Updated look at the 49ers 2023 salary cap situation, plus team needs, & early roster projection

This evening I feel it’s time to go over the 49ers current 2023 salary cap situation, where they stand as far as salary cap room, and what players are making what amount against the cap, my remaining team needs, and my projected roster, so let’s begin.

The 49ers have 65 players signed for 2023, with $2,403,686 in salary cap space, and below are the players signed for 2023, and their current cap number.

1. QB 5 Trey Lance(2024)- $9,301,434
2. QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $889,253
3. QB 14 Sam Darnold(2023)- $5,052,941
4. RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025)- $12,000,000
5. RB 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $985,893
6. RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,161,033
7. RB 24 Jordan Mason(2024)- $873,333
8. FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $6,565,221
9. WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2025)- $8,653,529
10. WR 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023)- $3,987,248
11. WR 15 Jauan Jennings(2023)- $940,000
12. WR/KR/PR 3 Ray-Ray McCloud III(2023)- $2,090,000
13. WR 6 Danny Gray(2025)- $1,146,569
14. WR 86 Tay Martin(2023)- $750,000
15. WR 84 Dazz Newsome(2023)- $870,000
16. WR – Tyron Johnson(2023)- $1,010,000
17. TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $18,033,751
18. TE 89 Charlie Woerner(2023)- $1,055,258
19. TE 82 Ross Dwelley(2023)- $1,080,000
20. C 64 Jake Brendel(2026)- $2,772,000
21. C – Jon Feliciano(2023)- $2,250,000
22. C 67 Keith Ismael(2023)- $940,000
23. LG 65 Aaron Banks(2024)- $1,929,166
24. LG 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)- $917,590
25. RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,038,014
26. RG 62 Jason Poe(2023)- $750,000
27. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $27,227,424
28. LT – Matt Pryor(2023)- $990,000
29. LT 78 Leroy Watson(2023)- $750,000
30. RT 68 Colton McKivitz(2024)- $1,515,412
31. RT 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)- $1,020,759
32. RT 77 Alfredo Gutierrez(2023)- $750,000
33. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2023)- $17,859,000
34. DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,339,180
35. DE 94 Clelin Ferrell(2023)- $2,460,000
36. DE 58 Alex Barrett(2023)- $870,000
37. DE — Austin Bryant(2023)- $965,000
38. DT 91 Arik Armstead(2024)- $23,755,883
39. DT 90 Kevin Givens(2023)- $2,000,000
40. DT/NT 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023)- $4,928,223
41. DT/NT 96 T.Y. McGill Jr.(2023)- $940,000
42. NT/DT 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)- $6,615,000
43. NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $783,003
44. SLB 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2023)- $1,885,000
45. SLB 40 Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2023)- $750,000
46. WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)- $5,648,558
47. WLB 59 Curtis Robinson(2023)- $940,000
48. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $9,049,000
49. MLB 48 Oren Burks(2023)- $2,773,000
50. CB 7 Charvarius Ward(2024)- $6,421,000
51. CB 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,305,232
52. CB 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $1,011,217
53. CB – Isaiah Oliver(2024)- $1,686,000
54. CB 26 Samuel Womack III(2025)- $940,831
55. CB 43 Qwuantrezz Knight(2023)- $750,000
56. CB – A.J. Parker(2023)- $940,000
57. CB – Tre Swilling(2023)- $750,000
58. FS 31 Tashaun Gipson Sr.(2023)- $2,100,000
59. FS 41 Tayler Hawkins(2023)- $750,000
60. FS – Myles Hartsfield(2023)- $1,010,000
61. SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $1,000,038
62. SS 30 George Odum(2024)- $2,090,000
63. PK — Zane Gonzalez(2023)- $1,465,000
64. P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $1,700,000
65. LS 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)- $1,225,000

Now, below are the 49ers remaining team needs in my eyes.

Quarterback: The 49ers still need to bring in another QB or 2, not to compete, but to be the 3rd QB this season, likely on the practice squad, someone acquired through the draft or as a UDFA.

Tight End: The team needs to add a better #2 TE to this team, someone who can do the same things George Kittle does, which is a good receiver, & blocker, right now they have just Kittle, Dwelley, & Woerner under contract, so look for them to add 1 more in the draft or free agency.

