It’s a business.
The 49ers released defensive tackle Arik Armstead on Wednesday, which was a tough pill to swallow for his now-former teammates.
Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel felt some way about San Francisco’s transaction and offered his two cents in an Instagram story post.
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Samuel’s six facepalm emoticons speak for themselves, as the five-year veteran didn’t want to see the star defensive lineman go. The two were 49ers teammates for five NFL seasons in San Francisco, appearing in two Super Bowls and four NFC Championship Games.
Armstead was San Francisco’s longest-tenured player, spending nine years with the 49ers after they selected the Oregon product with the 17th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
The 30-year-old hits free agency as one of the top remaining defensive targets after declining a significant pay cut on his scheduled $17.41 million salary.
San Francisco 49ers
Armstead’s impact on the 49ers and Northern California will forever be appreciated, as he raised $2 million in donations for Sacramento and Bay Area youth through his Armstead Academic Project. He was a nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award during the last four seasons.
Change is part of the game.
While Samuel eagerly switched his jersey number from 19 to one, missing Armstead is something he’ll reluctantly have to get used to.