The NFL has made its way through the first weekend following the start of free agency, and we are settling into a relatively quiet period. There are plenty of transactions still to be completed, but we have moved past the phase of big names and big dollars. We’ll see the occasional notable name and the occasional big dollar figure, but for the most part, signings moving forward will be more depth and low level starter related.
The San Francisco 49ers made three additions to their roster over the past week, signing center Weston Richburg, running back Jerick McKinnon, and edge rusher Jerry Attaouchu. They also re-signed Brock Coyle, traded Daniel Kilgore, and signed Richard Sherman. It was a busy week, even with only two big money signings.
As the new week gets rolling, it’s time for another salary cap update. The NFLPA public salary cap report lists the 49ers with $45,123,954 in cap space. That is based on all the contracts and other transactions the NFLPA has officially processed.
By comparison, Over The Cap lists the 49ers with $39,891,451 in cap space. The NFLPA has not processed the Attaochu signing, and would appear to be missing full details on some other deals for the time being.
Whatever the case, the 49ers have a sizable chunk of cap space remaining. They rank eighth on the NFLPA report, and seventh on the OTC list. They’ve got a sizable chunk of money left, even when we factor in the money they will spend on their draft picks. It provides room for some depth signings, but more importantly, leaves the door open for in-house contract extensions.
The 2015 draft class is eligible for contract extensions this offseason. Right tackle Trent Brown is the name we’ve talked about most, but safety Jaquiski Tartt could work his way into one as well. The team has a decision to make on Arik Armstead’s option, but paying for that won’t matter until 2019. That year would also bring decisions on DeForest Buckner and Joshua Garnett’s options, as well as whether or not to extend Ronald Blair. There are some decisions to make, and the cap room will prove helpful.