This franchise tag makes the most sense to me

[lasportzphan]

Mike Iupati, G, San Francisco 49ers
lastname
It's not often an interior offensive lineman gets the franchise tag, but Iupati has been a key member of the 49ers' offense each of the past five years. In 2014, he rated as the best left guard in terms of run-blocking by PFF grades. When 49ers running backs ran to the gap between the left tackle and left guard, they averaged 5.4 yards per carry. When it was Carlos Hyde, he averaged 8.8 yards per carry.

The team took the time to build one of the best offensive lines in the league. It started to fall apart with the loss of Jonathan Goodwin and injuries to Anthony Davis, and losing another offensive lineman would hurt the offense even further.

From the Insider on ESPN.

 

[Pattersonca65]

The rumors I am hearing are the 49ers are not going to slap on the franchise tag on anyone

 

[Crimsoncrew]

If there was a franchise tag for OGs or interior linemen, I'd be all for it. The average of the five highest paid LTs? Way too much for a guy who struggles in pass blocking.

 

[Pattersonca65]

Iupati is injury prone

 

[Gold Rush 86]

Even though Iupati is a guard he wants to be paid like a LT. Which cost about 3 more million per a season. Franchise tagging him would cost over 9 million.

 

[Hangman]

Already drafted his replacement. He is gone.

 

[Gold Rush 86]

Ok franchise tagging Iupati at 9.8 million then cutting Brooks, Stevie, Dahl and J-Mart while trading VD and Smith retiring give the 49ers 18 million. I gave Aldon a 5 year deal worth 64.5 million which is just under what Clay Matthews got a few years ago. Also I exended Willis thru the 2018 season. Instead of Willis making 17.8 million over the next 2 years I have him making 31.4 million over the next 4. That give us 25 million in cap space for this season.

 

[purguy12]

Ok franchise tagging Iupati at 9.8 million then cutting Brooks, Stevie, Dahl and J-Mart while trading VD and Smith retiring give the 49ers 18 million. I gave Aldon a 5 year deal worth 64.5 million which is just under what Clay Matthews got a few years ago. Also I exended Willis thru the 2018 season. Instead of Willis making 17.8 million over the next 2 years I have him making 31.4 million over the next 4. That give us 25 million in cap space for this season.

Nice, I rather trade Brooks just because we would get a little extra in Cap plus I think someone would take him. I think they Keep Stevie but ask him to take a pay cut. If we trade VD we would need a replacement(Clay or Cameron).

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Nice, I rather trade Brooks just because we would get a little extra in Cap plus I think someone would take him. I think they Keep Stevie but ask him to take a pay cut. If we trade VD we would need a replacement(Clay or Cameron).

Who is going to trade for Brooks and his $6 million base salary a year after he was repeatedly benched for conduct off the field and outplayed by a rookie on it? Particularly when they know the Niners need the cap space. What do you imagine we would get for Brooks?

 

[purguy12]

Who is going to trade for Brooks and his $6 million base salary a year after he was repeatedly benched for conduct off the field and outplayed by a rookie on it? Particularly when they know the Niners need the cap space. What do you imagine we would get for Brooks?

A lot of teams. He is a pro bowl LB. I think we will be able to find a taker. I think we will be able to get a 6th or 5th rd pick plus extra cap space.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

A lot of teams. He is a pro bowl LB. I think we will be able to find a taker. I think we will be able to get a 6th or 5th rd pick plus extra cap space.

He was a pro bowl LB. Circumstances change quickly in the NFL. We'll see, but I'm pretty confident we'll cut him rather than trade him.

 

[Pattersonca65]

He was a pro bowl LB. Circumstances change quickly in the NFL. We'll see, but I'm pretty confident we'll cut him rather than trade him.

I agree. I think he will end up with another team, but not at his current salary. No one is going to trade for him, knowing he is on his way out and based on the size of his contract

 

[purguy12]

I agree. I think he will end up with another team, but not at his current salary. No one is going to trade for him, knowing he is on his way out and based on the size of his contract

Damn I would even take a 7th rd pick. This is more about having more Cap.

 

[Pattersonca65]

Damn I would even take a 7th rd pick. This is more about having more Cap.

Teams are gonna frown on that cap hit, especially given what happened last year as Crims describef

 

[Pattersonca65]

The San Francisco 49ers have 15 unrestricted free agents who can hit the market as soon as the NFL’s new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET March 10.




Iupati There are big names -- running back Frank Gore and receiver Michael Crabtree -- recognizable names -- cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox -- and solid names -- linebacker Dan Skuta and special-teams ace Kassim Osgood -- in the mix.

But the pending free agent rated the best among the 49ers?

That would be three-time Pro Bowl left guard Mike Iupati, who was ranked as the No. 12 overall free agent in a top 20 poll compiled by ESPN NFL Nation's Kevin Seifert and ESPN NFL scout Matt Williamson.

Makes sense, in that Crabtree is coming off a career-low 10.3-yards-per-catch average and Gore has a lot of mileage and will be 32 years old on May 14. And Iupati, who was a Niners first-round pick in 2010, finished with the second-best run-blocking grade among guards in the NFL at plus-18.5, per Pro Football Focus.

But Williamson was not entirely sold on Iupati.

“He's a mauler, and moves well for a mauler, but he's still a mauler, and some teams need guys who can move better,” Williamson wrote. “I could easily name half a dozen guards in the league who are better. He is not elite.”

Then what does that say about the rest of the Niners’ free agents?

To be fair, Iupati was slowed by injury last season as he was coming back from a broken ankle in the NFC title game and missed a game with a concussion and sat out the Pro Bowl with an elbow injury.

In all, Iupati was 14th of 78 guards with an overall grade of plus-11.2, with a minus-7.5 pass-blocking grade, ranking 55th.

One thought has the Niners allowing Iupati to leave as a free agent and simply sliding Marcus Martin over from center with center Daniel Kilgore returning from his broken leg.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I'd take a conditional seventh so long as someone took his contract. No one is going to do that in today's NFL. He's not worth his pricetag, and it's a given the Niners are going to drop him.

 

[AU_Fever]

Nice, I rather trade Brooks just because we would get a little extra in Cap plus I think someone would take him. I think they Keep Stevie but ask him to take a pay cut. If we trade VD we would need a replacement(Clay or Cameron).

Teams will wait for the Niners to cut him. It won't cost them anything.