49ers key starter predicted to cut ties with SF, land with Buccaneers in free agency

The San Francisco 49ers know that a salary cap reckoning is coming.

For three years now, the 49ers have had an excellent starting quarterback paying for pennies. Former seventh-round pick Brock Purdy has become one of the league's most efficient passers, and his $1 million salary has kept San Francisco well beneath the cap in the meantime.

This winter, however, Purdy will be extension-eligible, and quarterback contracts these days are getting out of hand. If the 49ers opt to give their signal-caller upwards of $50 million per year, many other key starters may not fit into the picture anymore.

One of those starters is guard Aaron Banks, who is in the final year of his rookie contract and has started for the 49ers for the last three seasons. On Monday, Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department predicted that Banks would walk to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency.

"Ben Bredeson hasn't been playing well this year and is an impending free agent this offseason. So, (general manger) Jason (Licht) might be in the market for a new left guard during free agency this spring," the authors said.

"Banks' career didn't get off to a good start, but he's been having a quality season so far in 2024. Heading into this weekend, he earned a 77.2 run-blocking grade and had only given up one sack, per Pro Football Focus... Banks could be a good scheme fit in Tampa as well."

Banks, 27, has prototypical size at 6-foot-5, 338 pounds. He has only a 2.9% career blown block rate and allowed only one career sack, according to Sports Info Solutions. Adding Banks could make a lot of teams stronger up front.

If the Buccaneers are willing to pay top dollar for Banks, there may not be much the 49ers can to to match it. This spring will be all about choosing priorities for San Francisco, and Purdy's extension likely ranks higher on the list than Banks'.

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