An updated look at the 49ers 2022 salary cap situation, & another deep look at the 49ers 2023 salary cap situation

This past Friday I took a deeper look into the 49ers 2023 salary cap situation, now I’m going to take another look at the 49ers 2023 salary cap situation, as well as their 2022 salary cap situation, since the 49ers are over the cap, and need to be cap compliant by 4PM eastern on March 16.

So, we know that the 49ers will be trading quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, likely right when the new league year begins, as they’ll likely agree to a deal within the next month, but they must be cap compliant before the new league year opens, meaning they will likely have to do some cap maneuvering in the next month.

As of now, the 49ers are $3,320,061 over the 2022 salary cap, which should come in at the agreed upon ceiling of $208.2 million, I’ve also included what they’ve carried over, which was $1,558,245, & $618,139 in projected adjustments, these will be known around the time the NFL officially announces the 2022 salary cap.

Now, that only includes 43 players, which take up $208,528,720 in salary cap room, along with $5,167,725 in dead money, with $1,204,059 being avoidable if the 49ers re-sign Laken Tomlinson before his contract voids, which is February 15, which is 2 days after the super bowl.

Their combined total of cap commitments comes in at $213,696,445, and as I said they’d be $3,320,061 over the cap, but that only includes the 43 players signed, with 51 signed, they’ll be at least $8,960,061 over the salary cap, but this assumes that the players from 44-51 are set to make the rookie minimum of $705,000, which is unlikely, as the team has ERFAs & RFAs that they will have tender, or re-sign.

First off, the 43 players signed for 2022 are below, with their 2022 salary cap number.

1. QB Jimmy Garoppolo(2022) – $26,950,000
2. QB Trey Lance(2024) – $7,751,195
3. RB Elijah Mitchell(2024) – $870,893
4. RB Trey Sermon(2024) – $1,107,485
5. FB Kyle Juszczyk(2025) – $2,985,750
6. FB Josh Hokit(2022) – $705,000
7. WR Deebo Samuel(2022) – $4,890,519
8. WR Brandon Aiyuk(2023) – $3,417,641
9. WR KeeSean Johnson(2022) – $895,000
10. WR Austin Mack(2022) – $825,000
11. WR Connor Wedington(2022) – $705,000
12. TE George Kittle(2025) – $16,011,765
13. TE Charlie Woerner(2023) – $940,258
14. TE Tanner Hudson(2022) – $895,000
15. TE Jordan Matthews(2022) – $895,000
16. C Alex Mack(2023) – $6,725,000
17. RG Aaron Banks(2024) – $1,607,638
18. LT Trent Williams(2026) – $14,031,765
19. LT Jaylon Moore(2024) – $905,759
20. RT Mike McGlinchey(2022) – $10,880,000
21. RT Justin Skule(2022) – $1,009,987
22. RT Alfredo Gutierrez(2022) – $705,000
23. DE Nick Bosa(2022) – $10,805,564
24. DE Samson Ebukam(2022) – $8,250,000
25. DE Dee Ford(2022) – $11,909,997
26. DE Charles Omenihu(2022) – $2,540,000
27. DE Alex Barrett(2022) – $825,000
28. DT Arik Armstead(2024) – $20,000,000
29. DT Javon Kinlaw(2023) – $4,224,191
30. NT Chris Slayton(2022) – $705,000
31. WLB Dre Greenlaw(2022) – $2,620,429
32. WLB Curtis Robinson(2022) – $825,000
33. MLB Fred Warner(2026) – $8,134,558
34. CB Emmanuel Moseley(2022) – $6,555,529
35. CB Ambry Thomas(2024) – $1,087,693
36. CB Deommodore Lenoir(2024) – $896,217
37. CB Ka’dar Hollman(2022) – $895,000
38. FS Jimmie Ward(2022) – $12,935,588
39. FS Tarvarius Moore(2022) – $965,000
40. SS Talanoa Hufanga(2024) – $885,038
41. PK Robbie Gould(2022) – $5,509,313
42. P Mitch Wishnowsky(2022) – $1,156,018
43. LS Taybor Pepper(2022) – $1,120,000

As for the team’s exclusive rights free agents, they’ll definitely tender all 5, running back JaMycal Hasty, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, left guard Colton McKivitz, defensive tackle Kevin Givens, & strongside linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, which will cost $825,000 for Jennings, & $895,000 for the other 4, for a total of $4.405 million.

