The 49ers’ wage cap crisis may not be as dire as it looked like it would in the off-season. With the floor of the wage ceiling reaching $ 180 million, from $ 175 million, and the ability to do some maneuvering to free up space, San Francisco may end up having more flexibility than initially anticipated. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, in his MMQB column, reported that 49ers have the ninth highest number of cap space in the league, with a week before the legal breach window opens.
Breer exposed all the space limit numbers from Sunday through the head of an NFL team’s salary limit and San Francisco is sitting with $ 28.02 million in available space against a $ 183 million ceiling.
Here’s what the top 10 looks like:
1. Jaguars: $ 86.42
2. Jets: $ 78.96 million
3. Colts: $ 70.89 million
4. Patriots: $ 68.74 million
5. Washington: $ 56.77 million
6. Broncos: $ 45.48 million
7. Bengals: $ 42.55 million
8. Panthers: $ 31.25 million
9. 49ers: $ 28.02 million
10. Chargers: $ 25.60 million
When the dust settles on the cap maneuver, the 49ers could be working with something close to $ 40 million. They could save $ 5.7 million by separating from DE Dee Ford, and another $ 3.3 million by giving up C Weston Richburg. That alone would bring them to $ 37 million in a quarter.
With LT Trent Williams, FB Kyle Juszczyk and CB K’Waun Williams reaching the unrestricted free agent market, having financial flexibility this off-season will be essential, especially with a team like Jets, which could be competitive for many 49ers free agents due to familiarity of the new technical team with San Francisco.
Things are still not going to be easy this off-season, but the 49ers seem to be in much better shape than they were when last season ended.