So, it’s that time of the year again, it’s June, which means teams can cut players, and spread the dead money over two years, but for this post, I’ll talk about the most likely cap cut candidates that the 49ers may end up making this August/September.
TE Garrett Celek – Celek has one year left on his contract, with just $685,000 in dead money if the team cuts him, which is comprised of the remainder of his signing bonus($625,000), and his $50,000 workout bonus, while he has a $1.7 million base salary, and a $350,000 per game roster bonus($21,875 a game).
If the 49ers cut Celek, they would save both the $1.7 million base salary, and his $350,000 per game roster bonus, and this appears to be the most likely year the 49ers let go of Celek. My reasoning being the recent additions of 6th-rounder Kaden Smith out of Stanford, and the signing of veteran Levine Toilolo(who received a 1yr/$735,000 deal, with a $90,000 signing bonus), who has played for head coach Kyle Shanahan.
SLB Malcolm Smith – Smith is also entering the final year of his contract, he did have 3 years left, but the 49ers reworked his contract back in March, and as of March 17th, 2019, his 2020, and 2021 contract years, which were option years, now have voided, thus making 2019 his final year under contract.
Now, Smith has a bit of a high dead money, $4.2 million, which is the remainder of his signing bonus, that he received as a unrestricted free agent back in 2017, while he has a $1.25 million signing bonus, and a $100,000 per game roster bonus($6,250 a game).
So if the 49ers do cut Smith, they’d save $1.35 million, and this could be the year the 49ers move on from Smith, and I know what you guys are thinking, they redid his deal, but none of the money left owed to him is guaranteed. So with the recent additions of Kwon Alexander in free agency, and 5th-rounder Dre Greenlaw out of Arkansas, Smith is a potential cap cut. Plus the team likely would want to go with guys who are 1. younger, 2. offer versatility, and 3. can be regular special team contributors.
CB K’Waun Williams – Williams has 2 years left on his contract, with $1.5 million in prorated bonus money left, but due to June 1 rules, the dead money would be $750,000 each season, plus Williams’s $50,000 workout bonus this season.
Williams is due a $1.55 million base salary this season, and a $250,000 per game roster bonus($15,625 a game), all un-guaranteed, but I don’t see Williams as the most likely cap cut, unless 2018 5th-round pick D.J. Reed Jr. outshines Williams, and wins the slot CB spot, if he were to do so, and Williams is cut, the 49ers would save both his $1.55 million base salary, and his $250,000 per game roster bonus, while having dead money hits of $800,000 in 2019($750,000 bonus proration, and $50,000 workout bonus), and $750,000 in 2020.
One last player to keep an eye on, if the RG Joshua Garnett fails to win the right guard spot, there may be no reason to keep Garnett, which could make him a cut candidate, or a potential trade candidate, in which the 49ers would save $968,769, which is his un-guaranteed base salary, but would take on his $1,241,693 bonus proration, his $450,000 training camp bonus, and his $300,000 workout bonus as dead money. Now the 49ers would be able to save his $450,000 training camp bonus if they were to deem him expendable, and traded/cut him prior to training camp, which seems unlikely, even though the 49ers didn’t exercise his 5th-year option.
Check back later for potential cap cuts from the other 31 NFL teams, that the 49ers could target.
About Author
