The 49ers have a really great core, with most signed long term, but they do have a couple players that they need to lock up long term in the next 2 offseasons, those being not just Nick Bosa, but also Brandon Aiyuk.
Now, the 49ers will extend Nick Bosa this offseason, somewhere in the $35 million a year range, with $110 million guaranteed, $82 million of it being fully guaranteed, but the other player that many fans are unsure whether the 49ers will or can keep is Brandon Aiyuk, and I’m going to show you that the 49ers can indeed keep Aiyuk, plus keep their core together.
In 2024, Aiyuk will be on his 5th-year option, which will be worth $13.988 million, and the 49ers currently have 27 players signed for 2024, accounting for $203,083,621, with $819,000 in dead money from Oren Burks, for a total cap commitment of $203,902,621, leaving them $52,097,379 under a projected $256 million cap, but that’s with just 27 players, so when you add in enough for 51, they’d be down to $33,017,379 under.
Below are the 27 players with their 2024 cap numbers.
- WR 19 Deebo Samuel – $28,572,000
- LT 71 Trent Williams – $28,009,777
- DT 91 Arik Armstead – $25,866,000
- MLB 54 Fred Warner – $22,100,000
- TE 85 George Kittle – $19,842,575
- CB 7 Charvarius Ward – $15,405,000
- RB 23 Christian McCaffrey – $12,000,000
- QB 5 Trey Lance – $10,851,673
- WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw – $9,632,382
- FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk – $7,588,750
- P 18 Mitch Wishnowsy – $2,825,000
- LG 65 Aaron Banks – $2,250,694
- SS 30 George Odum – $1,625,000
- DE 95 Drake Jackson – $1,590,561
- CB 20 Ambry Thomas – $1,425,154
- RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price – $1,393,240
- WR 6 Danny Gray – $1,375,883
- RG 74 Spencer Burford – $1,153,014
- RT 76 Jaylon Moore – $1,135,759
- CB 38 Deommodore Lenoir – $1,126,217
- SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga – $1,115,038
- RB 25 Elijah Mitchell – $1,100,893
- CB 26 Samuel Womack III – $1,055,831
- LG 63 Nick Zakelj – $1,032,590
- NT 93 Kalia Davis – $1,018,003
- QB 13 Brock Purdy – $1,004,253
- RB 24 Jordan Mason – $988,334
Of course, this doesn’t include Nick Bosa’s pending extension, which should come in with a 2024 cap number in the $12 million to $14 million range, but the 49ers don’t have many, if any big name free agents to be in 2024, with just the following contracts set to expire after 2023.
WR/KR/PR Ray-Ray McCloud (UFA)
WR Dazz Newsome (ERFA)
WR Tay Martin (ERFA)
TE Charlie Woerner (UFA)
C Keith Ismael (UFA)
RG Jason Poe (ERFA)
LT Leroy Watson (ERFA)
RT Alfredo Gutierrez (ERFA)
DE Alex Barrett (ERFA)
DT/NT Javon Kinlaw (UFA)*
WLB Curtis Robinson (RFA)
MLB Oren Burks (UFA)
CB Qwuantrezz Knight (ERFA)
CB A.J. Parker (UFA)
FS Tayler Hawkins (ERFA)
Note: Kinlaw’s 5th-year option, which would be worth $8.432 million isn’t a guarantee to be picked up, or declined, as I believe it’s a 50/50 on what the 49ers will do, so I’ll include him as an expiring contract for now.
The 49ers will likely need to create cap room this offseason to sign any free agents, and draft picks, with Christian McCaffrey, & Fred Warner being the top 2 candidates in my eyes, which would save the team $18.052 million, but that would mean the 49ers would lose some salary cap room in 2024, around $3.987 million.
Just so everyone can see what I would do as 49ers general manager, by clicking here, but below would be the teams’ 2024 cap sheet for my mock offseason plan.
Jsy # | Name | Pos. | Signed | Cap Number | Prorated | Roster | Workout | LTBE | Base |
19 | Samuel, Deebo | WR/RB | 2025 | $28,572,000 | $6,650,000 | $750,000 | $200,000 | $0 | $20,972,000 |
71 | Williams, Trent | LT | 2026 | $28,009,777 | $7,109,777 | $750,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $20,050,000 |
91 | Armstead, Arik | DT/DE | 2024 | $25,866,000 | $7,606,000 | $750,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $17,410,000 |
54 | Warner, Fred | MLB | 2026 | $24,469,000 | $8,569,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $15,300,000 |
85 | Kittle, George | TE | 2025 | $19,842,575 | $5,842,575 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $13,400,000 |
7 | Ward, Charvarius | CB | 2024 | $15,405,000 | $2,405,000 | $340,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $12,560,000 |
23 | McCaffrey, Christian | RB/WR | 2025 | $14,144,000 | $2,144,000 | $0 | $200,000 | $0 | $11,800,000 |
97 | Bosa, Nick | DE/LEO/DT | 2028 | $12,725,000 | $11,000,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $1,125,000 |
5 | Lance, Trey | QB | 2024 | $10,851,673 | $5,540,956 | $4,255,717 | $0 | $0 | $1,055,000 |
57 | Greenlaw, Dre | WLB/SLB | 2024 | $9,632,382 | $932,382 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $8,100,000 |
44 | Juszczyk, Kyle | FB | 2025 | $7,588,750 | $1,338,750 | $400,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $5,750,000 |
94 | Omenihu, Charles | DE/DT | 2026 | $5,700,000 | $1,600,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $3,500,000 |
9 | Gould, Robbie | PK | 2024 | $5,500,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $4,500,000 |
64 | Brendel, Jake | C/LG/RG | 2025 | $5,440,000 | $1,000,000 | $340,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $4,000,000 |
18 | Wishnowsky, Mitch | P | 2026 | $2,825,000 | $550,000 | $0 | $50,000 | $0 | $2,225,000 |
