49ers Cutting Veteran Player After Disappointing 2024 Season

With the start of the new league year just days away, the San Francisco 49ers are reportedly preparing even more roster moves to make room against the cap.

The Niners made a ton of headlines by trading former All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick. And it's sounding like a Brandon Aiyuk-centered package may not be off the board either...

Now according to multiple reports, the Niners have decided to part ways with a player on the defensive side of the ball in veteran DT Maliek Collins.

Collins joined San Francisco last year via trade and appeared in all 17 games in 2024 where he totaled 33 tackles, five sacks, 12 QB hits and recovered two fumbles.

Now he's due to become a free agent on Wednesday as a post-June 1 cut in an attempt to save the franchise roughly $3.5 million in cap space (with a $1.36 million dead money hit).

The 29-year-old has spent time with Cowboys, Raiders, Texans and Niners over the course of his nine NFL seasons and has proven himself to be one of the more consistent interior rush threats in the league.

The 49ers will likely take every penny they can save on their roster as they prepare to negotiate a long-term contract with quarterback Brock Purdy — who could potentially cost the team upwards of $60 million per year.