The San Francisco 49ers were forced to make some tough decisions during the 2020 offseason. While the team was able to retain some key defensive contributors, namely defensive end Arik Armstead and safety Jimmie Ward, keeping those two ultimately came at the cost of trading away Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and letting the Niners’ No. 1 wide receiver, Emmanuel Sanders, walk in free agency.
In the modern-era age of the salary cap, these are the kinds of choices every team, particularly those on the cusp of winning a Super Bowl, typically have to make.