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In an offseason full of uncertainty, there was at least one thing that was obvious; Daniel Brunskill would be back with the 49ers. Brunskill was an early restricted free agent, which is to say he was not a free agent. Early restricted free agents can accept the tender from their team, or choose not to play in the NFL. Those are the two options.
The 49ers tendered Brunskill on Friday, which he will undoubtedly sign, unless he decides he wants to go play in the Canadian Football League. It will be a one-year, $850,000 contract for the former undrafted free agent, who will likely compete for the starting right guard job this year, assuming the 49ers make a move to sign a center in free agency (Alex Mack seems a fitting target) and will be a restricted free agent next year.
In a surprise move which the team announced with the Brunskill tender, Ronald Blair III, who had been on the team for the last five years, will be released. It’s unclear what benefit the move has, as Blair was discernibly on a one-year deal. It was a veteran contract which allowed the 49ers to pay Blair more than $2 million while only counting for roughly $1 million on the cap. They would have retained the option for that contract had Blair been retained.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh has always spoke very highly of Blair, so a reunion in New Jersey could be in the cards.
