A decision on what the 49ers will do with restricted free agent Jordan Mason will take place soon. Here is what will possibly occur.
Sep 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (24) carries the ball in the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
March 11 is the deadline for the 49ers to decide on what they will do with restricted free agent Jordan Mason.
His restricted status means the 49ers have three options to elect on potentially retaining him. The first option is by placing a first-round tender on him at $7.4 million.
The second option is placing a second-round tender at $5.3 million. Lastly, they can utilize the “right of first refusal” at $3.2 million. Or, they can let him walk without doing anything.
A first-round tender will not occur. No team is going to forfeit a first-round pick to sign Mason, and the 49ers aren’t going to settle on paying him $7.4 million either.
Placing a second-round tender on him might be feasible. No one will surrender a second rounder for him, but that’s still too steep of a cost to pay him at $5.3 million.
So, the only real options the 49ers have here are the right of first refusal at $3.2 million or let him walk. This option will not garner the 49ers any draft picks.
If a team wants to sign Mason, they will have to match the $3.2 million and give the 49ers a chance at upping their offer.
It wouldn’t be a bad investment to keep Mason at that number. They know he’s an excellent running back and can fill in if Christian McCaffrey gets injured again.
Still, the 49ers probably won’t feel comfortable at that number given the money already invested on McCaffrey. This offseason is a financial pullback for the 49ers, so I could see Mason walking.
I think that will be the likeliest scenario for the 49ers. They already have Isaac Guerendo on board. All they need is another running back to fill in as the third player.
Mason is a luxury they cannot afford no matter how much they want him back. At least he will get a deserved starting role on another team and thrive if he walks.
