Looking at a potential franchise tag for Deebo Samuel in 2023, along with what the 49ers 2023 salary cap situation looks like

The 49ers didn’t give into Deebo Samuel’s trade request, so the question is what’s next?

The answer? I don’t know, hopefully they work out a long term deal with him, but this could drag on into the rest of the offseason, all the way up until training camp.

I want to look at what will happen if the 49ers can’t reach a long term extension with him, while also looking at the 49ers current 2023 salary cap outlook.

As of now, the 2023 salary cap is projected to be $225 million, and the franchise tag, according to OverTheCap, is expected to come in at $20.026 million, so let’s look at the 49ers current 2023 salary cap situation.

As of now, the 49ers will have 45 players signed for 2023, for a total cap commitment of $189,694,665, along with $14,984,999 in dead money, for a total cap commitment of $204,679,664, leaving the 49ers $20,320,336 under that $225 million cap, but when you factor in enough players for the top 51 rule, it goes down to $15,820,336.

Now let’s look at those 45 players, and their 2023 cap numbers.

1. LT Trent Williams(2026)- $26,270,000
2. DT Arik Armstead(2024)- $24,346,000
3. MLB Fred Warner(2026)- $18,525,000
4. TE George Kittle(2025)- $18,383,000
5. DE Nick Bosa(2023)- $17,869,000
6. CB Charvarius Ward(2024)- $16,405,000
7. QB Trey Lance(2024)- $9,301,434
8. FB Kyle Juszycyzk(2025)- $6,588,750
9. C Alex Mack(2023)- $5,075,000
10. DT Javon Kinlaw(2023)- $4,928,223
11. WR Brandon Aiyuk(2023)- $3,987,248
12. MLB Oren Burks(2023)- $2,773,000
13. WR/KR/PR Ray-Ray McCloud(2023)- $2,090,000
14. LG Aaron Banks(2024)- $1,929,166
15. SS George Odom(2024)- $1,840,000
16. DE Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,420,343
17. RB Trey Sermon(2024)- $1,328,982
18. CB Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,305,232
19. RB Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,210,621
20. WR Danny Gray(2025)- $1,193,595
21. RT Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,067,792
22. TE Charlie Woerner(2023)- $1,055,258
23. RG Jaylon Moore(2024)- $1,020,759
24. CB Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $1,011,217
25. SS Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $1,000,038
26. RB Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $985,893
27. CB Samuel Womack(2025)- $953,386
28. LG Nick Zakelj(2025)- $926,024
29. NT Kalia Davis(2025)- $908,853
30. CB Tariq Castro-Fields(2025)- $908,853
31. QB Brock Purdy(2025)- $892,665
32. WLB Jeremiah Gemmel(2024)- $876,666
33. SS Leon O’Neal(2024)- $873,333
34. C Dohnovan West(2024)- $873,333
35. WLB Segun Olubi(2024)- $871,000
36. WR Tay Martin(2024)- $870,000
37. WR Taysir Mack(2024)- $870,000
38. FS Tayler Hawkins(2024)- $870,000
39. C Jason Poe(2024)- $870,000
40. DT Kevin Atkins(2024)- $870,000
41. LT Sam Schlueter(2024)- $870,000
42. SLB Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2024)- $870,000
43. TE Garrett Walston(2024)- $870,000
44. CB Qwuantrezz Knight(2024)- $870,000
45. RB Jacob Mason(2024)- $870,000

Of course, the 49ers will have a good amount of free agents, with them listed below.

UFA:

QB Jimmy Garoppolo
QB Nate Sudfeld
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
WR Malik Turner
WR Marcus Johnson
TE Ross Dwelley
TE Tanner Hudson
TE Jordan Matthews
C Jake Brendel
RT Mike McGlinchey
RT Justin Skule
DE Charles Omenihu
DE Kerry Hyder Jr.
DE Kemoko Turay
DE Jordan Willis
DE Samson Ebukam
DE Dee Ford
DT Maurice Hurst Jr.
NT Hassan Ridgeway
WLB Dre Greenlaw
SLB Azeez Al-Shaair
CB Emmanuel Moseley
CB Jason Verrett
CB Dontae Johnson
CB Darqueze Dennard
FS Jimmie Ward
FS Tarvarius Moore
PK Robbie Gould
P Mitch Wishnowsky
LS Taybor Pepper

RFA:

RB JaMycal Hasty
WR KeeSean Johnson
LG Colton McKivitz
RG Keaton Sutherland
DT Kevin Givens
SLB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
CB Ka’dar Hollman

ERFA:

FB Josh Hokit
WR Jauan Jennings
WR Austin Mack
WR Connor Wedington
RT Alfredo Gutierrez
DE Alex Barrett
NT Chris Slayton
WLB Curtis Robinson

So, as you can see, there aren’t many big time must re-sign guys, as a lot of these 1-year deals that the 49ers signed players too, those guys will likely move on, or be back on similar 1-year deals in 2023.

But, the bigger names, like right tackle Mike McGlinchey, defensive end Samson Ebukam, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, & free safety Jimmie Ward would be players the 49ers would like to bring back, but these players will likely cost too much, which is why we saw the 49ers draft potential replacements this past weekend, with 2^nd-round DE Drake Jackson, 4^th-round RT Spencer Burford, & 5th-round CB Samuel Womack, with the only position the 49ers didn’t address being free safety.

The 49ers also didn’t address the linebacker spot, and they have one of the best in the game in Fred Warner locked up long term, while their other starters, Dre Greenlaw, & Azeez Al-Shaair are set to be UFAs, meaning the team may have to choose between the two, if they bring one of them back.

Now, of the teams’ RFAs, & ERFAs, I think the biggest name is ERFA wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who will be back on a 1-year, $940,000 deal/tender.

Now, back to the 49ers 2023 cap situation, they, as I said have 45 players signed, with just under $16 million in actual cap room, so if they do end up having to tag Deebo, which will again cost $20.026 million, they’d need to create a. bit over $4.085 million in cap room, which could come via a potential Nick Bosa extension this offseason, which I feel will get done, as he would be set to play on his 5^th-year option, a fully guaranteed $17.869 million.

Also, we can’t talk the 49ers salary cap without talking about Jimmy Garoppolo, and if you saw my updated projected roster, you’ll see that the 49ers could carryover as much as $11 million of the projected $24.9 million that the 49ers would save with a trade or by releasing him, and this is due to needing $6 million to $8 million for in season roster moves, plus the fact that the team won’t have the entire $24.9 million to carryover or use, as it stands now, barring a contract restructure.

So, getting that $11 million, or potentially more, if the 49ers are able to stay healthy, and/or redo someone like Trent Williams($4.904 million saved), and/or extend Jimmie Ward($6.224 million saved), the 49ers will need every penny for 2023.

So, let’s all hope that this Deebo Samuel situation is resolved with a new long term contract, where his 2023 salary cap number is half of the franchise tag, in the $10 million range, maybe as low as $8 million.

As always, I thank you for reading, leave a comment, or follow me on Twitter @49erscap.

About Author

Jason Hurley

Die Hard 49ers fan from New York, been covering the 49ers salary cap since 2005, with several different websites, including NinersNation.com, & the now defunct NinerCapHell, I have a track record of being as accurate as possible, I try to be as thorough as possible, and you can find me on X/Twitter @49erscap, & on Blue Sky App @49erscap.bsky.social.

See author's posts