49ers: Free agency, the NFL Draft and other areas of concern in 2020
By Peter Panacy
49ers Have Cap Concerns for the First Time in a While
During the Niners’ down years between 2015 and 2017, cap space was almost never an issue. This is typically common for bad teams, as those franchises rarely elect to sign underperforming players to lucrative long-term deals.
That won’t be the case in 2020, however.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is going to command a good chunk of the expected $200 million salary cap. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is due for an extension, and so is tight end George Kittle.
Right now, however, Over the Cap projects the 49ers to have just shy of $14 million in cap space this offseason, not including roughly $15.5 million in 2019 rollover (it’s likely San Francisco will roll this amount over into 2020).
Renegotiating current contracts could increase the amount available in 2020, and the team’s contracts specialist, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Paraag Marathe, is a genius at navigating cap space and contracts. Cap casualties are also likely to be a thing for the Niners this offseason. Case in point, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin — a near non-factor for the team in 2019 — could generate $3.66 million, if cut, against $1.25 million in dead money.
But the relatively limited amount of resources ultimately means San Francisco will be much more shrewd with re-signing many of its pending free agents.
And one shouldn’t expect the team to go all out on some of the top names hitting the open market, either.