Former 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead signed a three-year $43.5 million deal with the Jaguars earlier in March, but on his podcast Thursday, he revealed why he felt “disrespected” by his former team.
He said San Francisco offered him a pay cut to play with the team in 2024, which he did not think was fair.
“[The 49ers] extended an offer to me of $6 million for a one-year deal with incentives to go up to $8 [million],” Armstead, 30, said on his podcast “Third and Long.”
“When they sent that over, I did feel extremely disrespected. I don’t feel that that level of compensation is near the type of player that I am.
“Not even just the type of player that I am, what I have committed to the game, what I have committed to my team, what I have committed to the organization and my community. I didn’t feel like it was representative of who I am as a player and a person.”
Before free agency began, it was reported by multiple outlets that the Niners planned to release Armstead after the two sides failed to restructure his contract.
With Javon Hargrave and Nick Bosa on the defensive line, San Francisco just couldn’t afford to pay Armstead what he wanted.
Armstead had a strong 2023 in which he finished with 27 tackles and five sacks.
He added 11 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in the playoffs as the 49ers fell just short in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs.
When presented with the 49ers’ offer, Armstead said he balked at the number, questioning his performance from the season.
“It’s crazy how, being in this position, you’ll start to even question yourself a little bit,” Armstead said. “For a split second, I was like, ‘Dang, am I really not like that?’ No, ain’t no way, bruh.”
The new Jaguar, though, did say he anticipated this.
“Heading into this season, I kind of felt like I might play myself out of being in San Francisco,” Armstead said. “I kinda had that sense and feeling a bit heading into the season that it might be a possibility.
“I understand the business of football and I can see it. It would be hard to have two $20 million defensive tackles and a $30 million defensive end and all this talent on our team; it’s an abundance of talent.”
He now joins a Jaguars line that features nose tackle DaVon Hamilton and defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris.
