The other day I went over the 49ers 2020 cap situation, but what I forgot to factor in that article is that the team must payback numerous per-game roster bonuses that don’t count against the cap, which total up to around $2.9 million.
Another thing is Richard Sherman’s $4 million in incentives, broken down as $1 million for making the pro bowl, $1 million for playing 90% of the defensive snaps, and $2 million for making the all-pro team.
Now, the 49ers are currently $18,537,391 under the 2019 salary cap, but if we factor in the above numbers, it would leave the 49ers with just $11.7 million in cap room, barring any in season roster moves, which is very unlikely that the 49ers don’t make more moves.
In this article, I’ll outline, again, how we can retain our bigger name free agents in 2020, while still being able to extend several key players that I described in the last article.
First off, the 49ers must restructure Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract in 2020, he’s scheduled to make $23.8 million in base salary, by reducing it down to the league minimum of $820,000, and adding 2 years to the deal, to maximize savings, the 49ers would save $19.204 million in salary-cap space.
Some other candidates for restructuring’s are Weston Richburg, Joe Staley, Kwon Alexander, and Dee Ford. But hopefully the 49ers don’t have to restructure any of those deals.
But if the 49ers were to restructure these deals, the max savings are below.
Restructuring Richburg’s deal would save the team $4,606,666 in cap space, and this is assuming they don’t extend Richburg’s deal if they did the max savings would be $5.364 million, this assumes the 49ers add two years onto Richburg’s deal.
If the 49ers didn’t extend Richburg, it would add $1,893,333 to his cap numbers in 2021-2022, while extending Richburg through 2024 would add $1.136 million to his cap numbers.
Restructuring Staley’s deal would save the team $ 5,797,500, but it would add $4,752,500 to his 2021 cap number. I don’t see Staley playing beyond 2021 since he’s currently 35 years old.
Restructuring Alexander’s deal would save the team $7,773,333 in cap space but would add $3,476,666 to his cap numbers in 2021-2022.
Restructuring Ford’s deal would save the team $10,442,500 in cap space but would add $3,207,500 to his salary cap numbers in 2021-2023.
We all know Paraag Marathe is a genius when it comes to the cap, so I’m 110% confident that he will maneuver the cap without any issues.
Now, as I outlined in the last article, the 49ers have several restricted free agents, and exclusive rights free agents that they must tender, namely Matt Breida at the 2nd-round tender, which should come in at $3.278 million, Nick Mullens, Jeff Wilson Jr., Ross Dwelley, and Emmanuel Moseley, all of which are exclusive rights free agents, and would cost $660,000 for Mullens, Wilson, and Dwelley, while $585,000 for Moseley. Another exclusive right free agent is Daniel Brunskill; he would also cost only $585,000.
Now let’s revisit those players worthy of extensions/new contracts.
FB Kyle Juszczyk, who will likely get a deal averaging between $5 million and $5.5 million a year. I expect a new deal to be for an additional four years through 2024
TE George Kittle, who will likely get a deal averaging between $10 million and $12 million a year. I expect a new deal to be for an additional five years through 2025
DT DeForest Buckner, who will likely get a deal averaging around $20 million a year. I expect a new deal to be for an additional six years through 2026
CB Richard Sherman, who will likely get a deal averaging around $9 million to $10 million a year. I expect a new deal to be for an additional three years through 2023
CB Ahkello Witherspoon, who will likely get a deal averaging around $5 million to $7 million a year. I expect the new deal to be for an additional four years through 2024.
The only players who will cost cap space are Kittle, and Witherspoon, while they can convert most of Juszyczk, Buckner, and Sherman’s base salaries into the bonus structure.
Now it’s tough to determine what their cap hits would be, so I’ve left them at what they are, expect Sherman, I’ve added the $4 million incentives that are NLTBE, to LTBE, but the 49ers could save some money with any of these three deals.