Tendering the exclusive rights free agents gives the 49ers 48 players under contract, which would put them $7,725,061 over the salary cap, but that’s with just 48 players, so they’ll be at least $9,840,061 over the cap with 51 players.

The 49ers will have to decide what they want to do with their restricted free agents, right guard Daniel Brunskill, defensive tackle Kentavius Street, & strongside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Now of the 3, the most likely to be tendered would be Al-Shaair, likely at the 2nd-round level, which will be $3.986 million, but I think they’ll work out at least a 1-year deal, that will come in much lower than the both the 2nd-round tender, & the right of first refusal tender, which is $2.433 million.

I also see the 49ers signing Brunskill, & Street to 1-year deals, also worth less than the lower tenders, for Brunskill it’s $2.433 million, & for Street it’s $2.54 million as Street was drafted, while Brunskill wasn’t drafted.

If I had to put a number on these 3, I’d say their deals would be worth $1.265 million for Brunskill, & Street, while Al-Shaair’s would be $1.3 million, but hopefully the 49ers re-sign Al-Shaair to a multi-year deal, with the same cap number.

So, if we factor in these 3 players, they’d now have 51 players signed, putting them $11,555,061 over the cap, and since they must be cap compliant before the new league year opens, they must shed at least that amount, if they re-signed their RFAs to the deals above.

The options the 49ers have are below.

Restructure some combination of these players, tight end George Kittle($8.332 million maximum, $7,811,250 minimum), left tackle Trent Williams($4.904 million minimum/maximum), defensive tackle Arik Armstead($10.424 million maximum, $9,772,500 minimum), & free safety Jimmie Ward($6.224 million maximum, $5.835 million minimum).

Since the team would need to clear over $11.555 million, the most logical players to restructure would be Arik Armstead, & Trent Williams, saving the team $15.382 million maximum, or $14,676,500 minimum, which would put the team either $3,826,939 with maximum savings, or $3,121,439 with minimum cap savings, under the 2022 salary cap.

The only thing to note is that this would add either $2,084,800(max savings) or $2,443,125(minimum savings) to Armstead remaining year’s salary cap numbers, depending on if they add one more voidable year, as for Williams, he’d have $980,800 added to his remaining year’s salary cap numbers.

Reasoning for not redoing Kittle, or Ward is simple, Kittle’s deal is through 2025, if they end up losing him in the 2026 offseason, they could get a 3rd-round compensatory pick, if they were to redo Kittle, they’d need to add 1 void year to get the max savings, which means he won’t qualify towards compensatory picks, as players who have their contracts either voided, or options declined makes them ineligible, just like when a team releases a player.

As for Ward, he’s already set to count $6.395 million in dead money in 2023, due to his 2021 restructure, and if they did redo him, they’d lose an extra $4,979,200 in dead money with max savings, or $4,376,250 to in dead money with minimum savings, so a significant loss in salary cap room for 2023, unless they were to extend Ward, then that would only add $1,244,800 with max savings or $1,458,750 with minimum savings, which would part of his prorated bonus for 2023.

They could also either release, or approach defensive end Samson Ebukam about a pay cut, if they release him, they would save $6.5 million, while a pay cut would save $4.865 million.

The 49ers could do a pseudo extension with right tackle Mike McGlinchey, where they add 4 void years, they’d end up saving $7.876 million, while there would be a $5.907 million dead money hit in 2023 if the 49ers don’t re-sign McGlinchey before the contract would void.

