49ers CEO Al Guido Hints at Tough Decisions This Offseason

Who will leave?

Feb 9, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Al Guido at the Super Bowl LX host committee handoff press conference at Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers' newest CEO Al Guido has hinted at the possibility of some tough decisions this offseason.

Guido is no stranger to the organization after earning a promotion, and this offseason he, alongside team owner Jed York, general manager John Lynch, and head coach Kyle Shanahan, will have plenty of decisions to make regarding the current roster.

Al Guido shares his role this offseason

The 49ers have a staggering 21 players entering free agency, meaning plenty of decisions need to be made regarding key cap space. Veteran players will be looking for a payday, and some could leave even when it makes more sense to retain them.

For example, kicker Eddy Piñeiro and tight end Jake Tonges are two players who contributed significantly in 2025, and losing them would be a major blow for the 49ers. But both should stay.

Guido hinted at the possibility of players leaving due to the 49ers' salary cap. The team currently has roughly $39 million to $42 million in cap space, with potential to free up more, but with the value of certain positions rising, the 49ers are ultimately facing tough decisions.

"It's going to be Jed, John and Kyle's decision on where we go," Guido told NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco at Radio Row.

"I would say I'm a sounding board. Happy to be supportive. There's a lot of things that I know at the league level that I can help those guys with, but the truth of the matter is salary cap is a calculation.

"So, I often tell my daughters when they're like, 'What's going to happen? Who are we going to sign?' And I always say, 'Girls, if I gave you $100 and you had to allocate it to the positions, you'd probably over-allocate it because you want to keep everybody,' and that's just the hard part of this.

"It's also the sad part of the season. It's not just that you didn't win or achieve your ultimate goal, but the reality is it might be the last time a team like that in its entirety is together. … So, I'll just be a teammate to them and a sounding board as they need."

Guido won’t make the final calls, but his financial input is crucial as the 49ers continue their push toward younger, cheaper talent. With an aging roster, finding players who fit this strategy remains a top priority.

Even after a 12-5 season and a return to playoff contention in 2025, San Francisco must address key positions to maintain their competitive window.