Austen Pleasants

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Earning a C+ Contract Value Index, Austen Pleasants' 1-year pact reflects how San Francisco valued the position market for a depth-level offensive tackle at the exclusive rights free agent tender stage. His D+ performance grade confirms what the media narrative underscores: he projects as a fringe backup competing for a roster spot rather than a meaningful contributor to the 49ers' offensive line, making the $1.075M AAV a straightforward organizational housekeeping move rather than a meaningful investment. The tender structure itself—retaining an ERFA at minimal cost with zero external competition—is precisely how teams deploy near-league-minimum deals: low-risk depth preservation ahead of the draft, the kind of move made quietly and routinely across the league. At 28 years old and in his rookie season, Pleasants faces a precarious roster situation with no clear path to meaningful snaps, and the 49ers' recent activity (signing depth at multiple positions while cutting others) signals a front office treating this as a purely logistical retention rather than a competitive addition. The one-year structure carries no cap burden or guaranteed-money risk, making this the definition of a no-consequence depth signing—the type of C+ CVI grade that reflects fair value precisely because there's almost nothing at stake either way. For Pleasants, the contract itself is neutral; his fate depends entirely on whether he can outcompete others on the depth chart when camp opens.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Austen's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Austen Pleasants grades out as a below-average offensive tackle at this stage of his career, and the D+ performance grade reflects the uncomfortable reality that four seasons in, he has not developed into a reliable starting option. The most generous thing you can say about his 2025 season is that he appeared in 15 games, demonstrating some durability as a depth piece — but availability alone does not move the needle when the underlying play falls short of starting-caliber standards. The most damning piece of context here is that when coaches evaluated his work filling in at left tackle, they openly acknowledged the performance was not what they were looking for, which is a telling admission about his ceiling at the position. As a fourth-year undrafted player, Pleasants has reached the point in his career where the "developmental upside" framing no longer holds — he is what he is, and what he is right now is a camp competitor fighting for a roster spot rather than a long-term solution at a premium position. San Francisco's decision to retain him via an ERFA tender is best read as roster maintenance, keeping a known quantity in the building while the front office addresses more pressing needs elsewhere, as evidenced by the recent wave of signings the organization has made this offseason. His Contract Value Index (CVI) sits at a steady C+, which reflects the minimal financial commitment attached to a tender of this type — the cost is low, but so is the expected return. Unless he significantly outperforms expectations in training camp and preseason, Pleasants projects as roster depth rather than a meaningful contributor to San Francisco's offensive line heading into 2026.

How Austen Compares at the Position

Austen Pleasants ranks 83rd of 189 graded offensive tackles by performance. That slots Austen between Kiran Amegadjie (D+) just ahead and Lorenz Metz (D) just behind.

Fan Sentiment

Austen Pleasants' public perception is exactly what a D+ sentiment grade reflects — near-total indifference from fans and media alike. The narrative driving this is straightforward: his ERFA tender is the definition of roster housekeeping, a move made quietly ahead of the draft to retain organizational depth at league minimum with zero competition for his services, generating minimal coverage and even less excitement. That media silence aligns cleanly with his on-field standing, as a D+ performance grade confirms he projects as a fringe backup competing for a spot rather than a meaningful contributor to San Francisco's offensive line. The broader roster context makes his situation even more precarious — the 49ers' recent activity includes re-signing Trent Williams, adding several players across positions, and trimming roster dead weight, all of which signals a front office focused on real upgrades while Pleasants quietly holds a depth-chart afterthought role. The bottom line here is that Pleasants' narrative has no upward momentum: he's a fourth-year player without a guaranteed roster spot, and the sentiment surrounding his retention reflects the reality that teams sign ERFA players not out of conviction, but because it costs almost nothing not to let them walk.