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The San Francisco 49ers are officially under the 2022 salary cap of $208.2 million, which goes into effect on Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT. The team got here by
restructuring the contracts of two star players—tight end
George Kittle and defensive lineman
Arik Armstead.
The salary-cap maneuvering allows the 49ers to be patient with Jimmy Garoppolo and await a resolution to the Deshaun Watson situation before pushing to complete a trade of their veteran quarterback.
Jim Trotter discussed the 49ers' situation on NFL Network, saying the team is not panicking by the less-than-expected interest in their starting quarterback of the past four-and-a-half seasons. Several quarterback-needy teams, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, and Washington Commanders, went in different directions to add passers.
"We're not going to know anything about Jimmy until this Deshaun situation is settled," Trotter said. "Look, there was this misconception that the 49ers were going to have to make a move before 1 p.m. today, West Coast time, to be salary-cap compliant. That was never the case. As we saw, they restructured a couple of contracts today.
"They are in no-panic mode when it comes to Jimmy. Like everyone else, they have looked out there. They know there are teams out there that still need a starting quarterback. And therefore, they are going to wait to see what happens with Deshaun, to see which clubs still need a starting quarterback, and then they will look to make a move with Jimmy. They are not prepared to release him, as some have said."
According to OverTheCap.com, the 49ers currently own about $4.2 million in salary-cap space, not counting the deal with free-agent cornerback
Charvarius Ward. That signing cannot be made official until after 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
Releasing Garoppolo would immediately create $18.05 million in additional cap space—the quarterback's salary minus the $7.5 million injury guarantee. Garoppolo cannot pass a physical after undergoing shoulder surgery last week. The recovery will force him to miss much of the offseason, but the quarterback is expected to be fully cleared in time for training camp.
In addition, the 49ers would get that injury guarantee money back if Garoppolo signed with another team for at least that amount.
"Look, in Jimmy, they know this is a guy who, maybe while not elite, has gone to two NFC Championship games, one Super Bowl," Trotter added. "He is a guy, if you believe in the quarterback win percentage, he's 37-16, including the playoffs, as a starter. That's nearly a 70 percent win rate. So from that standpoint, they feel they have a valuable asset here that they can get something in return for. And therefore, they are going to slow play this to see what happens with the quarterback market."
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find
Just when you thought the San Francisco 49ers and Tom Brady storylines had concluded, the future Hall of Fame quarterback drops another tidbit that sparks discussion. During an episode of "DeepCut with VicBlends," the host asked Brady what he would do if the NFL came calling once again.
VicBlends inquired if Brady would consider returning to the football field if a playoff-bound team like the 49ers needed him.
"I'm not opposed to it," Brady said, per Jordan Mendoza of USA Today. "I don't know if they're gonna let me if I become an owner an NFL team. I don't know, I'm always gonna be in good shape, always be able to
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
