It’s the NFL’s version of a purge. Maybe a Saturday Night Massacre. Either way, the San Francisco 49ers are in the midst of one of the most-resounding roster turnovers in the recent history of the league.
Currently over half of the players on San Francisco’s 90-man roster represent new blood. That includes almost two dozen veteran additions and 10 draft picks.
It’s not a surprise considering San Francisco put up all of two wins last season and has a new regime in charge in the form of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. The two have done a splendid just building up the team’s talent level in their first offseason together.
It has come at the cost of moving on from valuable contributors of the past. And now, it looks like the 49ers have placed three-time All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman on the trade block.
This bit of information comes from former NFL general manager Mike Lombardi via The Ringer NFL show podcast.
“The 49ers have made it known if you want him (Bowman), he’s healthy, that they’ll be willing to move him. Bowman is a guy who’s been a leader in the locker room, who’s been part of the team,” Lombardi said (h/t Niners Nation). “He had a really good relationship with the older general manager, Trent Baalke. So I think this is a message they would send to the locker room that he’s no longer in control any more. He’s available if you want.”
Bowman is coming off a 2016 campaign that saw him miss all but four games after tearing his Achilles early in the season. That came on the heels of a 2015 season that saw the former Penn State standout record 154 tackles en route to earning All Pro honors.
When healthy, Bowman is one of the best middle linebackers in the game. Unfortunately, he has dealt with two serious injuries in the recent past.
In addition to tearing his Achilles last season, Bowman suffered a serious knee injury in the 2013 NFC Champoionship game against the Seattle Seahawks. That forced him out for the entire 2014 season.
Bowman, 29, is set to make $9.5 million next season. It remains to be seen if any team will offer up the 49ers what they might demand in a trade.