Now this is where I’m going to stop talking about the 2022 offseason, and shift to the 2023 offseason.

As of now the 49ers have 17 players signed for 2023, with a total of $122,334,200 in committed salaries for them, and a projected $11,304,999 in dead money, totaling $133,639,199, which would give the 49ers, with a projected $225 million cap, $91,360,801, but that’s before the top 51, so it would be $65,860,801 after the top 51.

Listed below are the 17 players signed, & their current cap numbers for 2023.

QB Trey Lance(2024) – $9,301,434
RB Elijah Mitchell(2024) – $985,893
RB Trey Sermon(2024) – $1,328,982
FB Kyle Juszczyk(2025) – $6,588,750
WR Brandon Aiyuk(2023) – $3,987,249
TE George Kittle(2025) – $16,300,000
TE Charlie Woerner(2023) – $1,055,259
C Alex Mack(2023) – $5,075,000
RG Aaron Banks(2024) – $1,911,166
LT Trent Williams(2026) – $26,720,000 ($27,700,800 with max & minimum savings)
LT Jaylon Moore(2024) – $1,020,7589
DT Arik Armstead(2024) – $21,740,000 ($23,824,800 with max savings, $24,183,125 with minimum savings)
DT Javon Kinlaw(2023) – $4,928,223
MLB Fred Warner(2026) – $18,525,000
CB Ambry Thomas(2024) – $1,305,232
CB Deommodore Lenoir(2024) – $1,011,217
SS Talanoa Hufanga(2024) – $1,000,038

As for their dead money, they’ll have $4,909,999 from Dee Ford, & $6.395 million from Jimmie Ward, now if the 49ers extend Ward before his contract voids, then Ward’s cap number may come in around that $6.395 million.

Of course, the 49ers will have more than 17 players signed for 2023 by the end of the 2022 season, let’s take a look at who those players I believe will be signed for 2023.

First off, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, & defensive end Nick Bosa will be getting brand new long term extensions, with Deebo coming in north of $20 million a year, & Bosa north of $30 million a year.

Now, Bosa’s 5th-year option will be worth $20.186 million, which is what the franchise tag will be in 2022 for the defensive end position, but I doubt his 2023 cap number will be that high, instead it’ll likely be in the $16 million range, as this is the norm for 49ers’ extensions, when they did tight end George Kittle’s extension in 2020, his 2021 cap number was just $5,482,706, & with Fred Warner’s 2021 extension, his 2022 cap number is just $8,134,588, so expect both Bosa, & Deebo to have lower-ish 2023 cap numbers.

Now for Deebo’s extension, as people know what I’d do, & what I think the 49ers plan is to reduce his 2022 base salary down to the minimum of $965,000, take the difference, turn that into the prorated portion of his signing bonus, $15 million, adding just $29,000 to his 2022 cap number, which would be $4,919,519.

As for 2023, I’d expect his cap number to come in the $7.25 million to $8 million range, with the deal being backloaded, since the salary cap will be going up significantly starting in 2024.

There are a few other players who I believe will be on the 2022 roster, & brought back in 2023, as they’re either ERFAs, or RFAs, they are, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, left guard Colton McKivitz, & defensive tackle Kevin Givens.

For Jennings, he’s an ERFA, so his tender would be $940,000, while McKivitz, & Givens will be RFAs, but I’d expect the 49ers to re-sign them to 1-year deals, likely in the $1.3 million range, which will be much lower than whatever the 2023 RFA tenders will be, which is decided by the percentage that the 2023 salary cap goes up by.

So, with wide receivers Deebo Samuel, & Jauan Jennings, left guard Colton McKivitz, defensive end Nick Bosa, & defensive tackle Kevin Givens expected to be signed for 2023, that will give them 22 players signed, meaning their cap room would be either $44,064,022(2022 restructure max savings), or  on a $37,310,697(2022 restructure minimum savings) on a $225 million salary cap.

