49ers $18 Million Edge Named Team's Top Trade Piece Amid Cap Concerns

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Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Yetur Gross-Matos.

Last offseason, the San Francisco 49ers signed defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos to a two-year contract worth $18 million, with $9.39 million guaranteed.

It was a move PFF called a “head-scratcher” at the time, and a year later, some analysts still aren’t seeing the 27-year-old pass rusher’s fit with the Niners.

In his May 22 article for Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine assessed the roster needs and top trade candidates for all 32 NFL teams. For the 49ers, he named Gross-Metos as the team’s top trade asset.

When San Francisco initially added him last offseason, its primary goal was to bolster pass rushing depth alongside star Nick Bosa. But his 2024 campaign had enough hiccups to make his exit a possibility. Plus, with the 11th overall pick in the draft this year, the 49ers chose Mykel Williams, the 6-foot-5, 267-pound playmaking edge out of Georgia.

Might that make trading Gross-Metos more palatable? Let’s discuss.

A Look Back at YGM’s 2024 Season With the Niners

GettySan Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos has been named the team’s top trade candidate.

Gross-Matos was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the second round in 2020. During his four seasons with the Panthers, he amassed 13 sacks and 30 quarterback hits over 55 games. His most productive season came in 2023, when he had 4.5 sacks and 36 tackles in 12 games, despite being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

After signing with the 49ers in 2024, he hit a few speed bumps in the preseason, sustaining a knee injury that sidelined him for a good portion of the year. He wound up playing in 11 games, finishing with 19 total tackles (six for loss), seven quarterback hits and 4.0 sacks. Notably, 3.0 of those sacks came in a standout game against the Chicago Bears Week 14 — a performance that earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

It’s certainly possible Gross-Metos picks up where he left off and goes on a tear early. If that happens, his trade value would only increase.

Could Yetur Gross-Metos Be a Solid Trade Chip for the San Francisco 49ers?

With a $9.5 million cap hit, Gross-Metos’ production-to-cost ratio has understandably come under scrutiny. Releasing him could free up $2.9 million in cap space, or $7.8 million if he were to be traded post-June 1, per OTC. While the 49ers have shown some confidence in his potential, the need to manage cap space, especially with contract extensions for key players like quarterback Brock Purdy on the books.

YGM does have a significant cap hit for a rotational player. Trading him would give the Niners more draft capital, which is a plus.

Potential trade partners for Gross-Matos might include the Atlanta Falcons, who have been looking to strengthen their defensive line and could benefit from Gross-Matos’s experience.

The Bears, who have been rebuilding their defense, could also find value in acquiring a player with his skill set. Both Atlanta and Chicago have the cap space and a need for defensive ends, making them realistic trade destinations.

Ultimately, the decision to trade Gross-Matos will depend on the 49ers’ assessment of his fit. In the second round of this year’s draft, with the 43rd overall pick, San Francisco selected Jack Sawyer, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound DE out of Ohio State.

Sawyer had a standout season in 2024, recording 9.0 sacks, also ranking third nationally with 64 quarterback pressures. With rookies Williams and Sawyer set to join the rotation, it might make Gross-Metos more expendable than ever.

Beth Mishler-Elmore Beth Mishler-Elmore is a Heavy sports contributor based in the Midwest, focusing on the NFL, NBA and WNBA. More about Beth Mishler-Elmore