Updated 49ers 2023 53-man roster projection, with practice squad, & injured lists, plus 2023 & 2024 salary cap implications, post preseason week 1

Now that the 49ers have played their first preseason game, in which they lost 34-7, it’s time for an updated 53-man roster projection.

The team has the following 95 players signed, with their cap numbers listed.

1. QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $889,253
2. QB 5 Trey Lance(2024)- $9,301,434
3. QB 14 Sam Darnold(2023)- $5,711,765
4. QB 4 Brandon Allen(2023)- $1,092,500
5. RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025)- $3,424,000
6. RB 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $985,893
7. RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,161,033
8. RB 24 Jordan Mason(2024)- $873,333
9. RB 35 Ronald Awatt(2025)- $750,666
10. RB 36 Khalan Laborn(2025)- $753,333
11. FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $6,565,221
12. FB 33 Jack Colletto(2025)- $753,333
13. WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2025)- $8,653,529
14. WR 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023)- $3,987,248
15. WR 15 Jauan Jennings(2023)- $940,000
16. WR/KR/PR 3 Ray-Ray McCloud III(2023)- $2,090,000
17. WR 6 Danny Gray(2025)- $1,146,569
18. WR 86 Tay Martin(2023)- $750,000
19. WR 84 Dazz Newsome(2023)- $870,000
20. WR 17 Chris Conley(2023)- $1,092,500
21. WR 83 Willie Snead IV(2023)- $965,000
22. WR 10 Ronnie Bell(2026)- $770,482
23. WR 2 Isaiah Winstead(2025)- $750,333
24. TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $18,033,751
25. TE 89 Charlie Woerner(2023)- $1,055,258
26. TE 82 Ross Dwelley(2023)- $1,080,000
27. TE 81 Cameron Latu(2026)- $975,805
28. TE 9 Brayden Willis(2026)- $771,039
29. TE 88 Troy Fumagalli(2023)- $940,000
30. C 64 Jake Brendel(2026)- $2,272,000
31. C 55 Jon Feliciano(2023)- $3,250,000
32. C 67 Keith Ismael(2023)- $940,000
33. C 61 Corey Luciano(2025)- $751,666
34. LG 65 Aaron Banks(2024)- $1,929,166
35. LG 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)- $917,590
36. LG 60 Ilm Manning(2025)- $755,000
37. RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,038,014
38. RG 51 Jason Poe(2023)- $750,000
39. RG 66 Joey Fisher(2025)- $755,000
40. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $27,227,424
41. LT 75 Matt Pryor(2023)- $990,000
42. LT 78 Leroy Watson IV(2023)- $750,000
43. RT 68 Colton McKivitz(2024)- $1,515,412
44. RT 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)- $1,020,759
45. RT 77 Alfredo Gutierrez(2023)- $750,000
46. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2023)- $17,859,000
47. DE/DT 92 Kerry Hyder Jr.(2023)- $940,000
48. DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,339,180
49. DE 94 Clelin Ferrell(2023)- $2,460,000
50. DE 58 Alex Barrett(2023)- $870,000
51. DE 56 Austin Bryant(2023)- $965,000
52. DE 55 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)- $814,510
53. DE 69 Spencer Wage(2025)- $753,333
54. DE 66 Darryl Johnson Jr.(2023)- $500,000 [IR]
55. DE 77 Taco Charlton(2023)- $940,000
56. DE 66 Daelin Hayes(2023)- $475,000 [IR]
57. DT 91 Arik Armstead(2024)- $23,755,883
58. DT 90 Kevin Givens(2023)- $2,000,000
59. DT/NT 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023)- $4,928,223
60. DT/NT 96 T.Y. McGill Jr.(2023)- $940,000
61. DT 62 Marlon Davidson(2023)- $940,000
62. NT/DT 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)- $6,595,000
63. NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $783,003
64. SLB 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2023)- $1,825,000
65. SLB 40 Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2023)- $750,000
66. SLB 53 Dee Winters(2026)- $785,110
67. SLB 50 Jalen Graham(2026)- $770,482
68. WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)- $5,648,558
69. WLB 59 Curtis Robinson(2023)- $940,000
70. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $9,049,000
71. MLB 48 Oren Burks(2023)- $2,773,000
72. CB 7 Charvarius Ward(2024)- $6,421,000
73. CB 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,305,232
74. CB 2 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $1,011,217
75. CB 26 Isaiah Oliver(2024)- $1,686,000
76. CB 0 Samuel Womack III(2025)- $940,831
77. CB 43 Qwuantrezz Knight(2023)- $750,000
78. CB 47 A.J. Parker(2023)- $940,000
79. CB 35 Tre Swilling(2023)- $750,000
80. CB 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)- $832,555 [PUP]
81. CB 22 D’Shawn Jamison(2025)- $756,666
82. CB 49 Terrance Mitchell(2023)- $500,000 [IR]
83. CB 49 Anthony Averett(2023)- $500,000 [IR]
84. CB 36 Nate Brooks(2023)- $750,000
85. FS 31 Tashaun Gipson Sr.(2023)- $2,100,000
86. FS 41 Tayler Hawkins(2023)- $750,000
87. FS 38 Myles Hartsfield(2023)- $1,010,000
88. FS 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026)- $993,368
89. FS 36 Avery Young(2025)- $751,666
90. SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $1,000,038
91. SS 30 George Odum(2024)- $2,340,000
92. PK 10 Zane Gonzalez(2023)- $1,465,000
93. PK 4 Jake Moody(2026)- $975,805
94. P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $1,700,000
95. LS 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)- $1,225,000

