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49ers cap space vs. minimum cash spending for 2017-2020

The 49ers have met the minimum spending requirement for 2013-2016. Time to look ahead to the next four-year cycle.

Yesterday, we discussed the San Francisco 49ers current cap space, and how their cash spending looks heading into 2017. The NFL labor agreement has a minimum spending rule that requires 89 percent cash spending of the total salary cap from 2013 to 2016, and then again from 2017 to 2020.

The 49ers have met the 89 percent minimum for the 2013 to 2016 period, so I thought it would be useful to look at where things stand for the 2017 to 2020 period. The team does not have to meet any minimums for a single year, but rather, must meet the minimum for the cumulative four years. The 89 percent cash spending limit, is for the total of the unadjusted salary cap limit, which does not include any carryover, or adjustments, like credits. Reminder again that for a signing bonus, cash spending counts the whole amount in the year it is paid, while cap spending pro-rates the bonus over the life of the contract (or five years, whichever is less).

I have broken down the 49ers 2017-2020 numbers into three categories: base salaries, roster bonuses, and workout bonuses. These are all paid out during the season, unlike prorated bonuses, which have already been paid out in previous seasons. These numbers change with new signings and contract extensions.

2017

Total Cash: $107,367,417

Base Salaries: $96,670,664
Roster Bonuses: $8,044,253
Workout Bonuses: $2,652,500

2018

Total Cash: $74,998,613

Base Salaries: $66,634,887
Roster Bonuses: $6,273,726
Workout Bonuses: $2.09 million

2019

Total Cash: $50,004,358

Base Salaries: $42,293,769
Roster Bonuses: $5,960,589
Workout Bonuses: $1.75 million

2020

Total Cash: $21.4 million

Base Salaries: $18 million
Roster Bonuses: $2 million
Workout Bonuses: $400,000

Here are the projected salary cap limits for each year. These numbers can change plenty with adjustments to the television deals, but these are good place-holder numbers.

2017: $166 million
2018: $178 million
2019: $190 million
2020: $200 million

These numbers total $734 million, with the 49ers having $253,770,388 in cash spending for 2017-2020 combined. That means the 49ers are at 34.5 percent cash spending for now. So much will change on this, but it’s interesting to at least see where the number is at for the time being.

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.