I’ve also included salary escalations for Kittle, and Witherspoon in my current 2020 salary cap numbers for the PPE(Proven Performance Escalator), as they’ve played 35% of snaps in the first 2 seasons of their career.
As for overall structure, I’d expect them to somewhat front load Buckner, Witherspoon, and Kittle’s deals, while backloading the other deals.
Besides those players, there are the following pending unrestricted free agents.
DE Arik Armstead, who will likely get a deal averaging $9 million to $12 million a year. I expect him to get a 4-year deal, through 2023.
DE Ronald Blair III, who will likely get a deal averaging around $5 million a year. I expect him to be a 3-year deal through 2022.
The only other UFA I’d want back is TE Levine Toilolo, who would likely sign a 1-year veteran minimum deal, costing $750,000 against the cap.
I also mentioned some cap cut candidates, I included both starting guards, but I highly doubt the 49ers move on from either player, same goes for K’Waun Williams. Jerick McKinnon makes the most sense for a cap cut, but I could see the 49ers redoing McKinnon’s deal, as they did with Malcolm Smith, and hope he recovers, the only issue might be his $2.6 million injury guarantee.
If McKinnon is healthy, the 49ers would save around $3.89 million in cap space, if not healthy, they’d only save $1.29 million.
The last player was Jaquiski Tartt, and after thinking it over, I’d rather hold onto Tartt, as long as his good play continues, and he stays healthy.
Now let’s get back to the salary cap in 2020. I expect the 49ers to get between $5 million and $8 million in adjustments/credits, which is extra cap space?
If the 49ers were to keep everyone I mentioned, including McKinnon, even on his current deal, hoping he gets healthy, it would leave the 49ers with $7.38 million in cap room during the 2020 offseason. That’s before draft picks being signed, but only their 1st-round and the 3rd-round pick would count against the top 51 rule.
This would lock up Buckner, Armstead, Kittle, Sherman, Juszyczk, Witherspoon, and Blair on multi-year deals while keeping their flexibility to add some veterans in free agency.
I don’t see them adding many, if any, big named free agents, but rather continue to build through the draft, this is also why any trade this season makes no sense, as it would deplete their cap room, and leave no carryover for 2020, making it impossible to keep their core together.
Below is the chart I have currently in my workbook for a mock 2020 offseason.
# | Name | Pos. | Signed | 2020 Cap Number |
55 | Ford, Dee | LEO | 2023 | $16,100,000 |
25 | Sherman, Richard | CB | 2024 | $14,050,000 |
56 | Alexander, Kwon | WLB | 2022 | $13,100,000 |
99 | Buckner, DeForest | DT | 2026 | $12,378,000 |
74 | Staley, Joe | LT | 2021 | $11,750,000 |
85 | Kittle, George | TE | 2025 | $10,000,000 |
91 | Armstead, Arik | DE/DT | 2023 | $9,000,000 |
94 | Thomas, Solomon | DE/DT | 2020 | $8,958,213 |
58 | Richburg, Weston | C | 2022 | $8,860,000 |
28 | McKinnon, Jerick | RB | 2021 | $8,550,000 |
10 | Garoppolo, Jimmy | QB | 2024 | $8,360,000 |
97 | Bosa, Nick | DE/LEO | 2022 | $7,625,424 |
44 | Juszczyk, Kyle | FB | 2024 | $6,800,000 |
