Inside Slant

The Sports Xchange

December 13, 2018 at 12:54 am.

Garcon’s 49ers career likely over

The San Francisco 49ers’ plan on a slow-and-steady rise from the basement of the NFC toward the penthouse is best exemplified by the fact that they retained $58 million in unused cap space in the first year of the John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan regime in 2017, and $35 million this season.

The goal: Fill enough holes to be competitive, but leave money in the bank to plug unforeseen leaks in the future when draft picks have had a chance to develop and roster needs are better understood.

The 49ers appear to have found at least five keepers in free agency in cornerback Richard Sherman, running back Jerick McKinnon, center Weston Richburg, wideout Marquise Goodwin and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

But there also were a few swings-and-misses, a list topped by Pierre Garcon.

The veteran’s five-year deal in 2017 came with a $20 million guarantee and a potential total cost of $47.5 million.

Averaging that out to about $9.5 million a season, the 49ers have gotten about one catch for every $300,000 so far, about $24,000 for every yard gained.

It was no surprise then that when Garcon, now 32 and with three years remaining on his deal, went on season-ending injured reserve this week in order to get his knee scoped, the door at the 49ers’ practice facility closed securely behind him.

It’s very possible 49ers fans have seen the last of Garcon in scarlet and gold.

It would be costly to cut Garcon this offseason, but not as costly as it would be to keep him.

The 49ers could cut their losses, to a small degree, by releasing him this offseason, which would leave $7.2 million of the $8.4 million he’s owed for next season on the books.

When asked this week if he knew what Garcon’s intentions were for next season, Shanahan replied, “I know he plans to play.”

No applause could be heard emanating from the room.

To say the 49ers have moved on from Garcon wouldn’t exactly be accurate.

The top two wideouts currently on the roster — Goodwin and Dante Pettis — don’t play Garcon’s position. They are speed guys, whereas Garcon has made his money as a possession receiver.

The 49ers have employed Kendrick Bourne in Garcon’s spot in recent weeks, without much success. He has totaled 12 catches in his last four starts.

At least that’s been better than Garcon’s production this season. His year ended with 24 catches for 286 yards and one touchdown in eight starts.

No doubt, the 49ers will be in the market for a possession-type receiver in the offseason, be it in free agency or the draft.
Thank goodness for that salary-cap surplus.

SERIES HISTORY: 40th regular-season meeting. Seahawks lead series, 24-15. The Seahawks’ 43-16 home win in Week 13 was their ninth straight over the 49ers in the regular season, and 10th straight overall counting Seattle’s 23-17 home win in the NFC Championship Game at the end of the 2013 season. The 49ers’ last home win over the Seahawks was 19-17 in Week 14 of the 2013 season.

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