Showing just how the 49ers can keep their core players long term

With concerns over the 49ers keeping their core together long term, I want to ease everyone’s minds, and go over just how they can do that.

First off, the 49ers have over $42.729 million in cap room right now, and as of now, in 2024 they would be over the projected cap by around $40 milllion, but before we dive into how the 49ers will navigate the 2024 salary cap, I want to list the 49ers player salaries from 2024-2026.

2024:

1. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $31,656,777
2. DT 91 Arik Armstead(2024)- $28,573,824
3. WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2025)- $28,572,000
4. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $24,469,000
5. TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $21,986,575
6. CB 7 Charvarius Ward(2024)- $17,901,000
7. NT 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)- $15,475,000
8. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2028)- $14,671,000
9. RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025)- $14,144,000
10. WR 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2024)- $14,124,000
11. WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2024)- $9,632,382
12. FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $7,588,750
13. C 64 Jake Brendel(2026)- $4,192,000
14. CB 26 Isaiah Oliver(2024)- $3,866,000
15. P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $2,825,000
16. RT 68 Colton McKivitz(2024)- $2,536,000
17. LG 65 Aaron Banks(2024)- $2,250,694
18. SS 30 George Odum(2024)- $1,625,000
19. DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,590,561
20. CB 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,425,154
21. RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,393,240
22. WR 6 Danny Gray(2025)- $1,375,883
23. LS 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)- $1,300,000
24. FS 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026)- $1,243,108
25. PK 4 Jake Moody(2026)- $1,219,756
26. TE 81 Cameron Latu(2026)- $1,219,756
27. RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,153,014
28. RT 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)- $1,135,759
29. CB 2 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $1,126,217
30. SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $1,115,038
31. RB 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $1,100,893
32. CB 0 Samuel Womack III(2025)- $1,055,831
33. LG 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)- $1,032,590
34. NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $1,018,003
35. QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $1,004,253
36. CB 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)- $997,555
37. RB 24 Jordan Mason(2024)- $988,334
38. DE 55 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)- $979,510
39. SLB 53 Dee Winters(2026)- $950,110
40. TE 9 Brayden Willis(2026)- $936,039
41. WR 10 Ronnie Bell(2026)- $935,482
42. SLB 50 Jalen Graham(2026)- $935,482

2025:

1. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $34,106,777
2. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $26,819,000
3. NT 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)- $26,590,000
4. WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2025)- $24,200,529
5. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2028)- $20,519,105
6. TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $19,647,000
7. RB 23 Christian McCaffrey(2025)- $14,344,000
8. FB 44 Kyle Juszczyk(2025)- $7,588,750
9. C 64 Jake Brendel(2026)- $4,447,000
10. P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $3,050,000
11. DE 95 Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,874,852
12. RB 32 Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $1,625,447
13. WR 6 Danny Gray(2025)- $1,555,197
14. FS 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026)- $1,471,583
15. PK 4 Jake Moody(2026)- $1,446,568
16. TE 81 Cameron Latu(2026)- $1,446,568
17. LS 46 Taybor Pepper(2025)- $1,430,000
18. RG 74 Spencer Burford(2025)- $1,268,014
19. CB 0 Samuel Womack III(2025)- 1,170,590
20. LG 63 Nick Zakelj(2025)- $1,147,590
21. NT 93 Kalia Davis(2025)- $1,133,003
22. QB 13 Brock Purdy(2025)- $1,119,253
23. CB 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)- $1,091,245
24. DE 51 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)- $1,091,245
25. SLB 53 Dee Winters(2026)- $1,063,333
26. TE 9 Brayden Willis(2026)- $1,049,975
27. WR 10 Ronnie Bell(2026)- $1,049,446
28. MLB 50 Jalen Graham(2026)- $1,049,446

2026:

1. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2028)- $42,029,105
2. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $37,796,781
3. NT 98 Javon Hargrave(2026)- $28,340,000
4. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $24,355,000
5. C 64 Jake Brendel(2026)- $4,907,000
6. P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2026)- $3,075,000
7. FS 27 Ji’Ayir Brown(2026)- $1,716,847
8. PK 4 Jake Moody(2026)- $1,687,663
9. TE 81 Cameron Latu(2026)- $1,687,663
10. CB 28 Darrell Luter Jr.(2026)- $1,223,378
11. DE 51 Robert Beal Jr.(2026)- $1,206,245
12. SLB 53 Dee Winters(2026)- $1,178,333
13. TE 9 Brayden Willis(2026)- $1,164,975
14. WR 10 Ronnie Bell(2026)- $1,164,556
15. MLB 50 Jalen Graham(2026)- $1,164,556

Now, the first thing the 49ers should do is extend Arik Armstead, Dre Greenlaw, & CHarvarius Ward, which saves the team $27.668 million, with projected contracts below for all 3.

