Trading away defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was not an easy decision for the San Francisco 49ers on a pure-talent basis. However, the trade provided instant cap relief in the form of $12 million, giving the Niners an opportunity to be a minor player in the overall free-agent market.
Then, details of defensive end Arik Armstead‘s contract came out, backloading the deal to reduce his 2020 cap hit to a paltry $5.5 million. Added with the recent deal of safety Jimmie Ward, which also backloaded money and the restructuring of running back Jerick Mckinnon‘s contract, the 49ers now have built an opportunity to go “dumpster-diving” into the market.