With the 49ers set to face the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round this Sunday at 6:30 PM EST/3:30 PM PST, on FOX, from Levi’s Stadium, I thought I’d take another look at the 49ers 2023 salary cap situation.
Right now, the 49ers have 34 players signed for 2023, accounting for $200,116,817, with $17,085,988 in dead money, for a total cap commitment of $217,202,805, with the cap set to be over $220 million, likely in the $225 million, I have the 49ers $19,262,992 under, but that’s with just 34 players signed, when you add in enough for 51, they’re down to $6,512,992, this does include potential carryover, which I have at $5,278,420, and adjustments/credits, which I have at $6,187,377.
Below are the 34 players, plus their 2023 cap number.
- QB 5 Trey Lance(2024)- $9,301,434
- QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $889,253
- RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025)- $12,000,000
- RB 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $985,893
- RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,161,033
- RB 24 Jordan Mason(2024)- $873,333
- FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $6,565,221
- WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2025)- $8,653,529
- WR 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023)- $3,987,248
- WR/KR/PR 3 Ray-Ray McCloud III(2023)- $2,090,000
- WR 6 Danny Gray(2025)- $1,146,569
- TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $18,033,751
- TE 89 Charlie Woerner(2023)- $1,055,258
- LG 65 Aaron Banks(2024)- $1,929,166
- LG 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)- $917,590
- RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,038,014
- LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $27,227,424
- RT 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)- $1,020,759
- DE 97 Nick Bosa(2023)- $17,859,000
- DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,339,180
- DT 91 Arik Armstead(2024)- $23,993,059
- DT/NT 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023)- $4,928,223
- NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $783,003
- WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)- $5,648,558
- MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $18,525,000
- MLB 48 Oren Burks(2023)- $2,773,000
- CB 7 Charvarius Ward(2024)- $16,405,000
- CB 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,305,232
- CB 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $1,011,217
- CB 26 Samuel Womack III(2025)- $940,831
- CB – A.J. Parker(2023)- $940,000
- SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $1,000,038
- SS 30 George Odum(2024)- $2,090,000
- P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $1,700,000
The 49ers have several free agents, with them listed below.
UFA:
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
QB Josh Johnson
TE Ross Dwelley
TE Tyler Kroft
TE Jordan Matthews
C Jake Brendel
RG Daniel Brunskill
RT Mike McGlinchey
DE Jordan Willis
DE Samson Ebukam
DE Kerry Hyder Jr.
DE Charles Omenihu
DT T.Y. McGill Jr.
DT Maurice Hurst Jr.
NT Hassan Ridgeway
SLB Azeez Al-Shaair
CB Emmanuel Moseley
CB Jason Verrett
FS Jimmie Ward
FS Tashaun Gipson Sr.
FS Tarvarius Moore
PK Robbie Gould
LS Taybor Pepper
RFA:
LT Colton McKivitz
DT Kevin Givens
SLB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
ERFA:
WR Jauan Jennings
Practice Squad FA:
RB Tevin Coleman
WR Tay Martin
WR Willie Snead IV
WR Dazz Newsome
C Keith Ismael
RG Jason Poe
LT Leroy Watson
RT Alfredo Gutierrez
DE Alex Barrett
DE Kemoko Turay
DT Michael Dwumfour
DT Akeem Spence
WLB Curtis Robinson
SLB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
CB Dontae Johnson
CB Qwuantrezz Knight
CB Janoris Jenkins
FS Tayler Hawkins
Let’s begin with the 49ers restricted, & exclusive right free agents, in order to tender them, they’ll need to give $2.629 million tenders to defensive tackle Kevin Givens, & strongside linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, $2.745 million tender to left tackle Colton McKivitz, and a $940,000 ERFA tender to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, which amounts to $8.943 million, which would put the 49ers $11,706,572 under, but with just 38 players signed/tendered, or $1,956,572 under with 51 players signed.
Now, if the 49ers sign all 18 of their practice squad players to reserve/future deals, which isn’t a guarantee, they would be $76,572 under with 56 players signed, enough for the top 51, meaning they’ll need to do some contract maneuvering to get more cap room to sign any free agents.
The obvious candidates are below for restructures.
RB Christian McCaffrey – $8.576 million max, $7,146,666 minimum
TE George Kittle – $8.456 million max, $7,927,500 minimum
LT Trent Williams – $14.588 million max, $13,676,250 minimum
DT Arik Armstead – $11.78 million max, $11,043,750 minimum
MLB Fred Warner – $9.476 million max, $8,883,750 minimum
I don’t see them redoing either George Kittle, or Arik Armstead’s deals, as they redid them last offseason to get under the cap, so it would just add more future dead money, and/or make them uncuttable, which leaves McCaffrey, Williams, & Warner as candidates, with McCaffrey & Warner being the two I would restructure, giving the team $18.052 million in cap relief, giving them $18,128,572 in available salary cap room to re-sign and/or sign outside free agents.
And to be honest, $18.128 million is more than enough money to re-sign, and/or sign outside free agents, as any deal will have a low year 1 cap number, with some NLTBE incentives.
