My third 53-man roster projection, with practice squad, & injured lists, version 3.0

With the 49ers recent extension for Christian McCaffrey, & the signing of Logan Thomas, I think it’s time to do another 53-man roster projection, with 16-man practice squad, injured lists, plus a look at both of the 49ers 2024 & 2025 salary cap situations.

First off, the 49ers currently would be $31,644,247 under their $296,557,234 adjusted cap for 2024, but this before the 49ers sign their 1st-round pick, Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, after they sign Pearsall they’d be $30,159,540 under their adjusted 2024 salary cap.

Now, my third 53-man roster projection for 2024, with practice squad, & injured lists.

OFFENSE:

QB(2): 13 Brock Purdy(2025), & 5 Joshua Dobbs(2024)

RB(4): 23 Christian McCaffrey(2027), 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024), 24 Jordan Mason(2024), & 49 Isaac Guerendo(2027)

FB(1): 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)

WR(5): 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2024), 1 Deebo Samuel Sr.(2025), 15 Jauan Jennings(2025), 14 Ricky Pearsall(2027), & 83 Jacob Cowing(2027)

TE(4): 85 George Kittle(2025), 82 Eric Saubert(2024), 48 Logan Thomas(2024), & 9 Brayden Willis(2026)

C(1): 64 Jake Brendel(2026)

LG(2): 65 Aaron Banks(2024), & 77 Dominick Puni(2027)

RG(3): 55 Jon Feliciano(2024), 74 Spencer Burford(2025), & 62 Jarrett Kingston(2027)

LT(1): 71 Trent Williams(2026)

RT(2): 68 Colton McKivitz(2026), & 61 Chris Hubbard(2024)

DEFENSE:

DE(5): 97 Nick Bosa(2028), 56 Leonard Floyd(2025), 94 Yetur Gross-Matos(2025), 95 Drake Jackson(2025), & 51 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)

DT(3): 99 Maliek Collins(2025), 90 Kevin Givens(2024), & 92 Jordan Elliott(2025)

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

SLB(1): 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2024)

MLB(2): 54 Fred Warner(2026), & 50 Jalen Graham(2026)

WLB(2): 59 De’Vondre Campbell(2024), & 53 Dee Winters(2026)

CB(6): 7 Charvarius Ward(2024), 2 Deommodore Lenoir(2024), 22 Isaac Yiadom(2024), 33 Rock Ya-Sin(2024), 31 Renardo Green(2027), & 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)

FS(2): 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026), & 43 Malik Mustapha(2027)

SS(2): 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024), & 30 George Odum(2026)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

PK(1): 4 Jake Moody(2026)

P(1): 3 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)

LS(1): 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)

PUP:

TE 81 Cameron Latu(2026)
WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)

PRACTICE SQUAD:

QB 17 Brandon Allen*
RB 38 Cody Schrader
WR 18 Chris Conley*
WR 10 Ronnie Bell
TE 89 Mason Pline
C 66 Drake Nugent
C 78 Ben Bartch*
LT 67 Isaac Alarcon**
RT 75 Brandon Parker*
DE 58 Alex Barrett
DT 96 T.Y. McGill Jr.*
NT 66 Evan Anderson
SLB 48 Tatum Bethune
SLB 47 Ezekiel Turner*
CB 0 Samuel Womack III
CB 26 Chase Lucas
FS 49 Jaylen Mahoney

An asterisk means the player is one of the 6 players with more than 2 accrued years, while the double asterisk means the player is the teams’ international pathway program, which means he doesn’t count against the 16-man practice squad limit, or the salary cap, and he isn’t eligible to play in a regular season game.

With this roster, the 49ers would have 72 players signed, with $251,356,044 in committed salaries for 2024, plus $22,615,322 in dead money, for a total commitment of $273,971,366, leaving the 49ers $23,493,068 under their $297,464,434 adjusted salary cap for 2024.

I also need to remind everyone that when the 49ers do extend Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers will most likely save $7.999 million in salary cap room, which would give the 49ers somewhere in the $31.492 million in cap room for 2024.

Now, in order for the 49ers to save the $7.999 million, they would need to get Aiyuk to lower his 2024 base salary from $14.124 million down to the league minimum of $1.125 million, and give him a $25 million signing bonus, giving him a $6.125 million 2024 salary cap number.

