49ers 2026 Salary Cap Thread, 2026 Cap Room=$46,322,300 as of 1/26/26 on a $305M cap

I'm normally against going the FA route to improve your team, but right now, we need to be looking for YOUNG guys in FA, that we can get in here, and build around and go forward with them plus our current core and future draft picks. The key to this though, is to FRONT LOAD some of these deals, to where we burn through our cap space right now, while we're not competitive. Then as each year passes, that players contract becomes cheaper and cheaper, thus CREATING cap space as we go forward, and need to retain other guys, or go out and find a missing piece in FA.

I think this year will be different. I have never seen York so distressed and he actually addressed the fans directly about spending and making the team better. I am sure we will get 2 very good fa for a lot of money. I mean look at what Seattle did one year with avril and Bennett. We need a pass rusher and ol in free agency and we will be competitive again.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
Well he said we'll be aggressive, and if he means it, they will spend money, I know because you have cap room doesn't mean you have to spend it, but they need to upgrade the team, or fans will be pissed. A new HC like Payton won't make this team a contender, I don't see them being a wild card team, let along NFC West champions for 2016 until they upgrade, I always am/was against FA signings, but they have to get some big names.

Definitely, I just don't want them to blow all of it expecting to contend in next year or even the year after. I want them to spend in FA but I don't want them to thing giving Wilkerson a Max deal and Irvin a max deal, Mack a max deal and were good. Even tho that will help us immediately, I don't feel its enough smart long term nor its enough for us compete for a title. But we'll see.

Originally posted by Bobdawg78:
I'm normally against going the FA route to improve your team, but right now, we need to be looking for YOUNG guys in FA, that we can get in here, and build around and go forward with them plus our current core and future draft picks. The key to this though, is to FRONT LOAD some of these deals, to where we burn through our cap space right now, while we're not competitive. Then as each year passes, that players contract becomes cheaper and cheaper, thus CREATING cap space as we go forward, and need to retain other guys, or go out and find a missing piece in FA.

It's not one route or another. This team has had some great FA signings.

I'm told the NFL's salary cap is expected to jump to at least $155M this year. Nearly $12M more than last year's ($143.28M).

AB, if the cap next year is at $155M what is the minimum amount that they have to spend? And is there a limit to the amount of salary that they can carry forward to the next year?

Why is the media saying $55M when we have $59M AB? I'm guessing you're calculating something that happens in the future that's not calculated in now or something.

Originally posted by saj4423:
AB, if the cap next year is at $155M what is the minimum amount that they have to spend? And is there a limit to the amount of salary that they can carry forward to the next year?

No there's no minimum we need to spend, there is a cash spending we need to reach from 2013-2016, it's 89% of the cap in cash, we're fine right now.

Originally posted by matt49er:
Why is the media saying $55M when we have $59M AB? I'm guessing you're calculating something that happens in the future that's not calculated in now or something.

1. They probably don't know that Ahmad Brooks's contract de-escalated from $6.5M to $4.9M, a $1.6M savings, and 2. I have them with a $1.2M credit for Joe Staley's option bonus from 2015 that was turned into a signing bonus.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:

Originally posted by matt49er:
Why is the media saying $55M when we have $59M AB? I'm guessing you're calculating something that happens in the future that's not calculated in now or something.

1. They probably don't know that Ahmad Brooks's contract de-escalated from $6.5M to $4.9M, a $1.6M savings, and 2. I have them with a $1.2M credit for Joe Staley's option bonus from 2015 that was turned into a signing bonus.

AB, a fan asked a question on how much realized cap space we have vs. perceived. An example is Seattle...they are perceived to have some cap room but when you factor in the lack of rollover $ and all their own FA's they need to sign and the cost to do that, that realized cap space closes close to nothing very quickly especially when you consider how much is needed for the rookie class and emergency money.

As to us, we have very few internal FA's to sign and none of them require big deals. We've already locked up one in Celek and extended another in Dial. Williams might be the only mid-range contract we'll need to sign.

In short, with the $12M rollover and expected restructures or cuts or trades for players such as Brooks/Bethea/Dawson/CK, etc. how much realized cap space do you think we have...ballpark?

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by AB81Rules:

Originally posted by matt49er:
Why is the media saying $55M when we have $59M AB? I'm guessing you're calculating something that happens in the future that's not calculated in now or something.

1. They probably don't know that Ahmad Brooks's contract de-escalated from $6.5M to $4.9M, a $1.6M savings, and 2. I have them with a $1.2M credit for Joe Staley's option bonus from 2015 that was turned into a signing bonus.

AB, a fan asked a question on how much realized cap space we have vs. perceived. An example is Seattle...they are perceived to have some cap room but when you factor in the lack of rollover $ and all their own FA's they need to sign and the cost to do that, that realized cap space closes close to nothing very quickly especially when you consider how much is needed for the rookie class and emergency money.

As to us, we have very few internal FA's to sign and none of them require big deals. We've already locked up one in Celek and extended another in Dial. Williams might be the only mid-range contract we'll need to sign.

In short, with the $12M rollover and expected restructures or cuts or trades for players such as Brooks/Bethea/Dawson/CK, etc. how much realized cap space do you think we have...ballpark?

If we were to factor in all players under contract, we would have right now $41,911,332 in cap room, with Brooks and Bethea, and Kap under contract still. Includes my projection for Celek, $1.975M cap hit for 2016.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:

If we were to factor in all players under contract, we would have right now $41,911,332 in cap room, with Brooks and Bethea, and Kap under contract still. Includes my projection for Celek, $1.975M cap hit for 2016.

Terrific. I just saw the Hawks have this:

The smallest carry-over amount was $11,587 by the Seattle Seahawks.

I have Celek's terms, 4yr/$10.2M deal, $3.5M fully guaranteed($2.5M signing bonus, and $1M base for 2016 is guaranteed), has $350K per game roster bonuses, and $50K workout bonuses each year, also has $4M in incentives that are NLTBE right now for receptions and receiving yards, $1M a year.

Cap numbers are below.

2016- $2.025M
2017- $2.575M
2018- $2.675M
2019- $2.925M

Average per year is $2.55M.

Right now, before knowing Dial's numbers, hope to have them tomorrow, we are $57,588,018 under the cap.

Thanks so much for the insight AB!

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
If we were to factor in all players under contract, we would have right now $41,911,332 in cap room, with Brooks and Bethea, and Kap under contract still. Includes my projection for Celek, $1.975M cap hit for 2016.

Terrific. I just saw the Hawks have this:

The smallest carry-over amount was $11,587 by the Seattle Seahawks.

I have to correct myself, I forgot to add in the carryover, it's actually $52,338,018 with all contracts factored in, before Dial's numbers.