Kyle Shanahan: Why the 49ers Replaced Arik Armstead with Maliek Collins

"It wasn't something we really wanted to happen."

ORLANDO -- Kyle Shanahan was asked why the 49ers released Arik Armstead and replaced him by trading a seventh-round pick for Maliek Collins Tuesday at the NFL Annual Meeting. Here's what he said.

Q: What was the process of releasing Arik Armstead like?

SHANAHAN: "It was real tough. We've been with Arik since we've been here and I know he was here a couple years before us. It wasn't something we really wanted to happen. It was one of the tough things, trying to keep the team together and the way it goes with the salary cap and stuff. He got in a good spot. Really happy for him and where he ended up, but hated to see him go."

Q: What do you like about Maliek Collins?

SHANAHAN: "We were pumped to get Maliek, just what he's done the past few years. We love how much football he has played, how healthy he has stayed. We really wanted to add some guys that we felt had some good health history, and Maliek has done a hell of a job with that."

TRANSLATION: The 49ers didn't want to release Arik Armstead. They thought they could get him to take a pay cut because he missed 13 games due to injury the past two seasons, but he refused,because he still could get lots of money on the open market, which surprised the 49ers. So they replaced him with a player who wasn't in demand -- remember, they acquired Collins for a mere seventh-round pick. And the only thing Shanahan could praise about Collins is his health history. Which means the 49ers didn't necessarily upgrade this position.