (No. 102 overall among edge defenders). So he has been mentioned a possible cap casualty, and a post-June 1 cut would be better from a cap savings perspective (as much as that even matters to the 49ers).
Floyd feels like a tradeable asset, even it means only getting a seventh-round pick, with at least 8.5 sacks in five straight seasons and zero missed games over the last six seasons. Maybe that has been or will be explored, and the Niners will still be left to cut him if the return isn't what they'd like.
So Floyd makes this list, however tentatively since an effort to trade him should absolutely be made.
2. S George Odum
The aforementioned signing of Grant can be easy to see as an addition of competition for Ji'Ayir Brown for a starting spot at safety, and maybe it is. But there's another angle for the move.
Grant played 349 special teams snaps for the Falcons last season, so that may be his primary role with the 49ers. The 31-year old Odum played 69 percent of San Francisco's special teams snaps last season. $1 million of his $2.3 million base salary also becomes fully guaranteed on April 1.
Cutting Odum would be small potatoes in terms of cap savings/dead money, but he is replaceable (and has essentially been replaced, as long as the Grant deal becomes official) as a core special teamer.
1. EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos
Gross-Matos was an odd (and oddly expensive) signing by the 49ers last offseason (two years, $18 million; $12.39 million guaranteed). The former second-round pick then delivered like should have been expected, which is to say little (four sacks in 11 games; PFF's 111th-ranked edge rusher overall).
The void year proration of an $8.265 million signing bonus creates some cap implications for the 49ers beyond 2025, and makes a post-June 1 cut far more beneficial in the cap savings and dead money equation. But again, dead money doesn't seem to be a concern, and on April 1 $3 million of his $7.39 million base salary for this year becomes fully guaranteed.
It's possible new/old 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh thinks he can get something out of Gross-Matos. But actually getting more out of him is the question, and having to guarantee him a portion of his salary for 2025 soon creates a de facto deadline to just cut losses and move on.