West Notes: 49ers, Reid, Seahawks, Bennett

It doesn’t seem likely that safety Eric Reid will be back with the 49ers in 2018, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. The veteran still views himself as a starter, but the Niners would probably only want him to return as a backup. Right now, the only way Branch sees Reid returning is if Jimmie Ward is penciled in at cornerback rather than safety.

Others on the outs in Branch’s estimation include defensive end Aaron Lynch and defenisve lineman Tank Carradine. Cornerback Dontae Johnson could conceivably return, but only in a backup capacity. The biggest name in the free agent bunch – Carlos Hyde – is expected to prioritize money in his next deal, so the cash-flush Niners will need to spend in order to keep him.

Here’s more from the West divisions:

  • Michael Bennett‘s roster bonus is worth $3MM and it’s due on March 18, the fifth day of the new league year, according to ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson (on Twitter). His deal also calls for up to $1MM in per-game active bonuses for 2018. Bennett, 32, graded out as the No. 36 edge defender among 108 qualifiers in 2017, per Pro Football Focus, so he is probably worth the cost the Seahawks. Seattle may lose Sheldon Richardson in free agency and could cut Cliff Avril, making Bennett more important to the roster than ever.
  • The 49ers took care of one pending free agent on Wednesday when they agreed to a three-year extension with center Daniel Kilgore.
  • Kilgore referred to his three-year contract with the 49ers as “a team-friendly deal in which we can go out and get some good free agents,” (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee). Exact financial terms of his contract are still unknown.
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