San Francisco, CA
Will the San Francisco 49ers be active in free agency?
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch answered questions about the roster at last week’s NFL scouting combine, his most interesting response came when he was asked whether he’d been taking trade calls on injured receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
After acknowledging that teams have called him about Aiyuk, Lynch pivoted into a lengthy answer about how much money the 49ers had been forking out to their own players and in free agency over the past five years in an attempt to finally win the Super Bowl.
He indicated that as the 49ers head into the start of the early negotiating window Monday and the new league year March 12, they might have to finally ease off the gas in terms of spending.
“At some point you have to reset a little bit or at least recalibrate,” Lynch said. “You can’t just keep pressing the pedal, and I think there’s some good that could come out. We need to get younger. I think we were the oldest team in football trying to make a run at the deal last year. And I think it’s good to constantly get younger.”
The 49ers have 22 players set to be unrestricted free agents and running back Jordan Mason as a restricted free agent. When the new league year opens, the Niners will have a pair of significant roster moves already lined up: the post-June 1 release of defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and the trade sending receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Washington Commanders for a 2025 fifth-round draft pick.
When those moves are completed, the Niners will have a little more than $34 million in salary cap space available. That’s plenty of room to do just about anything they want, but more than half of the league has greater cap space.
Though they have already taken care of some of their most important offseason business, there’s still plenty to do. Quarterback Brock Purdy’s contract headlines that list, and although Lynch has said talks with the signal-caller are underway, the GM also indicated that a deal is unlikely to be done before free agency begins.
The same is true of a contract extension for tight endGeorge Kittle, though that deal likely would save the 49ers more cap room they could use to bolster the roster in the open market. Lynch said the 49ers would like to set Kittle up to finish his career with the team, but “timing” will be the most important aspect of an extension.
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk could also be in line for a revised contract or, potentially, on the way out. Juszczyk told ESPN after the season that he hopes to stick around and believes there has been no drop-off in his play. He took a pay cut last offseason but is scheduled to count $6,496,750 against the cap this year.
“We’re trying to make everything work and [with] some tighter constraints than we’ve had in the past,” Lynch said. “You’ve got to be smart, and you have to think about long-term health. We always want to be competitive now and into the future, and if you just keep going, going, going, I love doing that. But you also have to step back sometimes and recalibrate, and I think our thought has always been you grow the core and then you can kind of supplement around that. That’s probably what we have to do this year.”
Those constraints could make retaining many of their own free agents more difficult. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga, guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Charvarius Ward are among the key players set to hit free agency.
Greenlaw and Hufanga are the team’s priorities, something Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have openly said in the past couple of months. But both players have dealt with multiple injury issues throughout their careers. Greenlaw played in parts of two games last season as he recovered from a torn left Achilles. Hufanga was limited to seven games because of knee and wrist injuries.
The questions that come with those injury histories make it difficult to peg how much either player might get on the open market, and they leave a return to San Francisco at least possible.
“We’re not into losing really good players who are unbelievable people,” Shanahan said. “… But that’s also a very hard challenge, very hard. And that’s something that you don’t just talk about in one meeting. There are too many things that connect to that. Draft, free agency, roster, years, all that stuff. And that takes weeks, months, to decide.”
At the combine, Lynch called Greenlaw and Hufanga “fantastic players” whom the team aims to retain. With Greenlaw, Lynch said the hope was a deal could be struck before free agency begins, but there were no guarantees.
One free agent who will almost certainly get a chance to test the market is Banks, the 2021 second-round pick who has started 43 games at left guard over the past three seasons. Based on how much productive guards have been paid in recent offseasons, Banks’ next contract is likely to exceed a price the 49ers would be willing to pay to keep him.
Fellow offensive lineman Jaylon Moore is another player the Niners would like to keep, but he figures to get interest from other line-needy teams.
Ward, meanwhile, went through a grief-stricken 2024 season in which the death of his daughter kept him away from the team and made it difficult for him to continue playing when he returned. He hasn’t ruled out a return but also said he has “a lot of trauma in California” that could make re-signing difficult.
Regardless of what happens with their top free agents, the 49ers have needs all over the roster to address.
The offensive and defensive lines top the list, but another linebacker, cornerback and wide receiver will also be priorities. And there is no backup quarterback with NFL game experience under contract. More help at running back could be necessary, too, depending on what happens with Mason, whom the team plans to tender but is still deciding which designation to use.
“Jordan played at a really good level when Christian [McCaffrey] was out, so we’ll see where that goes,” Lynch said.