29 | Tartt, Jaquiski | SS | 2020 | $6,400,000 |
75 | Tomlinson, Laken | LG | 2021 | $5,250,000 |
11 | Goodwin, Marquise | WR | 2021 | $5,125,000 |
9 | Gould, Robbie | PK | 2022 | $5,100,000 |
69 | McGlinchey, Mike | RT | 2021 | $5,002,330 |
98 | Blair III, Ronald | LEO/DT | 2022 | $5,000,000 |
23 | Witherspoon, Ahkello | CB | 2024 | $5,000,000 |
26 | Coleman, Tevin | RB | 2020 | $4,900,000 |
22 | Breida, Matt | RB | 2020 | $3,278,000 |
31 | Mostert, Raheem | RB | 2021 | $3,208,333 |
24 | Williams, K’Waun | CB | 2020 | $3,200,000 |
68 | Person, Mike | RG | 2021 | $2,500,000 |
19 | Samuel, Deebo | WR | 2022 | $1,749,399 |
18 | Pettis, Dante | WR | 2021 | $1,745,608 |
53 | Nzeocha, Mark | SLB | 2021 | $1,500,000 |
3 | Beathard, C.J. | QB | 2020 | $1,122,751 |
54 | Warner, Fred | MLB | 2021 | $1,096,547 |
86 | Nelson, Kyle | LS/TE | 2022 | $975,000 |
17 | Hurd, Jalen | WR/TE | 2022 | $972,655 |
33 | Moore, Tarvarius | FS/CB | 2021 | $896,093 |
95 | Street, Kentavius | DE/NT | 2021 | $812,550 |
15 | Taylor, Trent | WR | 2020 | $785,487 |
6 | Wishnowsky, Mitch | P | 2022 | $776,018 |
93 | Jones, D.J. | NT | 2020 | $771,967 |
83 | Toilolo, Levine | TE | 2020 | $750,000 |
32 | Reed Jr., D.J. | CB/FS | 2021 | $737,843 |
77 | Taylor, Jullian | DT | 2021 | $684,511 |
13 | James Jr., Richie | WR | 2021 | $679,143 |
57 | Greenlaw, Dre | SLB | 2022 | $665,429 |
4 | Mullens, Nick | QB | 2020 | $660,000 |
30 | Wilson Jr., Jeff | RB | 2020 | $660,000 |
40 | Tabor, Teez | CB | 2020 | $660,000 |
47 | Lee, Elijah | SLB | 2020 | $660,000 |
82 | Dwelley, Ross | TE | 2020 | $660,000 |
36 | Harris, Marcell | SS | 2020 | $660,000 |
67 | Skule, Justin | RT/LT | 2022 | $629,887 |
51 | Al-Shaair, Azeez | MLB | 2021 | $590,000 |
41 | Moseley, Emmanuel | CB | 2020 | $585,000 |
60 | Brunskill, Daniel | LG | 2020 | $585,000 |
35 | Harris Jr., Tim | CB | 2022 | $549,577 |
1 | Poindexter, Shawn | WR | 2021 | $511,666 |
90 | Givens, Kevin | DT | 2021 | $510,000 |
45 | Flannigan-Fowles, Demetrius | SLB | 2021 | $510,000 |
76 | Reynolds, Ross | LG | 2021 | $510,000 |
43 | Helm, Daniel | TE | 2021 | $510,000 |
92 | Valoaga, Jeremiah | LEO | 2021 | $510,000 |
7 | Henry, Malik | WR | 2021 | $510,000 |
71 | Jones-Smith, Jaryd | LT | 2021 | $510,000 |
Total | $217,197,431 | ||
Dead | $298,772 | ||
Total and Dead | $217,496,203 | ||
Top 51 Rule | $212,321,203 | ||
2020 Cap | $200,000,000 | ||
Cap Space | $7,380,012 | ||
Effective Cap Room | $2,205,012 | ||
Projected Adjustments | $8,000,000 | ||
2019 Carryover | $11,701,215 | ||
2019 Carryover(Effective) | $11,701,215 | ||
Players Signed | 61 Players |
Dead Money | Amount | ||
Kaden Smith | $150,086 | ||
Marcell Harris | $83,150 | ||
Adrian Colbert | $21,200 | ||
Malik Henry | $10,000 | ||
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles | $8,334 | ||
Kevin Givens | $8,000 | ||
Jamell Garcia-Williams | $6,667 | ||
Tyree Mayfield | $6,667 | ||
Wilton Speight | $3,334 | ||
Ross Reynolds | $1,334 | ||
Total | $298,772 |
Now, as for 2021, I do have the 49ers over the cap, but this has the cap hits for the seven players I mentioned earlier being their APYs, which I doubt that happens, namely Buckner having a $20 million cap hit in 2021.
