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The NFL’s salary cap number following a season played mostly without fans in stadiums was always going to be an issue. A number that tends to rise about $10 million each year was more than likely to drop and cause salary cap crunches for a number of teams. While the league and the NFL Player’s Association agreed on a $175 million cap floor – about $23 million below the $198.1 million cap in 2020.
However, there could be some good news on the financial front for cash-strapped teams. The NFLPA’s executive director DeMaurice Smith on Sunday in a press conference with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he expects the cap to come in above the agreed upon floor.
NFLPA DeMaurice Smith won’t speculate on exactly where the 2021 salary cap might land, but adds: “We do have a $175 million floor. Do I think we will be above the floor? I think there’s a decent chance we could be above the floor.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 4, 2021
This jibes with an earlier report from Pelissero where he indicated owners were optimistic about the cap coming in closer to $185 million.
While that still represents a steep drop from the previous season, an additional $10 million is significant for a team like the 49ers that has upwards of 40 players due to hit free agency and a couple key starters to try and bring back.
Over the Cap has the 49ers slated for $9,540,669 in cap room if the cap comes in at $176 million. That means they’d be at $18,540,669 if the number lands at $185 million. Just over $18 million in room isn’t an astronomical figure, but it certainly gives them some needed additional flexibility.
General manager John Lynch in his season-ending press conference told reporters the team was working as though the salary cap number would come in at the floor.
“We’re operating under the premise of the floor, which is 175 (million dollars),” Lynch said on Jan. 4 in a video conference. “We felt like that was best to operate off of that and kind of formulate our plans off of that. If it’s anything on top, that’s gravy for us.”
There are enough ways to maneuver and manipulate the cap that by the time the dust settles San Francisco should have enough space to fill out their roster relatively comfortably. However, if the number stays down around that $175 million floor, it’ll mean the 49ers have a few more tough financial decisions to make.