Brooks, Baas tendered as RFAs; Hudson free to leave

The 49ers tendered scheduled restricted free agents guard David Baas and outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, while deciding to allow cornerback Marcus Hudson to test the market as an unrestricted free agent.

 

The 49ers assigned an upgraded tender to Brooks, who started to see significant playing time in the final six weeks of the season. Brooks tied for second on the 49ers with six sacks, five of which he recorded in the final five games.

 

With a contract tender of $1.759 million to Brooks, the 49ers have protected themselves against a team that might want to sign him to a multi-year contract. If a team signs Brooks to an offer sheet, the 49ers have the right to match the terms of the contract to retain his services. If the 49ers declined to match, the club would receive a second-round pick as compensation.

 

Brooks was originally third-round pick of the Bengals in the 2006 supplemental draft. The 49ers claimed Brooks off waivers on Aug. 31, 2008.

 

The 49ers placed an original-round tender on Baas, who was the first pick of the second round in 2005. Baas was tendered at $1.226 million for 2010. The 49ers also have the right to match any offer sheet, and would receive a second-round pick as compensation if Baas switches teams.

 

Hudson was not tendered. Therefore, the 49ers hold no negotiating rights to the sixth-round pick from the 2006 draft.

 

The NFL free-agent signing period begins Thursday at 9 p.m. Brooks and Baas are in line to be adversely affected by the end of the salary cap. In most years, both Brooks and Baas would’ve been unrestricted free agents. But a likely uncapped year means it takes six years of service (instead of four) to become an unrestricted free agent.

 

Many league insiders at the NFL Scouting Combine believed most — if not all — restricted free agents would delay signing their tenders until training camp. The tender is not a guaranteed contract.

 

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