49ers salary cap: 4 easy decisions John Lynch must make this offseason
By Peter Panacy
49ers easy move No. 2: Cut Samson Ebukam
Cap space saved in 2022: $6.5 million
Things get a little trickier when looking at other moves John Lynch and the front office could make to free up cap space this offseason, even if Jimmy Garoppolo is easily moved.
The Niners certainly don’t want to neglect their pass-rushing depth, and retaining the team’s No. 2 sack specialist behind Nick Bosa, EDGE Arden Key, might end up being a top priority this offseason.
Re-signing Key, a 2022 free agent, might have to come at the expense of another pass-rusher, who disappointed early last season before turning things around in the second half of the year, EDGE Samson Ebukam, ultimately finishing with 4.5 sacks.
Ebukam was one of San Francisco’s big-ticket free-agent pickups last season, signing a two-year deal worth $12 million. That’s typically a bargain for complementary pass-rushers, yet Ebukam will carry a significant $8.25 million cap hit in 2022.
That might be a bit too much, at least based on the production seen from last year.
Cutting Ebukam outright would free up $6.5 million of that number, though, with $1.75 million in dead money. While the 49ers could potentially explore a pay cut to keep him around, it’s nevertheless likely the Niners want to check out other pass-rushing options anyway.