This past week we saw defensive end Dee Ford’s $4.6 million roster bonus become fully guaranteed, as it was guaranteed for injury, and we also saw left guard Laken Tomlinson’s contract void, which will leave a $1,204,059 dead money hit in 2022, so let’s take an updated look at the 49ers 2022 salary cap outlook.
The 49ers still have 43 players signed for 2022, accounting for $208,528,720 in committed salaries, along with $5,167,725 in dead money, so they have a combined $213,696,445 committed as of now, leaving them $8,960,061 over the 2022 salary cap, this does include the team having 51 players signed, so 8 more players with $705,000 salaries, but that’s unlikely as they have 5 ERFAs, & 3 RFAs that they have to tender, and/or re-sign.
One of the biggest things people need to know is that the 49ers need to be cap compliant by the time the new league year begins, which is on March 16th, at 4PM eastern, and they must do so with Jimmy Garoppolo’s $26.95 million cap number included.
Let’s first look at the team’s exclusive rights free agents, and restricted free agents.
Their 5 ERFAs are running back JaMycal Hasty, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, left guard Colton McKivitz, defensive tackle Kevin Givens, & strongside linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and the 49ers will definitely tender all 5, with Jennings being at $825,000, while Hasty, McKivitz, Givens, & Flannigan-Fowles would be $895,000 each, a total of $4.405 million, which would now put the team $9,840,061 over the 2022 salary cap.
Now the team has 3 RFAs, right guard Daniel Brunskill, defensive tackle Kentavius Street, & strongside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, with the lowest tender for Brunskill, & Al-Shaair would be $2.433 million, since they were undrafted, & for Street is would be $2.54 million, as he was drafted, but I don’t see the 49ers tendering Brunskill or Street, instead they will likely re-sign them to 1-year deals, likely in the $1.265 million range.
As for Al-Shaair, he would be the player who gets tendered if no deal is worked out, likely the 2nd-round tender, which will be $3.986 million, but if they can work out a multi-year deal, I’d think his 2022 salary cap number would come in around $1.3 million, which would put the team $11,555,061 over the cap, with 51 players now accounted for.
Now, as I mentioned earlier, the 49ers need to be under the cap by the opening of the new league year, so they’ll either have to restructure 1-2 players, or hope they get a lot of adjustments/credits, like they did in 2021, with over $11 million, but assuming they don’t get that kind of number, they’ll have to redo 1-2 deals.
The 49ers could restructure any of the following, 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).
The most likely player to be have his contract restructured is Arik Armstead, as he already has a void year, so they only need to tack on 1 more void year, and save the maximum of $10.424 million, but that’s not quite enough, so they need to decide if they want to restructure George Kittle, Trent Williams, or Jimmie Ward’s contracts, or they could go to Samson Ebukam, & get him to take a pay cut, from $5.9 million down to $1.035 million, a savings of $4.865 million, while he’d get incentives to try & recoup that $4.865 million.
If the 49ers can’t get Ebukam to take a pay cut, then they’ll either have to release Ebukam, saving $6.5 million, or choose between Kittle, Williams, or Ward when it comes to a restructuring, with, in my opinion, Trent Williams being the most logical candidate, as he has 5-years left on his deal, they would save $4.907 million, while Kittle has 4-years left on his deal, so they’d have to add a void year, but that would make him ineligible for a comp pick if the 49ers end up losing him.
As for Ward, unless they extend him, redoing his deal isn’t something I would do, yes they can save either $6.224 million or $5.835 million, depending on if they were to add another void year to his deal, which expires after 2022, which would leave the team with either $5,065,500 or $4,376,250 in additional dead money for 2023, as he already is set to count $6.395 million due to the 49ers restructuring his deal this past season, so I don’t see Ward’s deal being touched, unless it’s an extension.
By redoing Armstead, & Williams, they’d add $2.606 million to Armstead’s 2023 & 2024 cap numbers, and $1.226 million to Williams’ 2023-2026 salary cap numbers, so it’s very minimal.
The team would now be $3,775,939 under the 2022 salary cap, thus they’re cap complaint once the new league year opens, and after dealing Jimmy Garoppolo, they’d end up saving $25.55 million, putting them $29,325,939 under the 2022 salary cap, with 50 players signed.
Here are the 50 players that would be signed for 2022, with their 2022 salary cap number.
