The San Francisco 49ers coaching search is complete. Well, the search for a head coach is complete. The search for assistants continues. Nonetheless, with Chip Kelly installed as the new head coach, we can get back to assessing various other aspects of the franchise heading into the offseason.
We're back with more salary cap fun! We're back for another look at the team's cap position, how much money they will need for their potential 12-person draft class, and some cap casualty candidates.
The 49ers currently have 61 players signed for 2016, with a cap commitment of $109,556,202. They also have $6,616,464 in dead money. The offseason only counts the top 51 salaries for cap purposes, and that number is currently $111,447,666. This would leave the 49ers $54,959,020 under the 2016 salary cap. I am using a $153 million salary cap right now. The final number will be announced in March.
According to OverTheCap.com, the 49ers are projected to have a rookie pool of $9,515,916 for their 12 potential picks. The 12 picks is based on a projected four comp picks. Additionally, that dollar figure will be impacted by the Denver Broncos playoff performance. The 49ers hold the Broncos 6th round pick in this year's draft due to the Vernon Davis trade. And of course, the rookie pool figure changes if the 49ers make trades, as they so often do.
I have broken down each of the 49ers projected 12 picks, and what the salary cap implications would be. This includes projected signing bonuses, and projected cap figures for each year of the various contracts. Note that all picks get the standard 4 years deals, while the 1st-round pick gets a 5th-year team option, which must be exercised sometime between January and May of 2019.
1st Round Pick - No. 7 overall
Total Deal: $17,508,960
Signing Bonus: $10,933,788
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $3,183,447
2017: $3,979,309
2018: $4,775,171
2019: $5,571,033
2nd Round Pick - No. 37 overall
Total Deal: $6,068,230
Signing Bonus: $2,613,256
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $1,103,314
2017: $1,379,143
2018: $1,654,972
2019: $1,938,801
3rd Round Pick - No. 68 overall
Total Deal: $3,174,688
Signing Bonus: $834,688
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $658,672
2017: $748,672
2018: $838,672
2019: $928,672
4th Round Pick - No. 106 overall
Total Deal: $2,916,748
Signing Bonus: $576,748
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $594,187
2017: $684,187
2018: $774,187
2019: $864,187
4th Round Pick - No. 133 overall (Compensatory Pick - Chris Culliver)
Total Deal: $2,436,752
Signing Bonus: $366,752
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $541,688
2017: $631,688
2018: $631,688
2019: $631,688
5th Round Pick - No. 142 overall (San Diego Chargers - 2015 draft-day trade)
Total Deal: $2,598,672
Signing Bonus: $258,672
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $514,668
2017: $604,668
2018: $694,668
2019: $784,668
5th Round Pick - No. 145 overall
Total Deal: $2,586,432
Signing Bonus: $246,432
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $511,608
2017: $601,608
2018: $691,608
2019: $781,608
5th Round Pick - No. 174 overall (Compensatory Pick - Perrish Cox)
Total Deal: $2,246,380
Signing Bonus: $176,380
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $494,095
2017: $584,095
2018: $584,095
2019: $584,095
6th Round Pick - No. 181 overall (Dallas Cowboys - 2015 draft-day trade)
Total Deal: $2,490,196
Signing Bonus: $150,196
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $487,549
2017: $577,549
2018: $677,549
2019: $757,549
6th Round Pick - No. 207 overall (Denver Broncos - Vernon Davis trade)
Total Deal: $2,454,760
Signing Bonus: $114,760
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $478,690
2017: $568,690
2018: $658,690
2019: $748,690
6th Round Pick - No. 211 overall (Compensatory Pick - Frank Gore)
Total Deal: $2,165,996
Signing Bonus: $95,996
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $473,999
2017: $563,999
2018: $563,999
2019: $563,999
6th Round Pick - No. 213 overall (Compensatory Pick - Dan Skuta)
Total Deal: $2,165,996
Signing Bonus: $95,996
Yearly Salary Cap Numbers:
2016: $473,999
2017: $563,999
2018: $563,999
2019: $563,999
As I mentioned above, only the top 51 salaries will count against the salary cap in the offseason. Based on the Top 51 rule, only the top five picks listed above would count against the cap. The remaining would fall under the current Top 51 salaries. Obviously the team could make trades, so that could change, but based on the current picks and salary cap situation, the 49ers top five picks would count for $6,081,308 of the projected $9,515,916 rookie pool. This is a significant jump from previous years because they have such high picks.
In subtracting out that $6 million figure, the 49ers would thus have at least $48,877,712 to spend on their own free agents and other free agents. It is also possible the 49ers cut some veterans, which would clear additional cap room. Some notable names that are at least on the radar as potential cap casualties include Ahmad Brooks, Antoine Bethea, Glenn Dorsey, and Erik Pears. Just for the heck of it, here is what the 49ers would save in cap space if they cut any of those four players:
Ahmad Brooks
Pre-June 1: $6,407,500
Post-June 1: $7,256,250
Antoine Bethea
Pre-June 1: $3.525 million
Post-June 1: $4.775 million
Erik Pears: $2.1 million
Glenn Dorsey: $2.075 million - he tore his ACL, and is likely going to be rehabbing into the season, so he is unlikely to be released
As always you can follow me on Twitter, @Jay_AB81, or check our salary cap section here, on Niners Nation, which is now officially the exclusive home for my salary cap information.