Why the 49ers Didn't Cut Salary Cap Casualty Candidate

This player was a prime candidate to be cut for salary cap savings, but the 49ers didn't pull the trigger.

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (94) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

How did he survive?

How did defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos survive the mass exodus from the 49ers? Of all the players on the 49ers, Gross-Matos was a prime candidate to be cut.

He has a $9.5 million salary cap hit in 2025. For a player who has shaky durability and average efficiency, it makes sense to part ways with him.

With his release, the 49ers would save nearly $3 million or $7.8 million with a post-June 1 cut. However, his release never arrived. Despite being a perfect salary cap casualty candidate, Gross-Matos remains on the 49ers.

That is surprising considering the 49ers are in a penny-pinching offseason. They cut Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd, but not Gross-Matos.

So, what gives?

Well, I think the 49ers have faith in Gross-Matos. They probably like that he is a young player who never got to flourish last season due to injury.

While he did play in Weeks 2-to-4, his season didn't officially start until Week 11. In those early weeks, Gross-Matos was playing through injury before being placed on Injured Reserve.

He wasn't healthy until he came off of it in Week 11. That is where I believe the 49ers assess his performance and it was promising. He registered four sacks and 18 pressures in his eight healthy games.

Although, three of his sacks derived against the Bears. In any case, the 49ers could believe they haven't seen the best of him due to injury and the integration period needed to bounce back from it.

Plus, the 49ers needed to retain players, and Gross-Matos's 27 years of age could've made him the most enticing to keep.