- QB Trey Lance(2024) – $7,751,195
- RB Elijah Mitchell(2024) – $870,893
- RB Trey Sermon(2024) – $1,107,485
- RB JaMycal Hasty(2022) – $895,000
- FB Kyle Juszczyk(2025) – $2,985,750
- FB Josh Hokit(2022) – $705,000
- WR Deebo Samuel(2022) – $4,890,519
- WR Brandon Aiyuk(2023) – $3,417,641
- WR Jauan Jennings(2022) – $825,000
- WR KeeSean Johnson(2022) – $895,000
- WR Austin Mack(2022) – $825,000
- WR Connor Wedington(2022) – $705,000
- TE George Kittle(2025) – $16,011,765
- TE Charlie Woerner(2023) – $940,258
- TE Tanner Hudson(2022) – $895,000
- TE Jordan Matthews(2022) – $895,000
- C Alex Mack(2023) – $6,725,000
- LG Colton McKivitz(2022) – $895,000
- RG Daniel Brunskill(2022) – $1,265,000
- RG Aaron Banks(2024) – $1,607,638
- LT Trent Williams(2026) – $9,127,765
- LT Jaylon Moore(2024) – $905,759
- RT Mike McGlinchey(2022) – $10,880,000
- RT Justin Skule(2022) – $1,009,987
- RT Alfredo Gutierrez(2022) – $705,000
- DE Nick Bosa(2022) – $10,805,564
- DE Samson Ebukam(2022) – $8,250,000
- DE Dee Ford(2022) – $11,909,997
- DE Charles Omenihu(2022) – $2,540,000
- DE Alex Barrett(2022) – $825,000
- DT Arik Armstead(2024) – $9,576,000
- DT Javon Kinlaw(2023) – $4,224,191
- DT Kevin Givens(2022) – $895,000
- DT Kentavius Street(2022) – $1,265,000
- NT Chris Slayton(2022) – $705,000
- WLB Dre Greenlaw(2022) – $2,620,429
- WLB Curtis Robinson(2022) – $825,000
- MLB Fred Warner(2026) – $8,134,558
- SLB Azeez Al-Shaair(2024) – $1,298,333
- SLB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2022) – $895,000
- CB Emmanuel Moseley(2022) – $6,555,529
- CB Ambry Thomas(2024) – $1,087,693
- CB Deommodore Lenoir(2024) – $896,217
- CB Ka’dar Hollman(2022) – $895,000
- FS Jimmie Ward(2022) – $12,935,588
- FS Tarvarius Moore(2022) – $965,000
- SS Talanoa Hufanga(2024) – $885,038
- PK Robbie Gould(2022) – $5,509,313
- P Mitch Wishnowsky(2022) – $1,156,018
- LS Taybor Pepper(2022) – $1,120,000
The team would have the following players become unrestricted free agents once the new league year opens, unless they reach a deal before the new league year begins.
RB Raheem Mostert
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
RB Trenton Cannon
WR Trent Sherfield
WR Mohamed Sanu Sr.
WR Travis Benjamin
WR Richie James Jr.
TE Ross Dwelley
C Jake Brendel
LG Laken Tomlinson
RT Tom Compton
DE Arden Key
DE Jordan Willis
DT Maurice Hurst Jr.
NT D.J. Jones
WLB Marcell Harris
CB K’Waun Williams
CB Jason Verrett
CB Josh Norman
CB Dontae Johnson
FS Tavon Wilson
SS Jaquiski Tartt
I expect the team to prioritize re-signing left guard Laken Tomlinson, & nose tackle D.J. Jones as their top 2 free agents to re-sign, with defensive ends Arden Key, & Jordan Willis, cornerback K’Waun Williams, & strong safety Jaquiski Tartt being the next 4 priorities.
Now I won’t go into detail about what I think, or would do with the above players, if you want to see that, check out my 2022 offseason plan, where I show how I expect the 49ers to extend wide receiver Deebo Samuel, & defensive end Nick Bosa, along with potential free agent targets.
Something to note is that the 49ers only way to save cap room from moving on from Dee Ford is by releasing him Post June 1, which would save $2.4 million.
The 49ers will have cap room to either re-sign most of their key free agents, or sign outside free agents, or a combination of their own, & outside free agents, and going forward, the 49ers will in great shape salary cap wise, with Brandon Aiyuk being the player that they should extend in 2023.
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
