Nick Bosa megadeal could turn these 49ers into cap casualties
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers left tackle Trent Williams
2024 cap hit: 28 million
Whereas Arik Armstead's future might be dictated by health, All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams' future with the 49ers could be dictated by his age.
Granted, the 35-year-old perennial Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer is playing as if he's the best tackle in football going, which he is. Yet that massive contract signed prior to 2022 is going to start getting expensive awfully quick.
This year, Williams' cap hit is going to be up to $27.23 million with $6.3 million of it guaranteed. In 2024, that hit will be $28 million.
None of that is guaranteed, though. In fact, this year marks the final season in which Williams has any guaranteed money remaining on his six-year, $138 million deal.
Like Armstead, it'd be expensive to cut Williams prior to June 1 next year, generating $15.3 million in dead money. Yet it would generate a much-needed $12.7 million in cap space, a number that'd jump to $20.9 million after June 1, if the Niners could wait that long.
If they find a younger, cheaper replacement via free agency or the NFL Draft, that might be the smarter financial route to take to absorb Nick Bosa's cost.