Arik Armstead:

3-year extension, worth $19 million a year, with a $16.2 million signing bonus, his 2024 base salary fully guaranteed, his 2025 base salary fully guaranteed, and his 2026 base salary guaranteed for injury, and fully guaranteed on April 1, 2026, total of $27.915 million guaranteed, $18.665 million being fully guaranteed.

2024- $15,613,824 ($1.21 million base salary, $13,553,824 prorated, $750,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2025- $12.396 million ($1.255 million base salary, $10.291 million prorated, $750,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2026- $18.891 million ($9.25 million base salary, $8.791 million prorated, $750,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2027- $27.535 million ($20.5 million base salary, $6.185 million prorated, $750,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)

Dre Greenlaw:

4-year extension, worth $12 million a year, with a $6.975 million signing bonus, $8.5 million option bonus due in 2025, his 2024 base salary fully guaranteed, his 2025 base salary fully guaranteed, and his 2026 base salary being guaranteed for injury, and fully guaranteed on April 1, 2026, total guarantee of $20.27 million, $17.77 million being fully guaranteed.

2024: $4,051,382 ($1.125 million base salary, $2,326,382 prorated, $500,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2025: $5,797,382 ($1.17 million base salary, $4,027,382 prorated, $500,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2026: $8,297,384 ($2.5 million base salary ,$4,027,384 prorated, $500,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2027: $10.835 million ($7.14 million base salary, $3.095 million prorated, $500,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2028: $15.695 million ($12 million base salary, $3.095 million prorated, $500,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)

Charvarius Ward:

4-year extension, worth $15 million a year, with a $11.435 million signing bonus, a $8.5 million option bonus due in 2025, his 2024 base salary fully guaranteed, his 2025 base salary fully guaranteed, and his 2026 base salary guaranteed for injury, and fully guaranteed on April 1, 2026, total of $30.23 million guaranteed, of which $22.23 million is fully guaranteed.

2024: $8.753 million ($1.125 million base salary, $7.188 million prorated, $340,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2025: $10.498 million ($1.17 million base salary, $8.888 million prorated, $340,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2026: $17.328 million ($8 million base salary, $8.888 million prorated, $340,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2027: $18.923 million ($12 million base salary, $6.483 million prorated, $340,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)
2028: $16.45 million ($12.023, $3.987 million prorated, $340,000 per game roster bonus, & $100,000 workout bonus)

Now, this along with the 49ers carryover would give the 49ers a whopping $46.173 million in cap room for 2024, with 42 players signed, or $39.018 million with 51 signed.

In 2025, currently, Armstead, Greenlaw, & Ward would count for over $29 million in dead money, so by extending these 3 next March, the 49ers would wipe that out, and have, instead of 28 players signed for 2025, they’d have 31 signed, with $46.559 million in cap room, with 31 players signed, or $29.759 million with 51 signed.

In 2025, the 49ers have 3 key offensive players that I believe they will extend, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle, which would allow the team to give Brock Purdy a nice payday, somewhere in the $50 million a year range.

Now, the structures of Armstead, Greenlaw, & Ward’s contracts would allow the 49ers to extend Brandon Aiyuk, Aaron Banks, and Talanoa Hufanga, where all 3 would get low year 1, and year 2 cap numbers, just like every long term deal the 49ers sign players to.

The 49ers salary cap is very healthy, & I truly believe the reason the team made all this cap room for 2023, is to carryover as much as possible into 2024.

And the 49ers would have their core players signed long term, those being QB Brock Purdy, RB Christian McCaffrey, FB Kyle Juszczyk, WRs Deebo Samuel, & Brandon Aiyuk, TE George Kittle, LG Aaron Banks, LT Trent Williams, DE Nick Bosa, DT Arik Armstead, NT Javon Hargrave, WLB Dre Greenlaw, MLB Fred Warner, CB Charvarius Ward, & SS Talanoa Hufanga.

Of course, the 49ers will need to draft well to replace players who will eventually move onto other teams, but I have faith in Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and Adam Peters.

As always, I thank you for reading, & you can follow me on X/Twitter @49erscap for more salary cap information & tidbits.

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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