Interior Offensive Line: The 49ers could bring in someone to battle it out with the likes of Nick Zakelj, & Jason Poe, or they could be looking to bring in a center of the future if they don’t see Zakelj or Poe as that guy.

Right Tackle: The 49ers brought back Colton McKivitz, but he’s not guaranteed the starting right tackle spot, so expect the team to either sign a cheap veteran to compete, or at least draft someone that they can develop.

EDGE: The 49ers brought in Clelin Ferrell, & Austin Bryant, but the team lost Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu, & Jordan Willis, while Kerry Hyder Jr. is still a free agent, so the team needs to add some much needed EDGE rush depth, or even someone to either start over Drake Jackson, or push Jackson.

Linebacker: This isn’t a big pressing need, but if the 49ers want to keep 6 linebackers, instead of the usual 5, then they probably draft someone to come in and compete, while also adding 1-2 as UDFAs, as they only, in my eyes, have 4 locks at linebacker.

Free Safety: The 49ers brought back Gipson, but they need to find a free safety of the future, and the draft makes the most sense, plus they have a former UDFA that I like a lot in Tayler Hawkins, but still look for them to add a young safety.

Place Kicker: With the addition of Zane Gonzalez, I still expect the 49ers to add a kicker through the draft or as an undrafted free agent to compete with Zane, as his $1.465 million isn’t guaranteed at all.

Finally, my projected 53 man roster, as of now.

OFFENSE:

QB(2): 5 Trey Lance(2024), & 14 Sam Darnold(2023) [13 Brock Purdy(2025)-PUP]

RB(4): 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025), 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024), 24 Jordan Mason(2024), & 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)

FB(1): 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)

WR(5): 19 Deebo Samuel(2025), 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2024), 15 Jauan Jennings(2023), 3 Ray-Ray McCloud III(2023), & 6 Danny Gray(2025)

TE(3): 85 George Kittle(2025), 82 Ross Dwelley(2023), & Draft Pick(2026)

C(2): 64 Jake Brendel(2026), & — Jon Feliciano(2023)

LG(2): 65 Aaron Banks(2024), & 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)

RG(2): 74 Spencer Burford(2025), & 62 Jason Poe(2023)

LT(1): 71 Trent Williams(2026)

RT(2): 68 Colton McKivitz(2024), & Draft Pick(2026)

DEFENSE:

DE(5): 97 Nick Bosa(2023), 94 Clelin Ferrell(2023), 95 Drake Jackson(2025), — Austin Bryant(2023), & Draft Pick(2026)

DT(3): 91 Arik Armstead(2024), 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023), & 90 Kevin Givens(2023)

NT(2): 98 Javon Hargrave(2026), & 93 Kalia Davis(2025)

WLB(1): 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)

MLB(2): 54 Fred Warner(2026), & 48 Oren Burks(2023)

SLB(2): 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2023), & 40 Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2023)

CB(5): 7 Charvarius Ward(2024), 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024), — Isaiah Oliver(2024), 26 Samuel Womack III(2025), 43 Qwuantrezz Knight(2023), & Draft Pick(2026)

FS(3): 31 Tashaun Gipson Sr.(2023), — Myles Hartsfield(2023), & Draft Pick(2026)

SS(2): 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024), & 30 George Odum(2024)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

PK(1): — Zane Gonzalez(2023) or Draft Pick(2026)

P(1): 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)

LS(1): 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)

Summary: Of my 53-man roster, I have 42 players who I view as locks to make the 2023 roster, plus Brock Purdy, which can be found here, while I have the team with only 11 open roster spots, mostly being made up of guys like Tyrion Davis-Price, Jason Poe, Marcelino McCrary-Ball, & Qwuantrezz Knight, and draft picks, as I see the team only keeping a certain number, as there isn’t much holes to fill in the draft, so look for them to trade up, down, and really all around/over the board, while tough cuts would be the likes of Matt Pryor, Jaylon Moore, Charlie Woerner, T.Y. McGill Jr., and Ambry Thomas.

Extras: On Saturday, the 49ers have a key decision to make, they must decide whether to exercise Trent Williams’ 2024-2026 contract option years, plus 4 players will have money in their base salary become fully guaranteed, Ray-Ray McCloud III($1.08 million), Dre Greenlaw($3 million), George Odum($665,000), & Mitch Wishnowsky($1.1 million)

With that said, I thank you for reading, and follow me on Twitter @49erscap, for more salary cap information, & tidbits.

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.

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