For the first time in a while, the San Francisco 49ers are going to be pressed into making some hard contractual decisions, which could include these three cuts to create salary cap space in 2020.
It’s been a number of years since the San Francisco 49ers had to worry about pressing up against the league’s salary cap.
But after constructing a team which got within mere minutes of a Super Bowl win, the Niners are no longer enjoying the prospects of being one of those squads boasting a ton of available cap space the following offseason. According to Over the Cap, San Francisco has a projected $13,858,285 in available cap space for 2020. Should general manager John Lynch and Co. roll over the unused amount from last season, which is to be expected, the team would be just shy of $30 million.
Between $8 million and $10 million is typically reserved for rookie NFL Draft classes, so one would be wise to cut the above number down to about $20 million.
So, how do the 49ers make that amount work? A number of key players, including tight end George Kittle and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, are due for lucrative contract extensions. There are pending free agents, too, including wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, defensive end Arik Armstead and defensive back Jimmie Ward. It’s likely the Niners would like to bring back all three.
If San Francisco wants to have a chance at doing any of that, re-signing said players or dipping into free agency this offseason, Lynch will have to create some additional cap space.
That’ll ultimately mean some cap casualties, and it’s highly likely the 49ers end up parting ways with these three players this offseason to create some much-needed room.
No. 3: Offensive Guard Mike Person
It sure seemed like a great idea when the 49ers inked right guard Mike Person to a three-year extension back early in 2019. After all, the perennial journeyman lineman performed more than adequately in 2018, his first season in San Francisco, and was the epitome of reliable and capable.
For the most part, Person’s presence on the field was the same in 2019, although he missed two games with a neck injury. There were also some notable times during the playoffs where Person’s seemingly always-reliable performance was less than adequate, lending to the idea the Niners need to make some notable upgrades along the interior of their offensive line.
Person’s contract is interesting enough, putting him on this list. He has zero in guaranteed money over the final two years of his contract, and San Francisco could generate $2.5 million in cap space with zero in dead money, should the team part ways with him this offseason.
Granted, that opens up a void the 49ers would have to fill. But during those two games Person missed, the Niners received adequate production from former AAF offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill, who suddenly seems to be part of the team’s long-term plans.
Perhaps Brunskill is the interim answer, should San Francisco try to save $2.5 million by letting Person walk.
In this case, it’s the contract speaking the most about the player’s immediate future.
No. 2: Running Back Jerick McKinnon
It’s a shame fans haven’t been able to witness running back Jerick McKinnon make an impact on the 49ers offense the last two years.
After tearing his ACL at the close of the preseason in 2018, all hopes for a healthy 2019 return were dashed with McKinnon re-aggravated the injury, landing him back on injured reserve for the duration of the year.
San Francisco’s ground game has gotten by well enough, however, as the strong trio of runners Matt Breida, Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert shouldered the load, promoting one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks in the league last season.
As such, McKinnon has unfortunately become something of an excess commodity.
There’s a good thought the Niners might rather part ways with Coleman, who has one year remaining on his deal in San Francisco, and with zero guaranteed money. But head coach Kyle Shanahan seems to favor Coleman, as the tailback was frequently in Shanahan’s game plan down the stretch despite some second-half struggles.
If that’s the case in 2020, McKinnon is the odd player out.
McKinnon has two more years left on his deal, and cutting him this offseason would cost the 49ers $4 million in dead money, albeit with $4.55 million in cap savings.
That’s likely the route the Niners choose this offseason.
No. 1: Wide Receiver Marquise Goodwin
Like Jerick McKinnon, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin‘s last two seasons with the 49ers have been marked by injury. Tack on some serious family tragedies in Goodwin’s case, too.
San Francisco’s onboarding of Emmanuel Sanders all but ensured Goodwin wouldn’t have a notable role on offense for the latter half of 2019, and the speedster eventually found himself on season-ending injured reserve after being held to just 12 catches for 186 yards and a touchdown over the course of the year.
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Moving forward, it’s hard to envision what kind of role Goodwin would have, even if the Niners don’t bring back Sanders.
The 2019 rookie, Deebo Samuel, already cemented himself as a major weapon for Kyle Shanahan. It’s hard to fathom Shanahan completely giving up on two-year pro Dante Pettis, either, despite his down season.
Slot receiver Trent Taylor is due back from a season-ending foot injury, Kendrick Bourne has proven his value and the big-bodied Jalen Hurd is an unknown, yet promising commodity.
It’s hard to find where Goodwin fits in amid all this.
Goodwin has two more years due on his current contract. Parting ways with him this offseason would generate $3.66 million in cap space against $1.25 million in dead money. In 2021, it’s $7 million in savings against $625,000 in dead money.
Despite what Goodwin meant for the 49ers in the initial years of the rebuild, it appears as if his role is no longer carrying the weight it once did.
And from the financial standpoint, the Niners would probably want to move on in order to free up some much-needed space.