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It’s the season of giving in the NFL: Giving players new richer deals that will either keep them at their post or pursue other places during this free agency period.
And the San Francisco 49ers are among the teams flashing new deals, with the attempt to keep key pieces with one option being the “tender deal.”
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One of the first names the ‘Niners have made in their tender deal offer on Tuesday evening, March 15 is a prized defender who helped bolster the linebacker rotation during their run to the NFC title game: Azeez Al-Shaair — who went from a “productive tackler” with “good athletic ability” but was labeled a “priority free agent” coming into the draft to establishing a strong presence behind the defensive line.
Breakdown of Al-Shaair’s Deal
Per the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the 49ers are giving the third-year defender a second round tender as a restricted free agent. The offer? One year for around $4 million.
It’s a financial reward for Al-Shaair, who put together his first career 100-tackle season according to Pro Football Reference this past season. Per Spotrac, Al-Shaair’s highest season salary was $850,000 — his earnings from a season ago.
But here’s what also transpires for the 49ers in this deal made for Al-Shaair: It clears up more room for the 49ers. Here’s how:
The 49ers made the highly anticipated move to restructure the contracts of George Kittle and Arik Armstead. In the process, the 49ers cleared up $18.8 million in their salary cap — which now gives them leverage to official make other signings including the linebacker as noted on the morning of March 16 by The Athletic’s David Lombardi.
“By clearing $18.8 million in salary-cap space with the George Kittle and Arik Armstead restructures, the 49ers have — by my estimated calculations — cleared enough 2022 room to execute potential Charvarius Ward, Azeez Al-Shaair and Daniel Brunskill signings with room to spare,” Lombardi tweeted.
There’s one more key move that’s involved:
Per ESPN NFL reporter Nick Wagoner, Al-Shaair becomes one of three ‘Niners who received the tender offer, joining Daniel Brunskill and Kentavius Street.
Al-Shaair’s Rise
Though considered undersized at 6-foot-2, 225-pounds for the linebacker position, Al-Shaair has brought rare athleticism to the linebacking core when called upon.
Here’s one example of those athletic traits: Him showing his closet ballhawk side.
There was also this huge forced fumble and goal line stop he delivered for the Seattle Seahawks.
And, despite an elbow injury, one of his best games came against the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.
Again, he went from someone labeled as a productive tackler with athleticism but went undrafted to becoming a starter for 13 games — and now surpassing 150 career tackles (155 total in three seasons). Al-Shaair also delivered a career-best in tackles for a loss in 2021 with nine and produced the first two sacks of his young career.
And, should he return to the 49ers, he will have a new linebacker teammate in Oren Burks, formerly of the Green Bay Packers. Burks signed a two-year deal on Tuesday morning with the 49ers, in a move expected to help provide depth at the linebacker spot and add a needed special teams presence.
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