There's a lot of chatter around 49ers sites on whether to keep, what seems to most, a bust, in 2012 1st-round pick, WR
A.J. Jenkins. The problem is his cap hit would cripple the 49ers salary cap.
The only way to get rid of salary in a positive way, is to trade him. But who will take on his salary, which includes guaranteed base salaries of $705,797 in 2013, and $1,021,594 in 2014, plus non-guaranteed base salary of $660,000 in 2015, and a $677,309 roster bonus due on the 5th day of the 2015 new league year. He also has money left in proration. $872,500 for 2013-2015, total of $2,617,500.
If cut right now, the team takes a cap hit of $2,599,891 for just 2013, that seems fine, since we have just over $7.2 million in cap space by my numbers.
In 2014 gets worse, because we have, by my numbers, $5.3 million in cap space. And in 2014 we would eat $1.745 million in dead money. That all takes away from the cap room.
I understand that AJ hasn't come on yet, but you have to give him another season to prove himself. It's not smart to hurt yourself long term, especially when
Colin Kaepernick, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati, Aldon Smith, &
Chris Culliver, the considered top 5 are unsigned for 2015.
If we eat cap room, we could potentially lose someone, especially since some want CB
Tarell Brown back. He will probably want a deal that averages $6.5-$7 million a year. Which would be out of our reach of his market value.
I'm in no way saying I am happy with Jenkins play, there is no excuse for catching, then getting stripped of the ball so easy. But it makes no sense to cut him.
Please comment, and I will get to each comments. Also check me on Twitter @AB83Rules, and check out
NinerCapHell.com
Thank you for reading, please comment on NCH, and send me your questions on Twitter, I will more than happy to answer any salary cap related questions.
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By: Michael
Date: August 19, 2013 at 1:31 AM
Comment: Can you clarify something?
If we want to put Jenkins on the practice squad, we have to cut him first, thus terminating his original contract and leaving us with all that dead money, correct? And if someone claims him on waivers, his original contract does not carry over to his new team and we're still stuck with the dead money?
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By: Scott
Date: August 17, 2013 at 11:41 PM
Comment: Keep him for that money. See if he can return kicks and maybe he will learn how to handle CB's and Safeties in the future. It is almost like he's a kid playing against men, which is pretty much what it is. Lettem grow, he is signed and no one else is gonna pay that for him. He needs to take Jerry up on his offer.
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By: Lucky Phil
Date: August 15, 2013 at 7:44 PM
Comment: What are we going to do about this, Hurley? I hear a lot about cap hits but I'm gonna need a serious bong hit if I see this S.O.B Friday night!
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By: Mike
Date: August 15, 2013 at 3:14 PM
Comment: Let faces it: Aj Jenkins has been a bust. We should have taken the TE out of Stanford who is doing well for the Colt. Remember JJ Stokes that everyone was so high on and was a bust? How long do the 49ers have to keep Jenkins before they realize that they made a mistake? To keep him to save face it not a good reason to keep him.
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By: Edd
Date: August 14, 2013 at 6:27 PM
Comment: Great analysis, always follow the money. What disturbs me most is that, except for Baalke, very few thought this kid was 1st round material. Given Baalke's reputation for finding diamonds in the rough, I think most fans see this as a failure of talent evaluation.
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By: NinerFanInMaine
Date: August 14, 2013 at 9:16 AM
Comment: What exactly is the additional impact next year? Right now next year's cap room already includes his salary and pro-rated bonus. The only 'hit' woul be $s that accelerate this year or next. The indirect hit is the cost of the new player on the roster (which is relatively small or zero if it is not high enough to count). Not that I want him cut but seems to me cap impact is pretty small actually.
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By: olapac
Date: August 12, 2013 at 8:58 PM
Comment: Would our salary cap situation differ any this year and/or next if AJ was picked up off waivers vs. if he passed through waivers and signed with a team as a free agent?
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By: mbniner
Date: August 12, 2013 at 8:52 PM
Comment: I reluctantly have to agree with you. We have to hope that he gets his head on straight and gets out of this funk. If you look at the consequences it probably means that the Niners keep 6 WRs with 4 suited up for games. My guess is that they are Boldin, Williams, Collie (if healthy), Patton, Lockette and Jenkins. I think that Moore, as good as he has looked, is the odd man out.
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By: Peter
Date: August 12, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Comment: Good analysis. It could turn out we keep Crabs and then AJ & Patton make an impact this season but we'll have to wait more for the preseason and regular season for that to unfold.
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By: gw2
Date: August 12, 2013 at 6:57 PM
Comment: Crabtree caught 175 passes his first three years while he was "getting with the program." Also, the 2013/2014 timing of the cap hit is an artificial thing, would make zero difference. Cap room can be carried forward under this CBA.
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By: Shane
Date: August 12, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Comment: I don't think it's fair to even compare crab to Jenkins. Crabtree was hurt but his first 3 years when he played he played well. He was a consensus top ten pick coming out of college. Crabtree is also bigger and stronger and at full strength looks sharp. Jenkins was considered a 3rd pick by a lot of teams, he is much more slight, and for god sake he can't stay on his own two feet in nonpadded practices. He hasn't had back to back days in 2 years that he has looked sharp. Finally, He is the most scrutinized guy on the team and you hear nothing about being the first guy in and last to leave. Or working extra. The extra level of desire is not there. Thank you for this article, helps me and others understand why we can't cut him and I hope he comes around. But it's doubtful, he is nothing like Crabtree
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By: ladale
Date: August 12, 2013 at 5:40 PM
Comment: A.J. Jenkins gets separation and open. You all saw this kid in one preseason game and you've essentially ended his career. A game in which he was open plenty but the Q.B. was staring down other targets. It wasn't long ago Vernon Davis was called hands of stone and just an athlete. So just lay off.
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By: Big Al
Date: August 12, 2013 at 3:25 PM
Comment: Keeping an unmotivated chronic underachiever who avoids physical contact and drops everything in sight hurts the team far more than the salary cap hit will. He simply doesn't fit the mold of a 49er receiver. Time isn't the answer. This guy just doesn't have it. Crabtree, Boldin, Williams, Manningham and Patton are a lock. No way we cut Collie or Hall or Moore or Osgood and keep AJ. He is toast and is worse than Rashaun Woods and Harry Babcock, two legendary first round WR flops. At least they caught a few passes.
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By: SportsFan
Date: August 12, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Comment: AB, I thought we had something like 20 million in cap space for next year. If we are only at 5.4 how are we going to extend or sign anyone?
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By: MrBriteside
Date: August 12, 2013 at 2:34 PM
Comment: Give the guy some more time. Look how long it took Crabtree to get with the program.
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By: Caurick
Date: August 12, 2013 at 1:47 PM
Comment: Awesome analysis. I've been wondering about this exact situation. Is it possible they could accelarate the entire cap hit to this year? Would that help long term?