The 49ers on Friday released defensive end Cassius Marsh, who tied for second on the team last season with 5.5 sacks.
The move to part ways with Marsh coincides with the club’s acquisition of edge rusher Dee Ford in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. Marsh was one of the 49ers' primary edge rushers last season, but the club set out at the beginning of the new leauge year in a quest to make an upgrade at that position.
The 49ers are expected to also try to improve their outside pass rush in the draft.
The 49ers signed Marsh last year to a two-year, $7.7 million contract. He ended up getting paid $3.1 million for the 2018 season. The 49ers picked up a non-binding option on his contract last week.
In 68 NFL games since breaking into the league in 2014 with the Seattle Seahawks, Marsh recorded 11.5 sacks. The claimed off waivers on Nov. 22, 2017, after the New England Patriots waived him.
John Lynch said Monday that kicker Robbie Gould will be a part of the 49ers for the upcoming season and the team hopes to work out a long-term deal with the 36-year-old.
The feeling, however, apparently no longer is mutual.
Gould has yet to sign the franchise tag the team placed on him, and on Tuesday he reportedly told the 49ers he would not sign a long-term deal with them and would like to be traded, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
In a turn of events, 49ers’ franchise kicker Robbie Gould has pulled his contract proposals that he sent to San Francisco and told the team he will not negotiate or sign a long-term deal with them, and he would like to be traded, Gould said Tuesday.
Gould told Schefter that he is tired of trying to work out a contract with the 49ers and wants to be closer to his wife and kid in Chicago.
"The bottom line is, I'm unsure if I want to play there anymore," Gould told ESPN. "At this point, I have to do what's best for me and my family back home.
The 49ers signed Gould to a two-year contract on the first day of free agency in 2017. It's clear, however, that the veteran kicker did not want the franchise tag to be placed on him, taking away the possibility of him signing somewhere else.
Gould's agent told Schefter that if Gould reports at all, it won't be before the 49ers' Sept. 8 season-opener, giving Lynch and the 49ers a summer's worth of uncertainty at the kicking position.
While Gould has little leverage to force a trade, now might be the only way for him to get his wish.
Less than a week after Joe Staley said there was no place he’d rather be than 4949 Marie DeBartolo Way, general manager John Lynch revealed that the front office doesn’t want him anywhere else either.
Staley, a six time Pro Bowler, is only under contract through the end of 2019, which will be his 13th season. But there seems to be little concern about his future with the club even though there is no extension in place.
Lynch explained that all parties involved, including coach Kyle Shanahan and the front office have a common goal.
According to Lynch, Staley, who will turn 35 this August, is still playing at a very high level. He has also been a great mentor for Mike McGlinchey and the two have become inseparable around the facility.
Lynch has said repeatedly that the team will always look to improve at every position through both free agency and the draft. However, when asked about needing to look for a tackle in this year’s draft, Lynch had a slightly different response.
When asked about the status of DeForest Buckner’s future, Lynch expressed a desire for a similar one-team path, but noted that it is a much earlier stage in his career. Lynch added that there is still a lot of time to work out an extension for the defensive lineman.
“Yeah, it is extremely early in that process,” Lynch said. “I would like to say the same thing about DeForest. He’s a little younger in his career, but I would love nothing more than for DeFo to be here. We’ve got a long time to work on that.