Previewing the San Francisco 49ers 2015 Salary Cap Situation
The San Francisco 49ers endured a very tough 2014 season. The team, which finished with a record of 8-8, was decimated by injuries and turmoil.
The relationship between coach Jim Harbaugh and team owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke was damaged beyond repair. The discord at the top of the 49ers organization trickled down to the field and the results were well below expectations. To be completely fair, injuries also played a major role in the mediocrity of the 2014 season.
Harbaugh moves on after compiling a regular-season record of 44-19-1 in four seasons. In his first three seasons in San Francisco, Harbaugh guided the 49ers to the NFC title game every year and to one Super Bowl appearance.
Alas, all good things must come to an end apparently. The end of the Harbaugh era came sooner than most people expected after those first three seasons.
Now, Baalke and York must find a new head coach, but at the same time Baalke must begin addressing the 2015 roster.
The key roster issues facing Baalke revolve around their impending free agents and the 49ers' tight salary cap situation. Matt Verderame of SBNation.com reviews the NFL salary cap for 2015 and estimates that the cap should be roughly $140 million. This is an increase of $7 million over the 2014 number.
A salary cap of $140 million would put the 49ers about $9 million over the cap. This means several high-priced veterans may need to be jettisoned in order fit under the cap. In addition, this will impact San Francisco in free agency and who they can pursue.
These decisions by Baalke are just as important as who will be the 49ers' next head coach. Let's take a closer look at some of the individual players and their salary cap ramifications.
Salary cap data provided courtesy of OvertheCap.com.
Player stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.
Colin Kaepernick
1 of 10
Colin Kaepernick had a very rough 2014 season. He seemed to regress from 2013 and continued to make the same mistakes that plagued him earlier in his career.
Throughout the season, Kaepernick was plagued by inaccuracy, difficulty getting the plays off in time, the inability to locate his second or third receiving options and taking too many sacks.
The fact of the matter, however, is that the 49ers have no other viable option, so Kaepernick is safe for now. Kaepernick's 2015 salary cap figure is slightly over $15 million, which is the highest on the team.
It will be up to the new head coach and offensive coordinator to develop Kaepernick into a more productive and more efficient quarterback. Kaepernick still has tremendous athleticism and upside, but the jury is out on how much he can improve in the upcoming years. For the 49ers to be successful, his growth is a must.
Aldon Smith
2 of 10
Aldon Smith has the second-highest 2015 cap figure on the 49ers roster. His $9.754 million salary cap number mandates far better play than he displayed in 2014.
Smith missed the first nine games of the season due to his suspension. Upon his return, Smith played decently, but did not stand out often enough. In the final seven games of the season, Smith had just 10 tackles, five assists and two sacks.
The 49ers will keep Smith for 2015, barring any further brushes with the law. That is not a foregone conclusion, however, as Smith has shown a lack of judgment and gotten himself into trouble all too frequently.
If Smith runs afoul of the law again and is cut, his entire salary would be deducted from the 49ers 2015 cap number.
If the 49ers want to keep him for the long term, Smith's high salary number makes him a candidate for renegotiation. Anything they can do to reduce his impact on the 2015 salary cap will help them retain other coveted players.
Ahmad Brooks
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Barring a major reduction in salary with a renegotiated contract, Ahmad Brooks will not be a member of the San Francisco 49ers in 2015.
Brooks came into training camp out of shape, which rankled defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. There were several other incidents throughout the course of the season, which highlighted Brooks' displeasure and his lack of having a strong team attitude.
It was almost as if Brooks was waving a flag that said he wanted out of San Francisco.
He will get his wish for two reasons. The 49ers greatest strength is at linebacker, where they have several good players. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman should be back at full strength after injuries derailed their 2014 season. In addition to Aldon Smith, Chris Borland and Aaron Lynch both proved they can play at this level.
Corey Lemonier and Nick Moody add depth, and although Michael Wilhoite and Dan Skuta are free agents, one or both could be signed.
In addition to the wealth of talent the 49ers have at linebacker, Brooks has a salary cap figure of nearly $9.65 million.
If the 49ers release him after June 1, they will see a cap savings of $7.3 million. If Baalke ends up trading Brooks, the 49ers will receive a cap savings of $4.1 million. Look for Brooks to be released after June 1, as the cap savings are too great to ignore.
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Vernon Davis
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Vernon Davis tried to renegotiate his contract and did not attend the 49ers minicamps or OTAs. Management refused to budge and ultimately Davis did report to training camp.
Whether his absence caused him to lose sync with Colin Kaepernick, or it was injuries or simply age catching up to him, Davis had a poor year.
Davis caught only 26 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Davis will be 31 years old when the 2015 season starts. With a cap number of over $7 million, his release is something to strongly consider. Cutting Davis would result in a savings of $4.95 million, money that can be used for other, more productive players.
In addition to his lack of production in the passing game, Davis' run blocking was also not as strong this past season. This will be a tough decision, but it's time for Baalke to make this move.
Frank Gore
5 of 10
Frank Gore is a free agent and his return is uncertain. According to Spotrac.com, Gore made $6.45 million in 2014. He will need to take a salary cut to stay with the 49ers, but that's something the two sides should be able to agree on.
Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reported that Gore wants to return and the 49ers would like him back. This makes perfect sense, as Gore is the heart and soul of the 49ers offense. Even though he will be 32 years old when the 2015 season begins, he still has plenty left in the tank.
Gore had 255 carries and rushed for 1,106 yards and four touchdowns. His average of 4.3 yards per carry was quite respectable, especially in light of the 49ers' offensive line woes this past season. Gore is also one of the best in football at picking up the blitz and handling his blocking assignments.
A one-year deal in the $4.8 million range or a two-year deal in the $8 million range, with a $3 million signing bonus, is very reasonable for both the 49ers and Gore.
Michael Crabtree
6 of 10
Say goodbye to Michael Crabtree. The free-agent wide receiver has an ego the size of Texas and will want a contract to match.
Crabtree is a solid second receiver, but he is not a No. 1. He is more of a possession receiver and does not have the speed or elusiveness to stretch the defense.
In 2014, Crabtree had 68 receptions for 698 yards and four touchdowns. Part of the blame for the lack of production falls on the offensive line and Colin Kaepernick. Nevertheless, Crabtree was targeted 108 times, which is a lot for only 68 catches.
According to Spotrac.com, Crabtree made $4.77 million in 2014. If he was willing to stay around that level, the 49ers would probably want him back. However, Crabtree is likely going to find some team desperate enough to offer him a lot more.
Lowell Cohn of The Press Democrat chimes in on Crabtree and his attitude. This is another negative factor and why it will be best for the 49ers to move on without him.
Mike Iupati
7 of 10
The case of Mike Iupati is a very tough call. He is a team player, well-liked by his teammates, and a solid player.
Iupati is a much better run-blocker and just an average pass-blocker, but he did earn his third Pro Bowl selection in five seasons.
According to Spotrac.com, Iupati made $4.625 million this past season. He has had some injury problems and at the age of 28 when the 2015 season begins, this may be Iupati's last chance to cash in on a big contract.
The problem for 49ers GM Baalke is that they have already committed big money to right guard Alex Boone. Whether the 49ers are willing to spend highly on another guard is highly questionable.
As much as Iupati has meant to the 49ers with his physical toughness and dedicated attitude, unless the 49ers are able to restructure several contracts to provide a lot more cap room, it probably does not make mathematical sense to keep him.
The 49ers are also fairly deep at the guard spot. They have Alex Boone under contract for $3.74 million through the 2015 season. In addition, Joe Looney has played fairly well when given the opportunity.
The 49ers also have Brandon Thomas, who sat out the 2014 season due to injury. He is a promising third-round pick from the 2014 draft and would have been selected much earlier had he been healthy. Thomas should be ready to play in 2015, so he and Looney can battle for the starting left guard position.
Marcus Martin, who started at center when Daniel Kilgore was lost for the season, can play guard, as can Kilgore and backup tackle Jonathan Martin.
All sentiment aside, with the options the 49ers have at the guard position, the business decision must be to let Iupati go.
Chris Culliver
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Chris Culliver emerged as the 49ers' top cornerback this past season. He is now a free agent and someone the 49ers need to find a way to keep.
Injuries to the 49ers secondary made Culliver even more valuable. Tramaine Brock, Jimmie Ward, Chris Cook, Perrish Cox, Eric Reid, Bubba Ventrone and Kenneth Acker all missed time due to injuries. Even Culliver missed two games.
Spotrac.com has Culliver making just over $1.58 million this past season. After a solid year, he is due a raise.
Spotrac.com also has Brock, who was the 49ers' top cornerback in 2013, with a four-year, $14 million deal, which he signed prior to the 2014 campaign. Culliver deserves at least that much and perhaps a little more.
The 49ers will likely need to renegotiate some existing contracts to free up some cap space for Culliver.
Due to the violent nature of football and the small size of defensive backs, injuries tend to hit this area pretty hard. The San Francisco secondary needs all the quality defensive backs they can get, as they were beset by injuries in 2014.
Perrish Cox
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Perrish Cox was not a lock to make the team during training camp, but he did and was a valuable asset for the 49ers. As injuries mounted in the defensive secondary, Cox got more playing time and did well.
Cox led the 49ers with five interceptions and also played in 15 of the 16 games. He also led the cornerbacks in tackles with 49, plus another five assists.
Cox in a free agent and it would not be too expensive to keep him. A two-year deal for around $2 million would be a reasonable contract for Cox. Even if GM Baalke needed to go a little higher for Cox, he, like Culliver, is someone the 49ers should retain.
Justin Smith
10 of 10
Justin Smith has played 14 years in the NFL and the 49ers would like him back for a 15th. Smith, who will be 36 years old early in the 2015 season, is still a very productive player and a team leader.
Smith's steady play on the defensive line and his ability to occupy multiple blockers helps to free Aldon Smith and other San Francisco pass-rushers.
Although Smith has one year remaining on his contract, he is considering retirement. The 49ers would like him to continue playing and one key factor may be who is hired as the next head coach.
If Smith opts for retirement, the 49ers would get a salary cap savings of $4.25 million. Even so, Smith's value goes well beyond that. Hopefully, he returns for another year.
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