All 49ers

The 49ers are Releasing Fullback Kyle Juszczyk

At last.
Grant Cohn|
Dec 8, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) is unable to make a catch next to Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III (31) in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) is unable to make a catch next to Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III (31) in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

In this story:

San Francisco 49ers

At last.

The 49ers have informed veteran fullback Kyle Juszczyk that they are releasing him according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This move will create almost $3 million in cap space for the 49ers, and that $3 million is much more valuable than Juszczyk at this stage of his career.

In eight seasons, the 49ers paid Juszczyk nearly $40 million and he produced just 2,107 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns. He was not a natural runner, but he could catch the occasional pass and block. Although his blocking used to be much better than it is these days.

Juszczyk will turn 34 in April. He's not an overwhelming force or an athletic mismatch anymore. The 49ers have lots of players who run the ball better than he does and plenty of players who catch the better than he does. He simply takes playing time away from better players. Juszczyk's departure means more playing time for second-year wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing.

It's unclear if the 49ers will look for a fullback to replace Juszczyk. Today, they agreed to sign Jacksonville Jaguars blocking tight end Luke Farrell who could be the replacement if the 49ers evolve into a two-tight end offense.

Or, the 49ers could draft a player to replace Juszczyk, someone such as Arizona State running back/fullback Cam Skattebo. He seems like the kind of player head coach Kyle Shanahan absolutely would love.

Good luck, Juice.

Read more

Subscribe to Grant Cohn's YouTube channel

Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast

Published
Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

Share on XFollow grantcohn
Home/News