Below is my updated roster projection.

OFFENSE:

QB(3): 13 Brock Purdy(2025), 5 Trey Lance(2024), & 14 Sam Darnold(2023)

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

FB(1): 44 Kyle Juszcyzk(2025)

WR(6): 19 Deebo Samuel(2025), 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2024), 15 Jauan Jennings(2023), 6 Danny Gray(2025), 10 Ronnie Bell(2026), & 17 Chris Conley(2023)

TE(3): 85 George Kittle(2025), 82 Ross Dwelley(2023), 81 Cameron Latu(2026), & 9 Brayden Willis(2026)

C(2): 64 Jake Brendel(2026), & 55 Jon Feliciano(2023)

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

RG(1): 74 Spencer Burford(2025)

LT(2): 71 Trent Williams(2026), & 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)

RT(1): 68 Colton McKivitz(2024)

DEFENSE:

DE(6): 97 Nick Bosa(2023), 95 Drake Jackson(2025), 94 Clelin Ferrell(2023), 56 Austin Bryant(2023), 92 Kerry Hyder Jr.(2023, & 58 Alex Barrett(2023)

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

NT(1): 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)

WLB(1): 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)

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

SLB(2): 40 Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2023), & 53 Dee Winters(2026)

CB(5): 7 Charvarius Ward(2024), 2 Deommodore Lenoir(2024), 26 Isaiah Oliver(2024), 0 Samuel Womack III(2025), & 22 D’Shawn Jamison(2025)

FS(2): 31 Tashaun Gipson Sr.(2023), & 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026)

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

SPECIAL TEAMS:

PK(1): 4 Jake Moody(2026)

P(1): 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)

LS(1): 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)

PUP:

CB 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)- Bone Bruise

IR:

WR 3 Ray-Ray McCloud III(2023)- Broken Wrist (Short Term IR)

DE 55 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)- Unknown Minor Injury (Short Term IR)

DE 66 Darryl Johnson Jr.(2023)- Unknown Injury

DE 78 Daelin Hayes(2023)- Unknown Injury

NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- Unknown Minor Injury (Short Term IR)

CB 49 Anthony Averett(2023)- Unknown Injury

PRACTICE SQUAD:

1. QB 4 Brandon Allen*
2. RB 36 Khalan Laborn
3. FB 33 Jack Colletto
4. WR 83 Willie Snead IV*
5. WR 86 Tay Martin
6. TE 89 Charlie Woerner*
7. C 61 Corey Luciano
8. RG 51 Jason Poe
9. RG 66 Joey Fisher
10. LT 75 Matt Pryor*
11. LT 78 Leroy Watson IV
12. RT 77 Alfredo Gutierrez**
13. DE 77 Taco Charlton*
14. DE 69 Spencer Waege
15. DT 96 T.Y. McGill Jr.*
16. SLB 50 Jalen Graham
17. CB 43 Qwuantrezz Knight

For the 49ers 2023 salary cap, they would have $219,962,205 in committed salaries for 78 players, with another $19,962,205 in dead money, a total cap commitment of $239,676,678, putting them $2,156,419 over their $237,520,268 adjusted salary cap for 2022, but this is before Nick Bosa’s pending extension, which I expect the team to use a $35 million signing bonus, which would lower Bosa’s cap hit by $9.779 million, putting the team $7,622,581, but this also doesn’t include split salaries for Luter, Beal, & Davis, so they should get less for the weeks they’re out,

This also doesn’t account for the likely injury settlements for Darryl Johnson Jr., Daelin Hayes, and Anthony Averett, who combine for $1.475 million.

