The 28-year-old was traded to the 49ers last offseason, but after just one season in San Francisco, the veteran defensive tackle is set to be on the move again this spring.
He will be released by the 49ers, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. He had one year remaining on his contract, owed $10 million in 2025. While his 2024 salary was not guaranteed, cutting him (unless it’s a post-June 1 designation) won’t save much in cap space. The 49ers will take a $670K hit, with a $5.43 million dead money charge.
Using a post-June 1 designation could help financially, but the savings wouldn’t come until after that date. The 49ers are already planning to use this designation on Javon Hargrave, so the modest cap relief from Collins’ release wouldn’t be available immediately. This move, along with the potential departure of Collins and Hargrave, will bring significant changes to the 49ers’ defensive line.
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San Francisco has struggled to build an effective complementary group to Nick Bosa, and the 2025 offseason is seen as a time for several changes. 2024 free agent edge rushers Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos could also be cut as the team looks to free up cap space for key in-house players and possible extensions, like that of Brock Purdy.
Collins, who began his career with the Cowboys, had a brief stint with the Raiders before spending three years in Houston. He posted five sacks in both 2023 and 2024, and as a full-time starter with the 49ers, matched that feat last season. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Collins is expected to generate significant interest as a free agent.
Given his age and track record, Collins is in a similar position to Jonathan Allen, who was recently let go by the Commanders for cap savings. Both players are free to sign with new teams, and while teams may evaluate other options in the coming days, it wouldn’t be surprising if Collins quickly found a new home.
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