As for future years, I’d assume the 49ers would sign Aiyuk to a deal worth $28.925 million a year, with, in addition to his $25 million signing bonus, he’d get a $8.5 million option bonus in 2025, & another option bonus, worth $10 million in 2026, all of these bonuses would be prorated over 5-years, so $5 million for the signing bonus from 2024-2028, $1.7 million for the first option bonus from 2025-2029, & $2 million for the second option bonus from 2026-2030.

Now, I would expect the 49ers to give Aiyuk $750,000 per game roster bonuses & $100,000 workout bonuses starting in 2025, with base salaries of $1.125 million in 2024, $5 million in 2025, & $15.45 million in 2026, which would mean his 2024-2026 salary cap numbers would be $6.125 million in 2024, $12.55 million in 2025, & $25 million in 2026, which is a total of $43.675 million, cap hit wise.

Aiyuk’s 2024 & 2025 base salaries would be fully guaranteed, while his 2026 base salary would be guaranteed for injury, and become fully guaranteed on April 1, 2025, while I would give him a $20 million base salary in 2027, with $12.925 million of it being guaranteed for injury, and become fully guaranteed on April 1, 2026.

Now, Aiyuk will most certainly want to get more money, cash, not cap hits, over the first 3-years of the deal, than what the Detroit Lions gave to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who got $63.386 million over the first 3-years, from 2024-2026, but with Aiyuk’s deal, he’d get $66.775 million over the first 3-years. From 2024-2026, which is $3.389 million more than what St. Brown got.

As for guaranteed money, St. Brown got a total of $77 million guaranteed, with $34.666 million of it being fully guaranteed, where Aiyuk would get $79.7 million in guaranteed money, with $49.625 million of it being fully guaranteed.

Also, the 49ers can save $9.148 million if they’re able to extend cornerback Charvarius Ward’s contract, as he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent after 2024, which would put the 49ers around $40.64 million under their 2024 adjusted salary cap.

As for 2025, the 49ers would have 37 players signed would add up to $259,199,143, plus they would have $34,470,692 in dead money, for a total commitment of $289,131,835, putting them $9,131,835 over a projected 2025 salary cap of $280 million, but that’s with just 37 players signed, with 51 players signed they’d be $20,891,835 over that 2025 projected cap of $280 million.

Now, the 49ers would have 37 players signed for 2025, with them listed below, with their 2025 cap number.

1. QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $1,119,253
2. RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2027)- $9,806,000
3. RB 49 Isaac Guerendo(2027)- $1,136,132
4. FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $6,496,750
5. WR 1 Deebo Samuel Sr.(2025)- $24,200,529
6. WR 15 Jauan Jennings(2025)- $4,258,000
7. WR 14 Ricky Pearsall(2027)- $2,849,635
8. WR 83 Jacob Cowing(2027)- $1,092,117
9. TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $22,085,000
10. TE 81 Cameron Latu(2026)- $1.446,568
11. TE 9 Brayden Willis(2026)- $1,049,975
12. C 64 Jake Brendel(2026)- $4,447,000
13. LG 77 Dominick Puni(2027)- $1,295,579
14. RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,268,014
15. RG 62 Jarrett Kingston(2027)- $994,597
16. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $34,106,777
17. RT 68 Colton McKivitz(2025)- $4,678,000
18. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2028)- $20,519,105
19. DE 56 Leonard Floyd(2025)- $10,108,000
20. DE 94 Yetur Gross-Matos(2025)- $9,653,000
21. DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,874,852
22. DE 51 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)- $1,091,245
23. DT 99 Maliek Collins(2025)- $10,000,000
24. DT 92 Jordan Elliott(2025)- $3,465,000
25. NT 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)- $28,125,000
26. NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $1,133,003
27. WLB 53 Dee Winters(2026)- $1,063,333
28. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $29,147,000
29. MLB 50 Jalen Graham(2026)- $1,049,446
30. CB 31 Renardo Green(2027)- $1,452,244
31. CB 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)- $1,108,378
32. FS 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026)- $1,471,583
33. SS 30 George Odum(2026)- $3,971,666
34. SS 43 Malik Mustapha(2027)- $1,144,734
35. PK 4 Jake Moody(2026)- $1,446,588
36. P 3 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $3,050,000
37. LS 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)- $1,430,000

Next is the pending 2025 free agents with this roster.