# | Name | Pos. | Signed | 2021 Cap Number |
10 | Garoppolo, Jimmy | QB | 2022 | $31,460,000 |
99 | Buckner, DeForest | DT | 2025 | $20,000,000 |
55 | Ford, Dee | LEO | 2023 | $17,600,000 |
56 | Alexander, Kwon | WLB | 2022 | $14,400,000 |
74 | Staley, Joe | LT | 2021 | $12,500,000 |
58 | Richburg, Weston | C | 2022 | $10,210,000 |
85 | Kittle, George | TE | 2025 | $10,000,000 |
28 | McKinnon, Jerick | RB | 2021 | $9,200,000 |
97 | Bosa, Nick | DE/LEO | 2022 | $9,150,509 |
91 | Armstead, Arik | DE/DT | 2023 | $9,000,000 |
25 | Sherman, Richard | CB | 2022 | $9,000,000 |
11 | Goodwin, Marquise | WR | 2021 | $6,475,000 |
75 | Tomlinson, Laken | LG | 2021 | $6,250,000 |
69 | McGlinchey, Mike | RT | 2021 | $5,836,052 |
9 | Gould, Robbie | PK | 2022 | $5,250,000 |
98 | Blair III, Ronald | LEO/DT | 2022 | $5,000,000 |
23 | Witherspoon, Ahkello | CB | 2024 | $5,000,000 |
44 | Juszyzck, Kyle | FB | 2024 | $5,000,000 |
31 | Mostert, Raheem | RB | 2021 | $3,508,334 |
68 | Person, Mike | RG | 2021 | $3,000,000 |
19 | Samuel, Deebo | WR | 2022 | $2,099,279 |
18 | Pettis, Dante | WR | 2021 | $2,036,543 |
53 | Nzeocha, Mark | SLB | 2021 | $1,600,000 |
54 | Warner, Fred | MLB | 2021 | $1,234,547 |
17 | Hurd, Jalen | WR/TE | 2022 | $1,167,186 |
86 | Nelson, Kyle | LS/TE | 2022 | $1,045,000 |
33 | Moore, Tarvarius | FS/CB | 2021 | $980,093 |
95 | Street, Kentavius | DE/NT | 2021 | $902,550 |
6 | Wishnowsky, Mitch | P | 2022 | $866,018 |
32 | Reed Jr., D.J. | CB/FS | 2021 | $827,843 |
77 | Taylor, Jullian | DT | 2021 | $774,511 |
13 | James Jr., Richie | WR | 2021 | $769,143 |
57 | Greenlaw, Dre | SLB | 2022 | $755,429 |
67 | Skule, Justin | RT/LT | 2022 | $719,887 |
35 | Harris Jr., Tim | CB | 2022 | $714,577 |
51 | Al-Shaair, Azeez | MLB | 2021 | $680,000 |
1 | Poindexter, Shawn | WR | 2021 | $676,668 |
Total | $215,689,169 | ||
Dead | $0 | ||
Total and Dead | $215,689,169 | ||
2021 Cap | $210,000,000 | ||
Cap Space | -$5,689,169 | ||
Effective Cap Room | -$5,689,169 | ||
Players under contract | 37 Players |
So again, in conclusion, don’t expect any deals for big names via trades this trade deadline.
And in 2021, the 49ers have several free agents, namely K’Waun Williams, Matt Breida, Solomon Thomas, D.J. Jones, C.J. Beathard, and Trent Taylor, while Nick Mullens, Jeff WIlson Jr., Ross Dwelley, would be restricted free agents, and Emmanuel Moseley would be an exclusive rights free agent again.
In 2021, the 49ers will likely decline the option on Jerick McKinnon, that’s of course if they don’t release him in 2020, which will save the team $7.2 million in cap room.