Over the past six years, it has been common to see the 49ers make big moves in free agency or on the trade market. They acquired Hargrave and Ward in free agency and traded for left tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Dee Ford and up the draft board for quarterback Trey Lance and Aiyuk.
Based on Lynch’s comments about getting younger and the cash constraints the Niners intend to work within, a big trade for someone such as defensive end Myles Garrett or a splashy signing of a top free agent seems unlikely.
But that doesn’t mean the 49ers will do nothing.
For example, if the Los Angeles Chargers move on from end Joey Bosa, a Bosa Brothers reunion in Santa Clara would be a real possibility.Wideout Davante Adams is another intriguing option as a veteran upgrade at receiver. Adams is from nearby East Palo Alto, California, and, at 32 years old, could make sense if the price is right.
As Lynch put it, the 49ers will “look at every avenue to become a better team” as they try to strike the balance between a roster reset and staying competitive.
After all, Super Bowl LX next February will be played at Levi’s Stadium.
“You’ve got to always think right now, but you got to think big picture too, which to me in football is always on like a two-to-three-year timeframe,” Shanahan said. “… But we always want to be competitive and feel like we have a chance to do that. And we felt that way about five years in a row and we’ve gone to it twice. I feel like we had very good opportunities to win both of those games and that’s the thought process we’re going to have every year.”br/]
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Bay Area High School baseball fans are treated to a rare opportunity Saturday (April 18) with three games at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, including the famed Bruce-Mahoney clash between West Catholic Athletic League rivals St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral.
The first pitch of the 20th annual Dante Benedetti Baseball Classic starts at 11 a.m. and pits two more San Francisco private schools as University (9-7), winners of four straight, taking on Riordan (5-11).
That will be followed by the Bruce-Mahoney game at 2:30 between St. Ignatius (12-5, 4-2 WCAL) and the Irish (7-10, 1-5) and finished off with a North Coast Section clash between North Bay’s Marin Catholic (9-7) against Acalanes (7-6-1).
The Benedetti Classic, founded by Dante’s Boys Foundation board member Tom Lounibos and Giants president Larry Baer, benefits the DBF which honors the spirit of Benedetti who for nearly 40 years owned San Francisco’s Mr. Baseball nickname for his kindness and generosity to baseball-playing youth in the area.
Among their philanthropic efforts are glove and baseball equipment drives, field renovations and contributions to scholarships and sponsorships.
After starting the season 0-4 — three of those losses were by one run — University, under head coach Andrew Suvunnachuen, has found its way, winning the last four, all in Bay Counties League play, by a combined 51-6 count over Lick-Wilmerding (16-1 and 11-3) and San Domenico (13-2 and 11-0).
Senior catcher and pitcher Jett Messenger leads the way with a .447 average, while getting on base at a .638 rate. He also leads the team with 20 stolen bases. Junior third baseman Tate Gebhart is hitting .419, while Leo Felder and Behbart share the RBI lead with 15 each.
Junior Matthew Foley is 3-2 on the mound with a 2.38 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
Riordan, under second-year head coach Craig Sargent, was 5-5 in nonleague games but lost six straight in the rugged WCAL, losing two tough games this week to Mitty (3-2 and 7-4). Junior third baseman and pitcher Santiono Williams leads the team in batting average (.371), on-base percentage (.488) and stolen bases (nine). He’s also been the team’s top pitcher at 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA.
The teams have split two previous games in their history, with Riordan winning 2-0 in 2023 and University prevailing 5-0 in 2021.
St. Ignatius, led by ninth-year head coach Brian Pollzzie, has already secured the Bruce-Mahoney trophy with four straight wins — one each in football, girls volleyball, boys basketball and girls basketball — but this rivalry is always spirited.
The Wildcats, who are ranked fourth in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle, are coming off a tough 3-0 home loss to No. 2 St. Francis on Friday after beating the host Lancers 10-6 on Tuesday.
The team is led by Stanford-bound Archer Horn, who is hitting .486 with four home runs and a .604 on-base percentage. The shortstop and pitcher also has not allowed an earned run in three pitching appearances while registering one save.
Pitching is a team’s strength with a 2.59 ERA, led by a brigade of strong arms including Leo Rhein (2-0, 2.38), Tycco Giometti (2-1, 2.62), Charlie Stecher 1-1, 0.72) and Chase Gordon (1-0, 2.80). The team is missing standout Finn Demuth, out of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Sacred Heart Cathedral, led by fourth-year head coach Gregg Franceschi, has scored 60 runs on the season and given up 61. The Irish are coming off two losses to eighth-ranked Valley Christian (5-2 and 10-1).
