We’re just 8 days away from finding out who the 49ers will draft with the 3rd-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, so I thought I’d have some fun, and take a peak into the 2022 offseason, and what the 49ers could do.
Below is a projected 2022 cap breakdown, with 51 players signed, including the 49ers current 9 draft picks, I’ll update it once the 2021 draft has been completed, along with the likely retirement of Weston Richburg.
What I’ve basically did here is escalate the base salaries for 3 2019 draft picks(Deebo Samuel, Mitch Wishnowsky & Dre Greenlaw), with them either likely, or having a good shot at hitting the PPE(Proven Performance Escalator), I’ve also added in dummy Top 51 Players making the 2022 minimum of $705,000, and basically this is what the 49ers cap would look like if we made all 9 picks(highly unlikely they stay at each pick), plus Richburg’s pending retirement.
With everything added up, the 49ers would have $5,527,199 in cap room on a projected $203 million cap, this is before any restructuring or the release/trade of Jimmy Garoppolo, which would save the team $24.895 million when factoring in a player making $705,000 would replace him.
| Name | Pos. | Signed | 2022 Cap Number | Prorated | Roster | Workout | LTBE | Base |
| Garoppolo, Jimmy – #10 | QB | 2022 | $27,000,000 | $1,400,000 | $800,000 | $600,000 | $0 | $24,200,000 |
| Armstead, Arik – #91 | DE/DT | 2025 | $20,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $750,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $14,150,000 |
| Kittle, George – #85 | TE | 2025 | $16,100,000 | $4,050,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $11,450,000 |
| Williams, Trent – #71 | LT | 2026 | $14,120,000 | $6,020,000 | $750,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $7,250,000 |
| Ford, Dee – #55 | LEO | 2022 | $11,909,997 | $4,909,997 | $4,600,000 | $0 | $0 | $2,400,000 |
| Ward, Jimmie – #20 | FS/SS/CB | 2022 | $11,500,000 | $2,000,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $8,900,000 |
| Bosa, Nick – #97 | DE/LEO | 2022 | $10,805,564 | $5,605,339 | $4,305,225 | $0 | $0 | $895,000 |
| Ebukam, Samson – #50 | LEO | 2022 | $8,250,000 | $1,750,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $5,900,000 |
| 2021 1st Round Pick | 2024 | $7,751,216 | ||||||
| Moseley, Emmanuel – #41 | CB | 2022 | $6,732,000 | $1,732,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $4,400,000 |
| Mack, Alex | C | 2023 | $6,725,000 | $1,225,000 | $400,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $5,000,000 |
| Gould, Robbie – #9 | PK | 2022 | $5,509,313 | $1,509,313 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $4,000,000 |
| Kinlaw, Javon – #99 | DT | 2023 | $4,224,191 | $2,206,127 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,018,064 |
| Aiyuk, Brandon – #11 | WR | 2023 | $3,417,641 | $1,668,427 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,749,214 |
| Samuel, Deebo – #19 | WR | 2022 | $3,252,519 | $904,519 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,348,000 |
| Juszyzck, Kyle – #44 | FB | 2025 | $2,958,750 | $1,338,750 | $400,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $1,120,000 |
| Wishnowsky, Mitch – #6 | P | 2022 | $2,539,018 | $191,018 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,348,000 |
| Greenlaw, Dre – #57 | WLB/SLB | 2022 | $2,428,429 | $80,429 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,348,000 |
| 2021 2nd Round Pick | 2024 | $1,794,324 | ||||||
| Hurd, Jalen – #14 | WR | 2022 | $1,361,717 | $283,124 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,078,593 |
| Pepper, Taybor – #46 | LS | 2022 | $1,120,000 | $40,000 | $0 | $25,000 | $0 | $1,055,000 |
| 2021 3rd Round Pick | 2024 | $1,087,693 | ||||||
| 2021 4th Round Pick | 2024 | $1,014,134 | ||||||
| Skule, Justin – #67 | RT/LT/RG | 2022 | $1,009,887 | $44,887 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $965,000 |
| McKivitz, Colton – #68 | LG/RG | 2023 | $977,445 | $82,445 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $895,000 |
| Woerner, Charlie – #89 | TE | 2023 | $940,258 | $45,258 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $895,000 |
| 2021 5th Round Pick | 2024 | $905,759 | ||||||
| 2021 5th Round Pick | 2024 | $885,039 | ||||||
| 2021 6th Round Pick | 2024 | $870,894 | ||||||
| 2021 5th Round Pick | 2024 | $869,217 | ||||||
| 2021 7th Round Pick | 2024 | $853,615 | ||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 | |||||||
| Top 51 Player | $705,000 |
| Total | $193,013,620 | ||
| Dead | $4,459,181 | ||
| Total and Dead | $197,472,801 | ||
| 2022 Cap | $203,000,000 | ||
| Cap Space | $5,527,199 | ||
| Players under contract | 51 Players |
| Dead Money | Amount | ||
| Weston Richburg | $3,453,651 | ||
| Laken Tomlinson | $1,005,530 | ||
| TOTAL | $4,459,181 |
Now here are the 49ers pending 2022 free agents, most of which are either ERFAs or have no real shot at making the 49ers 2021 roster.
UFA:
QB Josh Johnson
QB Nate Sudfeld
RB Raheem Mostert
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
RB Wayne Gallman Jr.
WR Travis Benjamin
WR Richie James Jr.
WR Trent Sherfield
WR Mohamed Sanu Sr.
