For De’Vondre Campbell, a suspension would cost much more than a release

The 49ers are clearly exhausted with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. The question is how to end it.

The easy step is to cut it. A strong message would be to suspend him and try to get some of his signing bonus back.

Campbell signed a one-year, $5 million contract. It included a $3.35 million signing bonus and $1.21 million salary. That equates to $67,222 per game.

But there’s a bigger financial issue that the 49ers would likely be forgoing by cutting him. Under the CBA, intentionally refusing to play is a catastrophic violation. This allows the 49ers to recover 25 percent of his $3.35 million contract bonus.

However, because the deal includes four voidable years, the 2024 signing bonus allotment is only one-fifth of the total, or $670,000.

So the direct cost of refusing to play is $167,500. Add in the fine of a one-game suspension (if the 49ers do that), and Campbell is out more than $234,000.

And yes, the Ravens could do the same with receiver Diontae Johnson, even if they didn’t pay his signing bonus ($17.5 million), his 2024 roster bonus ($3 million), or his pre-trade restructuring bonus anymore than $3.2 million. Johnson’s refusal to play could be VERY expensive, possibly totaling more than $3 million.

That’s why the 49ers didn’t cut Campbell. That could be his wish, like LeGarrette Blount 10 years ago. Campbell certainly doesn’t want to write the 49ers a check for money the 49ers have already paid him.