They are led offensively by junior outfielder Brody O’Sullivan (.381) and senior infielder Jacob Vines (.378). Johnny Nepomuceno and Max Nylander are other run-producers. Zach Stallworth (37 strikeouts, 29.2 innings) and Cooper Rogers Lewis (0.25 ERA) have been the team’s top pitchers.
The series has been remarkably close since 2005 with Sacred Heart Cathedral holding a 27-20 edge, though St. Ignatius won both games last season (5-0 and 6-3) after the Irish won 9-7 and 1-0 in 2024.
Marin Catholic hopes to get back to winning after starting the season 9-1, but have since lost six straight, four in Marin County Athletic League play, including 4-2 to Novato on Thursday. Senior outfield Luke Martin is the team’s leading hitter at .478 while senior infielder and pitcher Cooper Mitchell is at .455. Senior infielder Walker Untermann leads the team with 15 RBIs.
Acalanes is at the other end of the spectrum, winners of five of six after a 2-5-1 start. Junior infielder Tyler Winkles, also a highly recruited quarterback in football, leads the team with a .383 average and nine stolen bases. Riley Gates (2-3, 2.49 ERA, 30 strikeouts) is the team’s top pitcher.
The teams have played three times, all since 2022, with Marin Catholic owning a 2-1 lead. Acalanes won last year’s game 8-7.
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Chinatown fatal crash victim ID’d, safety measures proposed
The victim killed in Friday’s Chinatown crash was identified Monday by the medical examiner as Cutberto Zamora-Martinez, 49, of San Joaquin County. At a meeting on Monday, city officials said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
SAN FRANCISCO – A 76-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and speeding following a crash in San Francisco’s Chinatown that killed a man working in the area.
Zhuo Ming Lu, 76, is accused in the March 27 crash that left 49-year-old Cutberto Zamora-Martinez, of San Joaquin County, dead.
Suspect was trying to park
What we know:
Authorities said Lu was attempting to park near Grant Avenue and Jackson Street when his vehicle jumped the sidewalk and crashed into the landmark New Lung Ting Café, also known as the Pork Chop House. The vehicle also struck two pedestrians, including Zamora-Martinez.
Zamora-Martinez died from his injuries.
He had been working in the area, according to a GoFundMe page. A San Francisco Police Department source close to the investigation told KTVU the victims were carpet installers arriving for work.
The fundraising page described Zamora-Martinez as a husband and father who was the sole provider for his family and “a humble man who wanted the best for his family.”
Before his arrest, Lu had been cooperating with investigators. Authorities have not confirmed what caused the crash.
Some residents questioned whether the driver’s age or a possible confusion between the brake and gas pedals may have been factors.
“Maybe if people hit a certain age, you got to get retested for your driver’s license is something I was thinking about,” said Keith Hong, who works next door to the crash site.
Another case involving an elderly driver
Big picture view:
In an unrelated case, Mary Fong Lau, 80, was sentenced to probation after killing a family of four, two parents and their young children. in March 2024. Authorities said Lau struck the victims as they waited at a Muni stop on their way to the zoo.
Lau pleaded no contest to four felony counts of vehicular manslaughter, and a judge accepted the plea. A Superior Court judge cited her age, remorse and lack of criminal history in the sentencing decision.
She was placed on probation for two years, banned from driving for three years and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.
The Source: San Francisco Police Department, prior reporting
San Francisco first came to know chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz through their pop-up Istanbul Modern, and later through their breakthrough Presidio restaurant Dalida. The duo’s success is grounded in their take on Eastern Mediterranean food, which they made a conscious decision to champion 10 years ago.
Fast-forward to 2026, and now Laura is taking on a personal project of her own, with Sayat by her side, placing foods from Mexico’s Guerrero and Sinaloa center stage at Maria Isabel. It’s a refreshing menu that combines both Mexican and local ingredients, through the lens of the Ozyilmazes cooking backgrounds.
Reservations are released on OpenTable 30 days in advance, but Laura confirmed that they do take walk-ins depending on space. Smaller parties or solo diners might have better luck sliding in, thanks to the counter in the brighter, “Maria” portion of the restaurant.
The cocktails from consulting bar director Evan Williams are always worth a glimpse, whether at Dalida or at Maria Isabel. They’re well-balanced and have incredible depth and technique behind them. That being said, the team sourced wines from woman-led wine brands such as LOTIS Wines and Amevive Wine, if you’re looking to explore past the usual selections you’ll see elsewhere.
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