UFA:

QB Joshua Dobbs
RB Elijah Mitchell
WR Brandon Aiyuk
TE Eric Saubert
TE Logan Thomas
LG Aaron Banks
RG Jon Feliciano
RT Chris Hubbard
DT Kevin Givens
SLB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
WLB Dre Greenlaw
WLB De’Vondre Campbell
CB Charvarius Ward
CB Deommodore Lenoir
CB Isaac Yiadom
CB Rock Ya-Sin
SS Talanoa Hufanga

RFA:

RB Jordan Mason

The 49ers will be just fine in 2025, I don’t expect them to have to cut/trade anyone of their core players, but I do see them losing some key players, like left guard Aaron Banks, & strong safety Talanoa Hufanga in free agency, as both are UFAs after 2024, plus there’s a chance they may not be able to re-sign weakside linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and/or cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, that will depend on just how the 49ers 2025 salary cap looks like.

I believe the reasoning for not bringing back Banks & Hufanga are the fact that the 49ers won’t pay a Guard $10 million+ a year, & they just won’t pay top tier safety money, but also the fact that the 49ers seemed to have drafted potential replacements in guards Dominick Puni, & Jarrett Kingston, & safety Malik Mustapha in the 2024 draft.

Now, the 49ers will likely carryover somewhere in the $26.492 million range, over to 2025, helping their 2025 cap, which would help the team retain a player like Deommodore Lenoir, and/or Dre Greenlaw, while extending Charvarius Ward before the 2024 season begins, as noted before, would save the team $9.148 million, which would give the 49ers around $35.64 million to carryover into 2025, which again would help with them being over the 2025 salary cap.

For 2025, the 49ers can save quite a bit of salary cap room by restructuring deals or extending players, with them listed below.

WR Deebo Samuel – $12,344,423 (Extension)

TE George Kittle – $10.516 million (Extension)

LT Trent Williams – $16.996 million (Restructure)

NT Javon Hargrave – $14.916 million (Restructure)

MLB Fred Warner – $13.116 million (Restructure)

The final thing I want to discus about the 2025 salary cap is what the 49ers would end up getting back in adjustments/credits from guaranteed money given to practice squad players that got guaranteed money in their base salary for 2024, with the list of players below, with the amount the team would get back.

QB Brandon Allen – $400,000

RB Cody Schrader – $220,000

WR Chris Conley – $210,000

TE Mason Pline – $40,000

C Drake Nugent – $175,000

C Ben Bartch – $302,400

NT Evan Anderson – $250,000

FS Jaylen Mahoney – $27,000

That would be a total of $1.322 million in potential adjustments/credits, meaning extra cap room for 2025.

Now, about the roster, I want to explain why I went with certain players over others.

At quarterback, I went with 2, even though I’m not 100% sure if the new 3^rd QB rule that now allows a practice squad quarterback to be the 3^rd QB, whether that practice squad player counts against the players maximum allowed games, which is 3, as well as counting against the max of 2 players from the practice squad being elevated, so I decided to keep just Purdy & Dobbs, if the rule is the opposite, & it does count, I would have Brandon Allen as the 3^rd QB, & cutting someone else, while Allen would be the 3^rd QB each week.

I went with 4 running backs, & 1 fullback, due to injuries mainly, as we’ve seen in past years that the 49ers backs can’t stay healthy, but also so the 49ers have options to keep Christian McCaffrey fresh, as he was pretty much the primary RB for the first 16 games, while sitting out the final game, since the 49ers had already wrapped up the 1 seed, I can see the 49ers trading Elijah Mitchell, who is a UFA after 2024, and keeping UDFA Cody Schrader on the 53, who got $220,000 of his 2024 base salary guaranteed.

At wide receiver I went with just 5, because I believe the 5 I have are all locked into roster spots, both on the 53-man roster, but also the 48-man active gameday roster, now if the 49ers were to keep a 6^th WR it would likely be Chris Conley, but the fact is the 49ers are unlikely to have all 6 receivers active on gameday.

I kept 4 tight ends, because the team just doesn’t have a clear #2, as of now, I believe Eric Saubert & Logan Thomas will battle to be the 49ers #2 TE, I decided to keep Brayden Willis on the 53-man roster, while Cameron Latu would go on reserve/PUP to begin 2024, as he’s still coming off of the torn meniscus injury.