Next up is 2024, and with the Nick Bosa extension pending, I still believe the cap number for 2024 will come in around $12 million, which would give them 42 players signed, with a commitment of $271,286,054, plus $1,950,163 in dead money, for a total commitment of $273,236,217, putting them $17,236,217 over the projected 2024 salary cap of $256 million, with 42 players signed, and with 51 signed, they’d be $24,391,217 over that $256 million number.

I also need to mention that the 49ers have 4 players that could/will see base salary increases, Elijah Mitchell, Aaron Banks, Deommodore Lenoir, and Talanoa Hufanga, with Hufanga already guaranteed to see his base salary escalate to the 2^nd-round RFA tender level, which would be $4.901 million.

Now, for Mitchell, Banks, & Lenoir, they would likely see their base salaries escalate to the original round tender level, which is projected to be $3.124 million, so all in all, that’s an extra $9,533,416 added to team commitments, putting them $26,769,633 over with 42 players signed, and $33,924,633 over with 51 players signed.

Now, the team will have to rework contracts to get under the 2024 salary cap, especially if they want to keep their core together, and below are their options.

RB Christian McCaffrey – $8,472,000 (Restructure)

FB Kyle Juszcyzk – $3,632,000 (Restructure)

WR Deebo Samuel – $15,877,600 (Restructure)

TE George Kittle – $9,752,000 (Restructure)

LT Trent Williams – $15,072,000 (Restructure)

DT Arik Armstead – $12,960,000 (Extension or Restructure)

NT Javon Hargrave – $6,140,000 (Restructure)

MLB Fred Warner – $11,340,000 (Restructure)

WLB Dre Greenlaw – $5,580,000 (Extension or Restructure)

CB Charvarius Ward – $9,148,000 (Extension or Restructure)

My ideal way of making cap room is to extend Arik Armstead, Dre Greenlaw, & Charvarius Ward, saving the team $27.688 million, while also redoing Deebo Samuel’s deal, saving the team $15,877,600, for a total of $43,565,600, putting the 49ers $16,795,967 under with 42 players signed, or $9,640,967 under with 51 players signed.

Of course, this doesn’t include any projected carryover, which would be in the $4 million range with my roster projection, or any adjustments/credits, from players given guarantees in their base salaries, which should look something like this.

Veterans on the practice squad.

QB Brandon Allen – $200,000

WR Willie Snead IV – $250,000

DT T.Y. McGill Jr. – $370,800 of $400,000

That’s a total of $820,800.

As for UDFAs on the practice squad.

RB Khalan Laborn – $35,000

FB Jack Colletto – $100,000

C Corey Luciano – $5,000

G Joey Fisher – $115,000

That’s $255,000, added to the $1,562,400, for a total of $1,817,400.

So, if we add the $1,075,800 adjustments to the $4 million projected carryover, that’s an additional $5,075,800 in cap room, putting the team $21,871,767 under with 42 players signed, and $14,716,767 with 51 players signed.

Now, the team will most definitely tender wide receiver Jauan Jennings at the 2^nd-round RFA level, which would be $4.901 million, putting the team $17,765,767 with 43 players signed, or $9,815,767 with 51 players signed.

I also didn’t mention any incentives that currently count against the 2023 salary cap, or incentives that don’t count, so they may be able to recoup some of the $3.3 million in LTBE incentives, especially the $1.8 million from Sam Darnold, or the $1 million from Jon Feliciano, but I’d rather not try to guesstimate what the numbers could be, or what the 49ers could lose if certain players hit their incentives, which I did an article on, and can be found here.

With that said, I think I’ll stop right there, as the team will have enough cap room next year, even if they have to restructure guys like George Kittle, & Trent Williams, if they can’t get Armstead, Greenlaw, & Ward extended before next March, plus the team will be looking to extend the likes of Aaron Banks, Deommodore Lenoir, & Talanoa Hufanga, all who will be on expiring deals, and of course Brandon Aiyuk, who has a $14.124 million cap hit for 2024, which should be lowered with an extension sometime in the Summer of 2024.

Now, this is where I remind people to not worry about 2024, and just enjoy the 2023 season, as we’re just a few weeks away from the 49ers opening the 2023 season at Pittsburgh.

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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