OverTheCap.com has updated its salary cap figures, revealing that the San Francisco 49ers now have about $32.7 million in cap space for 2024. This adjustment follows running back Christian McCaffrey's contract extension, which created approximately $7.46 million in savings for this year's cap, providing the 49ers with additional immediate flexibility.
The New England Patriots continue to lead the NFL in cap space with about $46.4 million. The 49ers rank seventh in the league (previously 12th), trailing only the Patriots, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders. The team with the least available cap space is the New York Giants, with approximately $1.1 million.
The 49ers likely have much of this cap space earmarked for the future. Retaining cap space and rolling it over into 2025, as the team did this year, would help with its long-term financial planning.
"Really, we always look at the cap for three years out," general manager John Lynch said last season. "Obviously, we have all that room this year. But really, it's to create room for future years because we roll everything over. It helps us in future years because it creates some room we're going to need."
The 49ers hope to sign last season's leading receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, to a long-term contract extension. Reflecting on his own negotiations with the 49ers two years ago, wide receiver Deebo Samuel expressed sympathy for Aiyuk and the challenges of the negotiation process.
"At the end of the day, you want to get what you deserve," Samuel told reporters. "And at the end of the day, you hope it happens, but it's not going to happen in the timely manner that you want it to happen. It's just a waiting game, and in this situation, you just let his agent communicate with them, and they communicate back, and it's just a back and forth for a long time."
San Francisco also needs to plan for next year, when the team will likely make Brock Purdy one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. Additionally, several key contributors are entering the final year of their deals, including cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and linebacker Dre Greenlaw.