49ers reuniting with Pro Bowl FB Kyle Juszczyk on 2-year, $8 million deal: Source

The San Francisco 49ers are re-signing fullback Kyle Juszczyk to a two-year, $8 million contract, a league source said Saturday. The nine-time Pro Bowler will return to San Francisco after being released earlier this week.

Juszczyk took a visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers but returns to the team he spent the last eight years of his NFL career with. Juszczyk spent his first four NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him in 2013.

Juszczyk, who turns 34 in April, is a contributor in both the run and pass games and caught at least 14 passes in 11 consecutive seasons, including 30 as recently as 2021. His return follows a number of big-name exits following the opening of the new league year on Wednesday.

Left guard Aaron Banks and left tackle Jaylon Moore left for Green Bay and Kansas City, respectively, after wide receiver Deebo Samuel was traded to the Washington Commanders ahead of free agency. On defense, the 49ers lost tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and defensive backs Charvarius Ward and Talanoa Hufanga.

Juszczyk’s return is a shot of good news to a locker room shaken by a flurry of departures earlier in the week. The two most prominent were Juszczyk’s and Greenlaw’s. Neither was a total shock. The 49ers’ other linebackers seemed to sense that Greenlaw would not be back as the 2024 regular season drew to a close. Juszczyk, meanwhile, was asked to take a paycut last year, signaling the 49ers could try to do so again.

Juszczyk remains as the longest-tenured player on the team, someone who arrived shortly after coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. Because of that, Juszczyk’s forged a number of deep bonds in the locker room, especially with tight end George Kittle, who also arrived in 2017, and with tailback Christian McCaffrey.

There was always a chance Juszczyk could return simply because the fullback market is so limited and because the 49ers continue to value it more than most teams. Soon after Juszczyk was informed of his release Monday, for example, the Ravens signed fullback Patrick Ricard to a one-year deal to remain in Baltimore. After that, the Buffalo Bills announced they’d re-signed fullback Reggie Gilliam to a one-year deal.

According to a league source, Juszczyk had light interest from the Detroit Lions and more serious interest from the Las Vegas Raiders and Steelers. That included a visit to Pittsburgh earlier in the week. But the fact that the 49ers won out with a two-year deal underscores that they still value the fullback position — and Juszczyk — more than any team in the league.

(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)