Updated 1: UPDATED with RFA numbers
The NFL just announced that the 2023 salary cap will be $224.8 million, which is $200,000 less than what I was projecting it to be, so let’s look at where the 49ers stand currently with the 2023 salary cap now that their season has come to an end.
First off, the 49ers have a projected $19,062,922 in cap room, but that’s with just 34 players signed, so when they have enough players signed to get to the top 51 rule, they’d be $6,312,992 under the $224.8 million cap, and this includes carryover, which right now I have them around $5.327 million under their 2022 adjusted cap, or potential adjustments/credits, which I have around $6.187 million.
The carryover & adjustments should be finalized sometime in mid-late February, to early March in time for the new league year, which begins on March 15th, at 4pm eastern/1pm pacific time.
Below are the 34 players, plus their 2023 cap number.
- QB 5 Trey Lance(2024)- $9,301,434
- QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $889,253
- RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025)- $12,000,000
- RB 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $985,893
- RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,161,033
- RB 24 Jordan Mason(2024)- $873,333
- FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $6,565,221
- WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2025)- $8,653,529
- WR 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023)- $3,987,248
- WR/KR/PR 3 Ray-Ray McCloud III(2023)- $2,090,000
- WR 6 Danny Gray(2025)- $1,146,569
- TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $18,033,751
- TE 89 Charlie Woerner(2023)- $1,055,258
- LG 65 Aaron Banks(2024)- $1,929,166
- LG 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)- $917,590
- RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,038,014
- LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $27,227,424
- RT 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)- $1,020,759
- DE 97 Nick Bosa(2023)- $17,859,000
- DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,339,180
- DT 91 Arik Armstead(2024)- $23,993,059
- DT/NT 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023)- $4,928,223
- NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $783,003
- WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)- $5,648,558
- MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $18,525,000
- MLB 48 Oren Burks(2023)- $2,773,000
- CB 7 Charvarius Ward(2024)- $16,405,000
- CB 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,305,232
- CB 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $1,011,217
- CB 26 Samuel Womack III(2025)- $940,831
- CB – A.J. Parker(2023)- $940,000
- SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $1,000,038
- SS 30 George Odum(2024)- $1,840,000
- P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $1,700,000
Now, the 49ers have a few options as to restructure candidates, with them listed below, and savings.
RB Christian McCaffrey – $8.576 million max, $7,146,666 minimum
TE George Kittle – $8.456 million max, $7,927,500 minimum
LT Trent Williams – $14.588 million max, $13,676,250 minimum
DT Arik Armstead – $11.78 million max, $11,043,750 minimum
MLB Fred Warner – $9.476 million max, $8,883,750 minimum
I don’t expect them to touch Kittle, and/or Armstead’s deals, as they redid them last year to get under the 2022 salary cap, which leaves McCaffrey, Williams, & Warner, but they did redo Trent Williams in season, so he may not be touched as well, leaving McCaffrey, & Warner as the logical choices, which saves the team $18.052 million combined, more than enough to bring back, and/or sign outside free agents.
Expect them to have low year 1, and year 2 cap numbers for any multi year deals, along with them picking up Brandon Aiyuk’s 5th-year option, which would come in at $13.984 million, while Javon Kinlaw, if exercised, would come in at $8.425 million, but both would be fully guaranteed the moment they’re exercised.
Also, expect the 49ers t0 make Nick Bosa to highest paid non quarterback, likely in the $35 million a year range, with $110 million guaranteed, $80 million to $82 million being fully guaranteed.
The team has a number of free agents to be bring back or consider to bring back, with them all listed below.
UFA:
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
QB Josh Johnson
TE Ross Dwelley
TE Tyler Kroft
TE Jordan Matthews
C Jake Brendel
RG Daniel Brunskill
RT Mike McGlinchey
DE Jordan Willis
DE Samson Ebukam
DE Kerry Hyder Jr.
DE Charles Omenihu
DT T.Y. McGill Jr.