Of the teams’ unrestricted free agents, I see the following guys as players they’d most likely would want to keep, tight end Tyler Kroft, center Jake Brendel, right guard Daniel Brunskill, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, defensive ends Charles Omenihu, Samson Ebukam, Kerry Hyder Jr., & Jordan Willis, defensive tackle T.Y. McGill Jr., nose tackle Hassan Ridgeway, strongside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, & free safeties Jimmie Ward, & Tashaun Gipson Sr.
Now, the 49ers are expected to have 11 draft picks for the 2023 NFL Draft, with them below.
These will change based on where the 49ers finish in the playoffs.
3rd-Round – #99th (Compensatory Pick for losing Robert Saleh/Martin Mayhew)
3rd-Round – #101st (Compensatory Pick for losing Mike McDaniel)
3rd-Round – #102nd (Compensatory Pick for losing Ran Carthon)
5th-Round – #156th (from Miami Dolphins)
5th-Round – #164th (Own Pick)
5th-Round – #173rd (Compensatory Pick for losing D.J. Jones)
6th-Round – #216th (Compensatory Pick for losing Arden Key)
7th-Round – #224th (from Denver Broncos)
7th-Round – #248th (Own Pick)
7th-Round – #254th (Compensatory Pick for losing Raheem Mostert)
7th-Round – #256th (Compensatory Pick for losing K’Waun Williams)
Below are the projected cap numbers, in table format.
| Pick | 2023 Cap | 2023 Base | 2023 SB | 2024 Cap | 2024 Base | 2024 SB | 2025 Cap | 2025 Base | 2025 SB | 2026 Cap | 2026 Base | 2026 SB |
| Round 3(#99th) | $980,991 | $750,000 | $230,991 | $1,226,239 | $995,248 | $230,991 | $1,471,487 | $1,240,496 | $230,991 | $1,716,735 | $1,485,744 | $230,991 |
| Round 3(#101st) | $980,991 | $750,000 | $230,991 | $1,226,239 | $995,248 | $230,991 | $1,471,487 | $1,240,496 | $230,991 | $1,716,735 | $1,485,744 | $230,991 |
| Round 3(#102nd) | $980,991 | $750,000 | $230,991 | $1,226,239 | $995,248 | $230,991 | $1,471,487 | $1,240,496 | $230,991 | $1,716,735 | $1,485,744 | $230,991 |
| Round 5(#156th) | $834,452 | $750,000 | $84,452 | $999,452 | $915,000 | $84,452 | $1,114,452 | $1,030,000 | $84,452 | $1,229,452 | $1,145,000 | $84,452 |
| Round 5(#164th) | $827,084 | $750,000 | $77,084 | $992,084 | $915,000 | $77,084 | $1,107,084 | $1,030,000 | $77,084 | $1,222,084 | $1,145,000 | $77,084 |
| Round 5(#173rd) | $815,992 | $750,000 | $65,992 | $980,992 | $915,000 | $65,992 | $1,095,992 | $1,030,000 | $65,992 | $1,210,992 | $1,145,000 | $65,992 |
| Round 6(#216th) | $785,917 | $750,000 | $35,917 | $950,917 | $915,000 | $35,917 | $1,065,917 | $1,030,000 | $35,917 | $1,180,917 | $1,145,000 | $35,917 |
| Round 7(#224th) | $779,738 | $750,000 | $29,738 | $944,738 | $915,000 | $29,738 | $1,059,738 | $1,030,000 | $29,738 | $1,174,738 | $1,145,000 | $29,738 |
| Round 7(#248th) | $771,726 | $750,000 | $21,726 | $936,726 | $915,000 | $21,726 | $1,051,726 | $1,030,000 | $21,726 | $1,166,726 | $1,145,000 | $21,726 |
| Round 7(#254th) | $770,952 | $750,000 | $20,952 | $935,952 | $915,000 | $20,952 | $1,050,952 | $1,030,000 | $20,952 | $1,165,952 | $1,145,000 | $20,952 |
| Round 7(#256th) | $770,952 | $750,000 | $20,952 | $935,952 | $915,000 | $20,952 | $1,050,952 | $1,030,000 | $20,952 | $1,165,952 | $1,145,000 | $20,952 |
| TOTAL | $9,299,786 | $8,250,000 | $1,049,786 | $11,355,530 | $10,305,744 | $1,049,786 | $13,011,274 | $11,961,488 | $1,049,786 | $14,667,018 | $13,617,232 | $1,049,786 |
Their expected cap pool, for now, is $9,299,786, but only their 3rd round picks would count during the offseason, so there’s no real reason to worry about signing their draft picks.
The team also will have to decide on 5th-year options for Brandon Aiyuk($13.988 million), & Javon Kinlaw($8.432 million), plus they will need to extend Nick Bosa, who is set to count $17.859 million, which I expect them to get that cap number down to around $10 million to $12 million, with a $14 million to $16 million cap hit in 2024, so they’ll save some cap room this year, which would likely be used to sign their draft picks.
With that said, I’ll leave it at that, as the 49ers have business to take care of still, looking to move onto the NFC Championship game, with hopes of reaching, and winning Super Bowl 57.
Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @49erscap.
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