65 | Banks, Aaron | LG/RG | 2024 | $2,250,694 | $626,110 | $0 | $50,000 | $0 | $1,574,584 |
30 | Odum, George | SS/FS | 2024 | $1,625,000 | $400,000 | $0 | $100,000 | $0 | $1,125,000 |
95 | Jackson, Drake | LEO/DT | 2025 | $1,590,561 | $349,889 | $0 | $80,000 | $0 | $1,160,672 |
20 | Thomas, Ambry | CB | 2024 | $1,425,154 | $210,154 | $0 | $30,000 | $0 | $1,185,000 |
32 | Davis-Price, Tyrion | RB | 2025 | $1,393,240 | $223,826 | $0 | $50,000 | $0 | $1,119,414 |
6 | Gray, Danny | WR | 2025 | $1,375,883 | $212,255 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,163,628 |
Round 3(#99th) | 2026 | $1,226,239 | $230,991 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $995,248 | ||
Round 3(#101st) | 2026 | $1,226,239 | $230,991 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $995,248 | ||
Round 3(#102nd) | 2026 | $1,226,239 | $230,991 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $995,248 | ||
46 | Pepper, Taybor | LS | 2026 | $1,190,000 | $40,000 | $0 | $25,000 | $0 | $1,125,000 |
74 | Burford, Spencer | RG/RT/LT/LG | 2025 | $1,153,014 | $168,014 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $985,000 |
76 | Moore, Jaylon | RT/RG/LT/LG | 2024 | $1,135,759 | $80,759 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,055,000 |
38 | Lenoir, Deommodore | CB | 2024 | $1,126,217 | $71,217 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,055,000 |
29 | Hufanga, Talanoa | SS/FS/SLB | 2024 | $1,115,038 | $60,038 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,055,000 |
25 | Mitchell, Elijah | RB | 2024 | $1,100,893 | $45,893 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,055,000 |
26 | Womack III, Samuel | CB | 2025 | $1,055,831 | $70,831 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $985,000 |
63 | Zakelj, Nick | LG/LT/C/RG | 2025 | $1,032,590 | $47,590 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $985,000 |
93 | Davis, Kalia | NT | 2025 | $1,018,003 | $33,003 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $985,000 |
13 | Purdy, Brock | QB | 2025 | $1,004,253 | $19,253 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $985,000 |
Round 5(#157th) | 2026 | $999,452 | $84,452 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 | ||
Round 5(#166th) | 2026 | $992,084 | $77,084 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 | ||
24 | Mason, Jordan | RB | 2024 | $988,334 | $3,334 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $985,000 |
Round 5(#173rd) | 2026 | $980,992 | $65,992 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 | ||
Round 6(#216th) | 2026 | $950,917 | $35,917 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 | ||
Round 7(#224th) | 2026 | $944,738 | $29,738 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 | ||
Round 7(#249th) | 2026 | $936,522 | $21,522 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 | ||
Round 7(#255th) | 2026 | $935,952 | $20,952 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $915,000 |
Dead Money | Amount |
Oren Burks | $819,000 |
TOTAL | $819,000 |
Total | $248,570,995 |
Dead | $819,000 |
Total and Dead | $249,389,995 |
2024 Cap | $256,000,000 |
Cap Space | $6,610,005 |
Effective Cap Room | ($1,339,995) |
Players under contract | 41 Players |
So, yes the 49ers cap room with my mock offseason plan isn’t much, the 49ers have options to create cap room, with the following being the top candidates.
RB Christian McCaffrey – $8.436 million max saved, $5,272,500 minimum saved
WR Deebo Samuel – $15,877,600 max saved, $14,885,250 minimum saved
TE George Kittle – $9.716 million max saved, $6,072,500 minimum saved
LT Trent Williams – $15.036 million max saved, $12.53 million minimum saved
DT Arik Armstead – $12.924 million max saved, $10.77 million minimum saved
MLB Fred Warner – $11.34 million max saved, $9.45 million minimum saved
WLB Dre Greenlaw – $5.58 million max saved, $4.65 million minimum saved
CB Charvarius Ward – $9.148 million max saved, $7,623,333 minimum saved
So, as you can see, the 49ers can create a lot of cap room, not just to sign other free agents, but to extend Brandon Aiyuk, plus the 49ers will likely look into extending the likes of Arik Armstead, Dre Greenlaw, & Charvarius Ward, since 1. they’re only signed thru 2024, and 2. the 49ers only extend players with 1 year left on their deal.
So to reiterate, the 49ers can indeed sign Bosa, and Brandon Aiyuk to long term deals, while they have their core together for a long time, and the core players I’m talking about are running back Christian McCaffrey, fullback Kyle Juszcyzk, wide receivers Deebo Samuel, & Brandon Aiyuk, tight end George Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Nick Bosa, defensive tackle Arik Armstead, middle linebacker Fred Warner, weakside linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and cornerback Charvarius Ward.
The team also has some good young players who will likely be core member of their team, the likes of wide receiver Jauan Jennings, left guard Aaron Banks, right guard Spencer Burford, & strong safety Talanoa Hufanga.
So please don’t be scared about the 49ers salary cap, 1. the team is nowhere near being in trouble, and 2. they will keep their core together, as they have a great track record of extending their own, and yes I now DeForest Buckner was traded, but that’s an anomaly in my opinion.
As always, I thank you for reading, and please consider following me on Twitter @49erscap for more salary cap information, & tidbits.