During the 2020 offseason, the San Francisco 49ers weren’t afraid to part ways with players they no longer deemed to be a part of the team’s long-term needs.
The four biggest examples, of course, were defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, running back Matt Breida and wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.
Buckner and Sanders were tougher choices, of course. After all, Buckner is a Pro Bowl-caliber player, and only his contractual demands kept the Niners from keeping him around long term. Sanders, meanwhile, helped revamp what was otherwise an underperforming receiving corps in the first half of 2019.