Following his scheduled press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch sat down for a more intimate conversation with Bay Area reporters. With quarterback Brock Purdy expected to become one of the NFL's highest-paid players, Lynch understands the team will have less salary-cap flexibility in the coming years, making some tough decisions inevitable.
Lynch provided insight into the futures of several key players.
Dre Greenlaw
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is set to become a free agent in a couple of weeks. He appeared in just two games this past season, returning briefly from the Achilles injury he suffered in last year's Super Bowl before a setback sidelined him again.
Lynch was asked about the team's stance on bringing back the fan-favorite linebacker.
"We're very interested in having Dre back, and [this is] one of those deals this time of year," Lynch said. "And we've had more time to do planning. But no matter how much planning you do, it always seems to—Dre should go out and see what's out there, and then we know where we have to be.
"You know how highly we think of Dre, and we'd love to have him back."
At the Pro Bowl, defensive end Nick Bosa mentioned that returning defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was adamant about bringing Greenlaw back.
"We know what Robert thinks of him," Lynch shared. "He was a part of drafting him. And then, seeing the player, all you got to do is turn on the tape—he's a fantastic player."
Lynch emphasized that the 49ers have been in discussions with Greenlaw and hope to reach an agreement.
Kyle Juszczyk
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk's future with the 49ers remains uncertain.
"There's a lot up in the air and who's going to be here, who's not, some contracts that need to be figured out," Juszczyk said after the season. "So, I'm aware of that. I just hope it doesn't affect me."
Lynch weighed in on Juszczyk's status.
"Juice is a great player, and he's been really valuable to us, so he's part of us," Lynch said. "We'll see. We're thinking of a lot of things right now. We're trying to make everything work, and some tighter constraints than we've had in the past."
Jordan Mason
Running back Jordan Mason is set to become a restricted free agent, and the 49ers must decide whether to tender him a one-year deal. Mason filled in admirably for an injured Christian McCaffrey last season.
"He played really well, and that's an interesting [situation]," Lynch said. "There's decisions to make. You can low tender him. He wasn't drafted, so then you get nothing if someone makes an offer to him and you don't match.
"You can do the second-round tender (which guarantees a lot more money to the player), so there's a bunch of different dynamics. Or you can just agree to a deal. So, a number of different options that we're exploring."
Lynch added, "Jordan played at a really good level when Christian was out, so we'll see where that goes."
Jake Moody
If you ask most 49ers fans, many would prefer not to see Jake Moody in a 49ers uniform next season. The kicker struggled, missing 10 of his 34 field-goal attempts. However, most of those misses came after returning from a high-ankle sprain.
"We've had really honest discussions with Jake, and I know that's a hot button," Lynch said. "We still have a lot of belief in him, and we believe that the injury had a lot to do with that. And we maybe kick ourselves for letting him come back [from the injury].
"I think it's an odd injury. We consulted the soccer teams. We consulted with everyone because it's a hard deal. It's a kicker. How's that affect you?"
Lynch acknowledged the possibility of bringing in competition, at least as a precaution.
"But like I said, we have belief in [Jake], that he will rise to the top," Lynch added. "So that's something to keep tabs on, if we do decide to bring someone in. But we're very hopeful that [Jake], what we had envisioned for him, is still very possible."
Drake Jackson
Defensive end Drake Jackson missed the entire season due to injury, but Lynch insists the 49ers still have confidence in the former second-round pick.
"It's been a tough injury ... those quad tendon repairs," Lynch explained. "And that's why you've got to really think long and hard before you have that [surgery] because it doesn't just make it go away. ... I guess Drake has had—not setbacks—but just trouble coming back from it.
"So, it's not been the most encouraging thing. Hopefully, it takes a turn for the positive because we've seen, Drake, when he's healthy, he can be a real effective player for us. So, we're crossing our fingers and putting in all the work, as is Drake, that that happens."
