Garry Gilliam Turned Down San Francisco 49ers' Multideal Offer
It's been over a month since the free agency period began, but restricted free agent Garry Gilliam is still looking for a team that is willing to give him the contract he wants.
According to ESPN's Field Yates, the San Francisco 49ers brought in the offensive tackle for a free agent visit on Thursday. Unfortunately, he left town without signing a deal with the team.
ESPN's Sheil Kapadia said the 49ers offered Gilliam a multiyear contract, but he turned it down. Further talks are still possible, though, and the door is still open for Gilliam to join the 49ers. The deadline for restricted free agents to sign an offer sheet is April 21, so Gilliam still has a few more days to make a decision.
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Kapadia also mentioned that Gilliam is expected to sign his $1.797 million tender with the Seahawks if he fails to come to terms with the 49ers by next week.
The Seattle Seahawks placed a tender at the lowest level on Gilliam last month so they can have the right to match any offer sheet he signs. Since he was originally an undrafted free agent, the 49ers don't have to give up a draft pick if they end up signing him.
Meanwhile, a number of observers believe that the Seahawks will probably decline to match if Gilliam receives an offer sheet worth more than his $1.797 million tender. However, many believe that increasing the offer is a bad idea as well for the 49ers.
"On the tender, Gilliam would cost just $1.8 million or so next year, which I think is fair for what he is. But if the 49ers or some other team were to sign him for like $3–4 million, I think that would be a bad deal," David Fucillo of Niners Nation said in his report.
"Gilliam was not good enough to keep a job on the team that had the worst tackles in the NFL. Maybe a different coach besides Tom Cable can unlock that, but there's at least as good of a chance that he won't be a full-time starter again," he continued.
