The San Francisco 49ers intend to release defensive end Arik Armstead after the two sides failed to agree on a restructured contract, according to multiple reports.

Per NBC's Matt Maiocco, Armstead declined to take "a significant pay cut" to his scheduled salary of $17.4 million next season on the final year of his five-year, $85 million contract. He'll hit the market as a free agent.

NFL's free agency period officially starts Monday, while news of Armstead's pending release arrives before the Monday start of the so-called tampering period that allows teams and pending free agents to negotiate.