On the offensive line, I kept the 9 because I believe they’re the best 9 on the roster right now, I also would keep 3 OL on the practice squad, so it comes down to the likes of Ben Bartch, who offers versatility as he can play center, & both guard spots, Brandon Parker, who is mostly a right tackle, who could battle with Jaylon Moore, who has played both tackle spots, & if one is good enough, he may beat out Chris Hubbard, and Nick Zakelj, who can play all over the OL.

When it comes to the defensive ends/edge rushers, the 5 I kept are the only 5 I can see making the team, the 49ers already made Nick Bosa the highest paid non-QB, & defensive player, while they gave Leonard Floyd, & Yetur Gross-Matos significant money, with Floyd averaging $10 million a year, and Gross-Matos $9 million a year, while the other 2 edge rushers, Drake Jackson, & Robert Beal Jr., I believe have upside, but this is going to be a make or break season for Jackson, and I can see the team bringing in a veteran edge rusher after the 53-man roster cuts are made, depending on who’s available on the open market.

With the defensive tackles/nose tackles, I kept 5, as the 49ers gave Javon Hargrave $21 million a year last offseason, while they signed Jordan Elliott to a 2-year deal, worth $7 million, as well as re-signing Kevin Givens, and traded for Maliek Collins, as the team did release Arik Armstead with a post June 1 designation, due to Armstead not being willing to take a pay cut, as for the final IDL spot, I went with Kalia Davis right now, but FAU UDFA Evan Anderson, who got $250,000 of his base salary for 2024 fully guaranteed, has a legit shot to make the 2024 53-man roster.

At linebacker, I went with 5, as I see Fred Warner, & De’Vondre Campbell starting week 1 as the 49ers top 2 LBs, until Dre Greenlaw, who suffered a torn Achilles in the Super Bowl, is able to return, so he’ll start the season on the reserve/PUP list where he’ll have to sit out the first 4 games, & this is the best thing for the 49ers if Greenlaw can’t go week 1, as he wouldn’t go on short term IR, thus not counting towards the max of 8 players that the team can bring back off of IR, as for the other 3 LBs, I believe Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles will start the season as the teams’ strongside linebacker, while 2023 draft picks Dee Winters, & Jalen Graham round out the LB group, and if they keep a 6^th LB & it’s not Greenlaw, I can see the team keeping special teams ace Ezekiel Turner, who I have on the practice squad, as he has no guaranteed money, & is on a minimum salary contract, but I wouldn’t discount him, or the teams 7^th-round pick out of Florida State, Tatum Bethune either.

With the cornerbacks, I kept 6, as I have 5 if them as locks, the 49ers drafted Renardo Green in the 2^nd-round, while the teams other cornerbacks would be Mooney Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Isaac Yiadom, & Rock Ya-Sin, but only Green would be signed past 2024, with those other 4 players set to be UFAs after 2024. For the 49ers 6^th cornerback, the battle, in my eyes, will come down to the likes of Ambry Thomas, Chase Lucas, Darrell Luter Jr., & Samuel Womack III, with it being a toss up, as I see it, Thomas has no business being near the field, Lucas could be a core special teams player, & backup slot CB, while Luter & Womack are good on special teams, despite Luter’s disaster on the punt return that went off of him in the Super Bowl, which led to a score by the Chiefs, but I don’t blame only him, as former 49ers return man Ray-Ray McCloud III deciding to try & pick the ball up, when he should of just fell on top of it, so both were at fault, while with Womack, he was among the teams inactives, which may show that they don’t have much confidence in him, but he brings both outside and slot experience to the table, but I decided to keep Luter, as I see him as having high upside.

As for the safeties, it’s obvious the 4 I have will be the 4, baring injuries, to make the 53-man roster, with Talanoa Hufanga, & Ji’Ayir Brown starting, while George Odum, & 4^th-rounder Malik Mustapha, and both Odum & Mustapha will be core special teamers in my opinion, and I doubt the team signs a veteran, as someone like Justin Simmons would be great & all, but he also may be too expensive, plus the team needs to develop Brown.

On special teams, the 49ers only have 3 players, Jake Moody at place kicker, Mitch Wishnowsky at punter, & Taybor Pepper at long snapper, as for who will be the return men, I see someone like Isaac Guerendo potentially returning kicks, and 1^st-round pick Ricky Pearsall could return punts, but hopefully the team can figure that out, and whoever it/they are will be dependable, & produces.

With that said, I thank you for reading, and you can follow me on X/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.

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