How much cap space do the 49ers have ahead of free agency?
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers won't have the luxury of being overly aggressive on the free-agent market this offseason, but they'll probably at least be active.
All 32 teams had to be thrilled when the NFL announced the 2024 salary cap would jump up to $255.4 million this year.
Particularly the San Francisco 49ers, who were risking being considerably over the cap after owning some top-dollar contracts for many of their star players who have helped keep their Super Bowl window open over the last few seasons.
Now, the Niners aren't going to be as handcuffed when it comes to free agency this offseason. Sure, they won't have the kind of money like, let's say, the Washington Commanders ($91.5 million) have entering the league new year.
But, with player extensions, restructures and even the occasional cap casualty, San Francisco can free up cap space to improve its roster via free agency in 2024.
So, how much do the 49ers currently have?
How much salary cap space do the 49ers have in 2024?
There are a few different kinds of salary cap space to note here. Of importance is what's called "effective" cap space, which differs from general cap space. During the offseason, only the top 51 contracts matter and count against the cap.
That's what effective cap space is.
For the Niners, the sources can differ slightly. Using two more reliable sources, Over the Cap and Spotrac, San Francisco's effective cap space just ahead of the league new year on March 13 is as follows:
- Over the Cap: -$3,563,687
- Spotrac: -$3,435,270
Related story: What does 'dead money' mean in NFL free agency?
Yes, there's a minus (-) in front of both figures, meaning the 49ers have to trim roughly $3.4 million to $3.5 million to get under the salary cap.
According to our friend Jason Hurley, who does excellent work over at 49erscap.com, the Niners are $3,373,082 above the cap, currently.
No doubt, San Francisco has plans to get underneath that amount, and news of whatever transactions will likely come out over the next few days.
The league new year begins on Wednesday, March 13.
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