Of course, the 49ers will look to lock up some of their 2022 free agents, with the players who would be the most likely to get multi-year deals being, running back Jeff Wilson Jr., left guard Laken Tomlinson, defensive ends Arden Key, & Jordan Willis, nose tackle D.J. Jones, strongside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, cornerback K’Waun Williams, & strong safety Jaquiski Tartt.

Now, as I said I’ve said, the 49ers would have $13,994,939 in salary cap room for 2022, this included them tendering their ERFAs(JaMycal Hasty, Jauan Jennings, Colton McKivitz, Kevin Givens, & Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles), re-signing RFAs Daniel Brunskill, & Kentavius Street to 1-year deals, worth $1.265 million, and Azeez Al-Shaair to a 3-year deal, with a $1.3 million 2022 cap number.

I’ve been updating my 2022 offseason plan, & I have them re-signing Wilson, Tomlinson, Key, Willis, Jones, & Williams to multi-year deals, with their 2023 cap numbers below.

RB Jeff Wilson Jr. – $3,165,000
LG Laken Tomlinson – $4,746,352
DE Arden Key – $3,100,000
DE Jordan Willis – $2,515,000
NT D.J. Jones – $5,965,000
CB K’Waun Williams – $3,880,000

Wilson, & Willis’ deals would be 2-year deals, Williams would be a 3-year deal, Key would be a 4-year deal, & Tomlinson, & Jones being 5-year deals.

I also have the 49ers re-signing strongside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to a 3-year deal, averaging $3.5 million a year, with a $3,183,333 cap number for 2023.

So, if we add in the above cap numbers for 2023, that would give the 49ers 29 players signed, & either $18,034,516(2022 restructure max savings), or $17,697,191(2022 restructure minimum savings) in cap room on a $225 million salary cap.

Now, the 49ers will have some key unrestricted free agents in 2023, with them below.

RT Mike McGlinchey
DE Samson Ebukam
DE Charles Omenihu
WLB Dre Greenlaw
CB Emmanuel Moseley
FS Jimmie Ward

Of these 6 players, I’d expect the bottom 3(Greenlaw, Moseley, & Ward) would be the highest priorities, while McGlinchey, Ebukam, & Omenihu’s 2023 status will depend on how they do in 2022, now for Ebukam, he’s a potential cap casualty, unless he agrees to a pay cut this offseason.

Also, I expect the 49ers to extend Brandon Aiyuk next offseason, which should also be done like they did with George Kittle, & Fred Warner, by lowering his base salary, which is $2,318,821, down to $1.01 million, a difference of $1,308,821, but that won’t be enough for a signing bonus, say in the $15 million range, prorating at $3 million over 5-years, meaning his 2023 cap number would go from $3,987,248 to $5,678,427, which is just $1,691,179 in cap room being used, leaving the 49ers with either $16,363,337(2022 restructure max savings), or $16,006,012(2022 restructure minimum savings) in 2023 salary cap room.

Of course this doesn’t include any of their draft picks, which as of now, they have the following, their own 2nd-rounder(61st-overall), their own 3rd-rounder(93rd-overall), a compensatory 3rd-rounder(102nd-overall, for losing Mike McDaniel), their own 4th-rounder(133rd-overall), their own 5th-rounder(172nd-overall), the Denver Broncos 6th-rounder(186th-overall), and 3 compensatory 7th-rounders(252nd-overall, 255th-overall, & 262nd-overall, for losing Solomon Thomas, Kerry Hyder Jr., & C.J. Beathard last offseason).

Those 9 picks would cost $9,395,880 in 2023, which if we add that in, the 49ers would have either $13,718,762(2022 restructure max savings), or $13,360,437(2022 restructure minimum savings) in salary cap room with 38 players signed.

Those 38 players would be.