DT Maurice Hurst Jr.
NT Hassan Ridgeway
SLB Azeez Al-Shaair
CB Emmanuel Moseley
CB Jason Verrett
FS Jimmie Ward
FS Tashaun Gipson Sr.
FS Tarvarius Moore
PK Robbie Gould
LS Taybor Pepper
RFA:
LT Colton McKivitz
DT Kevin Givens
SLB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
ERFA:
WR Jauan Jennings
Practice Squad FA:
RB Tevin Coleman
WR Tay Martin
WR Willie Snead IV
WR Dazz Newsome
C Keith Ismael
RG Jason Poe
LT Leroy Watson
RT Alfredo Gutierrez
DE Alex Barrett
DE Kemoko Turay
DT Michael Dwumfour
DT Akeem Spence
WLB Curtis Robinson
SLB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
CB Dontae Johnson
CB Qwuantrezz Knight
CB Janoris Jenkins
FS Tayler Hawkins
I expect them to tender their RFA & ERFA free agents, which are wide receiver Jauan Jennings(ERFA: $940,000), left tackle Colton McKivitz(RFA: $2.743 million), defensive tackle Kevin Givens(RFA: $2.627 million), & strongside linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(RFA: $2.627 million).
I also expect them to bring back the majority of their practice squad, most likely to come back will be the younger players, like wide receivers Tay Martin, & Dazz Newsome, center Keith Ismael, right guard Jason Poe, left tackle Leroy Watson, right tackle Alfredo Gutierrez, defensive end Alex Barrett, defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour, weakside linebacker Curtis Robinson, strongside linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, cornerback Qwuantrezz Knight, & free safety Tayler Hawkins, with their cap numbers being the following below.
WR Tay Martin – $750,000
WR Dazz Newsome – $870,000
C Keith Ismael – $940,000
RG Jason Poe – $750,000
LT Leroy Watson – $750,000
RT Alfredo Gutierrez – $750,000
DE Alex Barrett – $870,000
DT Michael Dwumfour – $870,000
WLB Curtis Robinson – $940,000
SLB Marcelino McCrary-Ball – $750,000
CB Qwuantrezz Knight – $750,000
FS Tayler Hawkins – $750,000
Of the teams’ UFAs, I’d expect them to look into bringing back the following, center Jake Brendel, right guard Daniel Brunskill, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, defensive ends Charles Omenihu, Samson Ebukam, Jordan Willis, & Kerry Hyder Jr., defensive tackle T.Y. McGill Jr., nose tackle Hassan Ridgeway, strongside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, free safeties Jimmie Ward, & Tashaun Gipson Sr., place kicker Robbie Gould, & long snapper Taybor Pepper.
Now, I’m not saying they’ll bring them all back, I’d expect the likes of Al-Shaair, Ward, & McGlinchey to have strong markets on the open market, so who knows who will be back in 2023.
The 49ers should also have a lot of draft capital, all in the 3rd-round to 7th-round areas, with them projected to get 11 picks, according to OverTheCap.com.
3rd-Round – #99th (Compensatory Pick for losing Robert Saleh/Martin Mayhew)
3rd-Round – #101st (Compensatory Pick for losing Mike McDaniel)
3rd-Round – #102nd (Compensatory Pick for losing Ran Carthon)
5th-Round – #156th (from Miami Dolphins)
5th-Round – #164th (Own Pick)
5th-Round – #173rd (Compensatory Pick for losing D.J. Jones)
6th-Round – #216th (Compensatory Pick for losing Arden Key)
7th-Round – #224th (from Denver Broncos)
7th-Round – #248th (Own Pick)
7th-Round – #254th (Compensatory Pick for losing Raheem Mostert)
7th-Round – #256th (Compensatory Pick for losing K’Waun Williams)
Finally, If you want to see what I’d do, check out my mock offseason plan, here, but note that this is a work in progress.
With that said, thank you for reading, and follow me on Twitter @49erscap for more salary cap information, & tidbits.
About Author