WR Kevin White
TE Ross Dwelley
C Jake Brendel
LG Laken Tomlinson
LT Shon Coleman
RT Mike McGlinchey
DE Jordan Willis
DE Arden Key
DE Daeshon Hall
NT D.J. Jones
NT Zach Kerr
LB Nathan Gerry
MLB Fred Warner
CB Jason Verrett
CB K’Waun Williams
CB Dontae Johnson
CB Brien Boddy-Calhoun
FS Tavon Wilson
SS Jaquiski Tartt
SS Tarvarius Moore
SS Marcell Harris
SS Obi Melifonwu
RFA:
QB Josh Rosen
WR River Cracraft
TE Daniel Helm
RG Daniel Brunskill
DT Kentavius Street
SLB Azeez Al-Shaair
CB Ken Webster
FS Kai Nacua
ERFA:
RB JaMycal Hasty
RB Austin Walter
FB Josh Hokit
WR Jauan Jennings
WR Austin Proehl
WR Matt Cole
RG Dakoda Shepley
RG Isaiah Williams
LT Corbin Kaufusi
DE Alex Barrett
DT Kevin Givens
NT Darrion Daniels
NT Josiah Coatney
SLB Jonas Griffith
WLB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
CB Adonis Alexander
CB Mark Fields II
CB Tim Harris Jr.
FS Jared Mayden
SS Chris Edwards
Please not that most of these ERFAs won’t even make the roster, while some will be cut in the next few weeks to make room for the 49ers 2021 draft picks and UDFAs, as you can’t have more than 90 players in the offseason, and the 49ers are already at 80.
Now let’s talk about what I expect the 49ers to do.
They’ll either trade or release Jimmy Garoppolo, who only has a no trade clause for 2021, they’d save $24.895 million.
Also there’s no doubt that the 49ers will lock Fred Warner up this offseason with a new extension, that should only take up in the neighborhood of $5.5 million, similar to George Kittle’s 2020 extension.
The 49ers could release Jimmie Ward, which would save the team $6.795 million with the top 51 in consideration.
The 49ers could restructure the contracts of George Kittle, and Arik Armstead if they see fit, that would free up $8.332 million for Kittle, and $10.424 million for Armstead.
Now if the 49ers did just the obvious ones of trading or cutting Garoppolo & already having Warner extended, they’d be at $24,922,199 under a $203 million cap, which could be more than enough for the team to re-sign their key free agents, and the ones I believe are key, depending on how 2021 plays out, are below.
UFAs:
RB Raheem Mostert
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
WR Trent Sherfield
TE Ross Dwelley
LG Laken Tomlinson
RT Mike McGlinchey
NT D.J. Jones
NT Zach Kerr
CB Jason Verrett
CB K’Waun Williams
SS Jaquiski Tartt
SS Tarvarius Moore
SS Marcell Harris
RFA:
RG Daniel Brunskill
ERFA:
RB JaMycal Hasty
DT Kevin Givens
NT Darrion Daniels
This is night & day better than this offseason, where the 49ers only lost the likes of Tevin Coleman, Kendrick Bourne, Solomon Thomas, Kerry Hyder Jr., & Ahkello Witherspoon, plus Richard Sherman is bound to sign somewhere. This was definitely the opposite of the doomsday theory that many had, the 49ers kept their key free agents, the only big loss really is Hyder, other than that, those guys weren’t expected back.
Let’s take a look at the 49ers free agents that most likely are to be brought back, first off their RFAs & ERFAs, it will take a projected $2.348 million to tender Brunskill at the original round level, which would mean no compensation if lost. As for Hasty, Givens, & Daniels, they’d each cost just $895,000 each to tender. Givens is the wild card, we’ll have to see what happens with his pending legal issues.
Now that the easy ones are out of the way, let’s look at the UFAs they’d most likely want to keep. Obviously they’ll want to retain both Jason Verrett & K’Waun Williams, along with likely wanting to re-sign Raheem Mostert and/or Jeff Wilson Jr., that will depend on the 2021 season.
I’m sure the 49ers will want to also bring back D.J. Jones, and Mike McGlinchey, if McGlinchey can improve, note that the 49ers have until May 3rd to exercise his 5th-year option, which would cost $10.88 million, which if I’m right with what the CBA says, it would be fully guaranteed upon the 49ers exercising the option.
Guys like Trent Sherfield, Ross Dwelley, Zach Kerr, & Marcell Harris should be easy re-signings if the 49ers choose to go that route. It’s the other Safeties, will the 49ers want Jaquiski Tartt or Tarvarius Moore back, or both if they do cut Ward.
If the season goes well, I expect the 49ers to keep Jason Verrett & K’Waun Williams, D.J. Jones, at least one of Raheem Mostert or Jeff Wilson Jr., Daniel Brunskill, JaMycal Hasty, Kevin Givens, & Darrion Daniels, plus if they play well, they’ll hang onto Trent Sherfield, Ross Dwelley, Zach Kerr, & Marcell Harris.
The biggest questions will be Laken Tomlinson, Mike McGlinchey, Jaquiski Tartt & Tarvarius Moore.
I do believe the 49ers could easily bring back all of these players with just releasing or trading Garoppolo, I know it sounds crazy, but I went on record to say the 49ers would keep the majority of their core this offseason without having to restructure any deals, well they did redo Dee Ford, but that was more of hybrid restructure & pay cut, while they got Weston Richburg to take a pay cut, since he will likely retire in June.
I’ll as always continue to keep this updated.