The 49ers carry nearly $78 million in dead cap charges for players no longer on the roster. However, Breer doesn't view this offseason's moves as a full-scale teardown. Instead, he sees it as a roster churn, often comparing it to the strategic resets undertaken by the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills in recent years.
Despite the departures, Breer emphasizes that the 49ers still have a strong core in place, which will be essential for bouncing back from their six-win 2024 season.
"While a good chunk of the core of the 2023 Super Bowl team is gone now, the Niners did get ahead of a few potential losses, signing Brandon Aiyuk (four years, $120 million) and Deommodore Lenoir (five years, $88.9 million) to long-term contracts, and Jauan Jennings (two years, $15.4 million) and Colton McKivitz (1 year, $5.85 million) to shorter-term deals," Breer wrote. "That's with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey intact as All-Pro foundation pieces to build around, and with a big contract for Brock Purdy coming."
Breer also highlights that the 49ers spent $334.5 million in cash on their 2024 roster. In an effort to limit their cash spending in preparation for future financial commitments—like quarterback Brock Purdy's upcoming deal—that number has dropped to $223.3 million this year.
Ultimately, Breer believes San Francisco's future success will hinge on its draft strategy and coaching. A key offseason priority was reuniting with Robert Saleh, bringing him back as defensive coordinator.
"The bottom line: If they hit on draft picks and get good coaching, such as those Rams and Bills did, the Niners will be just fine," he concluded.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Why Hall of Fame predictions are tricky—and which 49ers are on track
In a recent ESPN article on soon-to-be market-setting contracts, Bill Barnwell calls Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson a "future Hall of Famer." While that might be true—Jackson is a superstar—that phrase is thrown around way too often. Before I get started, let me iterate:... -
Why 49ers fans shouldn't rely on PFF player grades
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has become the go-to grading source for everyone from print journalists to TV commentators to draft evaluators. I was once under the impression it was meaningful, that it was useful. Not anymore. For the last few years, I have read articles that give... -
Why 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan still trails others among NFL play callers
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is widely regarded as one of the NFL's premier offensive minds. Yet, despite his reputation as an elite play caller, he still isn't considered the league's best. Daniel Rios of Essentially Sports recently ranked the NFL's top 10... -
How Maxx Crosby responded to young 49ers fan asking him to join San Francisco
The San Francisco 49ers could certainly use another proven pass rusher after finishing with an NFL-low 20 sacks last season. That has fueled plenty of speculation about the future of Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby. Although there is no indication that the...