1. QB Trey Lance(2024) – $9,301,434
2. RB Elijah Mitchell(2024) – $985,893
3. RB Trey Sermon(2024) – $1,328,982
4. RB Jeff Wilson Jr.(2023) – $3,165,000
5. FB Kyle Juszczyk(2025) – $6,588,750
6. WR Deebo Samuel(2027) – $7,250,000
7. WR Brandon Aiyuk(2028) – $5,678,427
8. WR Jauan Jennings(2023) – $940,000
9. TE George Kittle(2025) – $16,300,000
10. TE Charlie Woerner(2023) – $1,055,259
11. C Alex Mack(2023) – $5,075,000
12. LG Laken Tomlinson(2026) – $4,746,352
13. LG Colton McKivitz(2023) – $1,300,000
14. RG Aaron Banks(2024) – $1,911,166
15. LT Trent Williams(2026) – $26,720,000 ($27,700,800 with max & minimum savings)
16. LT Jaylon Moore(2024) – $1,020,7589
17. DE Nick Bosa(2027) – $16,395,000
18. DE Arden Key(2025) – $3,100,000
19. DE Jordan Willis(2023) – $2,515,000
20. DT Arik Armstead(2024) – $21,740,000 ($23,824,800 with max savings, $24,183,125 with minimum savings)
21. DT Javon Kinlaw(2023) – $4,928,223
22. DT Kevin Givens(2023) – $1,300,000
23. NT D.J. Jones(2026) – $5,965,000
24. MLB Fred Warner(2026) – $18,525,000
25. SLB Azeez Al-Shaair(2024) – $3,183,333
26. CB Ambry Thomas(2024) – $1,305,232
27. CB Deommodore Lenoir(2024) – $1,011,217
28. CB K’Waun Williams(2024) – $3,880,000
29. SS Talanoa Hufanga(2024) – $1,000,038
30. 2022 2nd-round pick(2025) – $1,420,343
31. 2022 3rd-round pick(2025) – $1,210,621
32. 2022 Compensatory 3rd-round pick(2025) – $1,139,719
33. 2022 4th-round pick(2025) – $1,067,792
34. 2022 5th-round pick(2025) – $953,386
35. 2022 6th-round pick via Denver Broncos(2025) – $926,024
36. 2022 1st Compensatory 7th-round pick(2025) – $892,665
37. 2022 2nd Compensatory 7th-round pick(2025) – $892,665
38. 2022 3rd Compensatory 7th-round pick(2025) – $892,665

Now, if the 49ers can re-sign free safety Jimmie Ward before his contract voids, that $6.395 million dead money would likely end up being close to his expected 2023 salary cap number, as I doubt the 49ers would want to use up much, if any of their 2023 salary cap room.

So, the 49ers 2023 salary cap room would be either $14,468,762(2022 restructure max savings), or $14,110,437(2022 restructure minimum savings), which would be a good amount of cap room to re-sign Dre Greenlaw, Emmanuel Moseley, plus some outside free agent additions.

I should mention that in my 2022 mock offseason plan, I have the 49ers extending Dre Greenlaw, to a 4-year deal, worth $3.5 million a year, with a 2023 cap number of $2.185 million, which would give the 49ers 40 players under contract for 2023, with either $13,033,762(max savings)  or $12,675,437(minimum savings) in 2023 salary cap room, & this is factoring in the top 51 rule, with 11 players making $750,000, all factored into my numbers throughout this article, plus the 2022 restructures..

Of course, this is just speculation on what players the 49ers will sign this offseason, but if it’s anywhere near this, the 49ers will be in great shape salary cap wise.

One last thing, I didn’t talk about Javon Kinlaw, & Brandon Aiyuk’s 5th-year options, as 1. We have no clue what the salaries would be, and 2. It’s not guaranteed that Kinlaw gets his picked up, but Aiyuk should.

And, with all of this said, I thank everyone for reading this article, as always you can follow me on Twitter @49erscap, or leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you.

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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