The San Francisco 49ers will go into the offseason with only two players slated for restricted free agency.
Restricted free agents are players who are due to hit free agency after accruing a third NFL season. Linebacker Curtis Robinson and running back Jordan Mason both fit this bill for the 49ers.
RFAs can either be tendered or non-tendered. If they’re non-tendered, they become unrestricted free agents.
If they are tendered, they can be tendered at one of three levels: First-round, second-round and right of first refusal. Each tender is a fully guaranteed one-year deal.
A first-round tender is the most expensive at $7,279,000 according to Over the Cap. The second-round tender is worth $5,217,000. The right of first refusal tender is worth $3,185,000.
If the 49ers tender Robinson and/or Mason, that player can then explore the open market and the 49ers would be able to match any offer they get. Players who get a first or second-round tender would also require the team signing them to send the 49ers a draft pick in that round. A player with a right of first refusal tender doesn’t come with any compensation from a signing team.
Chances are the 49ers want Robinson back in 2025 since he’s spent so much time on their practice squad and contributing on special teams since first joining the club in 2021. However, even a right of first refusal tender would be a substantial raise from his $1,055,000 base salary in 2024.
San Francisco will most likely non-tender Robinson and then re-sign him as an unrestricted free agent to a less-expensive deal than the lowest tender.
Mason is a much trickier option. We’ve run through the various difficulties the 49ers face with this decision. However, a second-round tender seems like the best course of action to ensure Mason is with San Francisco for at least the 2025 season. It would be a substantial raise for him at $5.2 million, but he’s too valuable to let walk in free agency. And if some team wants to sign him to an expensive multi-year deal, then the 49ers can snag a second-round pick in the process of his exit. They can also just match the deal if they want to.
Keeping Mason in 2025 also opens the door to an extension a la Jauan Jennings last offseason.
Restricted free agents have until April 18 to sign offer sheets with other teams, and the 49ers would have until April 23 to match the offer.
The 2025 NFL league year and free agency officially open at 1:00pm Pacific Time on March 12.