49ers release outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks after 9 seasons

Brooks was a due a large base salary, and the 49ers decided it was time to move on.

The San Francisco 49ers have officially released outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee was the first to report it. Brooks and the 49ers have had a rocky relationship in recent seasons, and a young group of pass rushers coupled with some off-field issues led the 49ers to part ways with him.

He was heading into the final season of a six-year, $40.4 million contract. Brooks would have taken up about $6.1 million in cap space, and his quality of play hasn’t aligned with his compensation. This offseason, Eli Harold emerged and took the starting SAM outside linebacker job from Brooks.

Brooks was benched twice in 2014 after arguing with the coaching staff over playing time and seemed to have been benched again in late 2015. Officially, the 49ers claimed he wasn't benched, but he went to the sideline and threw his helmet down before missing several defensive drives. He has also routinely showed a lack of discipline and had four offside penalties and two neutral-zone infractions in 2015. He did clean it up last season, with just one unnecessary roughness.

On top of all of that, Brooks was charged with misdemeanor sexual battery prior to the 2015 season. The 49ers were aware of his off-field issues, and Brooks was set to lose his starting job and probably get released before the team was forced to let go of Aldon Smith due to his own legal troubles.

That made Brooks too important opposite Aaron Lynch, who missed time last season with a suspension and injury. Lynch also reported to camp overweight but is getting back into football shape. The 49ers also upgraded the pass rush by adding Elvis Dumervil in free agency and Solomon Thomas with the third overall pick in the 2017 draft. That makes Brooks less of a priority.

Brooks is 33 now, and he's coming off a year in which he put up 53 tackles and six sacks. He has value as a pass rusher and surely some team will bring him in on the open market, but he likely won't get near the number he was set to be paid by the 49ers this season.

Brooks has played in 133 career games, with 370 tackles, 53.5 sacks, three interceptions, and 12 forced fumbles.