3 former 49ers who won't live up to their new contracts

The 49ers lost some notable players via free agency this offseason, and some probably ended up getting overpaid on their new deals.

Entering the 2023 season, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo inked a three-year, $72.75 million free-agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

That contract soured, as Garoppolo was benched midway through the season and was subsequently released at the beginning of the 2024 NFL new year. Not long thereafter, Garoppolo came back to the NFC West on a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams where he'll earn up to $4.5 million as a backup to LA's starter, Matthew Stafford.

While Jimmy G's deal with Vegas was a massive overpayment, based on his performance, his contract in Los Angeles is much more in line with a backup quarterback's salary.

It'll be hard for him not to live up to that contract.

There are, however, a number of other Niners who'll end up in that category of not living up to their respective free-agent deals with other teams. Sure, San Francisco didn't suffer too many critical losses in NFL free agency entering 2024. Yet there are some former 49ers who ended up getting overpaid.

Here are three such players.

Note: All contractual information, courtesy of Over the Cap.

No. 1: Edge Chase Young (Saints)

Contract: One year, $13 million ($12.55 million fully guaranteed)

The Niners took a gamble by trading for for former Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young at the NFL trade deadline last season, yet he underwhelmed with a lackluster 2.5 sacks after the transaction, making it an easy decision to let him walk in free agency.

While a neck injury hindered his performance, Young nevertheless capitalized on his first-round NFL Draft pedigree by signing a one-year, $13 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, over $12.5 million of which is fully guaranteed.

New Orleans is stretching out his signing bonus over the following four years, too, which means Young will be on the books even if he plays elsewhere in 2025.

It's clear the Saints are banking on Young being the kind of player he was back in 2020 when he was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and not the 2.5-sack kind of player he was with San Francisco for the latter half of 2023.

For Young, it's a great deal. For New Orleans, it's a relatively high-risk move that shows more signs of not panning out anywhere close to desired expectations.