The 49ers have six dead cap hits on their books for the year 2024.

The 49ers have, for the most part, done a nice job managing the salary cap during Kyle Shanahan

and John Lynch’s tenure. One of the realities of the NFL though is that teams, particularly

expensive ones, are going to at some point carry some dead cap hits into a season. That’s why San

Francisco will have six players eating cap space for them this year despite those players no longer

playing for the team. Here’s a look at each dead cap hit and the total number of cap dollars taken by players no longer on the 49ers:

The San Francisco 49ers are facing a challenging financial situation heading into the 2024 NFL

season, as they grapple with the impact of six dead cap hits. These dead cap hits, which collectively

amount to a substantial figure, represent money owed to players who are no longer on the roster but whose contracts still count against the team’s salary cap.

The Jaguars and quarterback Trevor Lawrence have reached a significant contract extension

agreement, first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday. Similar to recent wide receiver

contracts like Brandon Aiyuk’s, it is expected that Lawrence’s deal will serve as a benchmark for quarterback Brock Purdy in his upcoming contract negotiations next offseason.

Lawrence, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, secured a five-year extension valued

at up to $275 million, including $142 million fully guaranteed. His average annual value (AAV) of

$55 million equals that of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, currently the highest in the NFL. Lawrence’s guaranteed money is slightly below Burrow’s $146.51 million and slightly above Lamar Jackson’s $135 million.

Meanwhile, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed $230 million contract sets a

precedent in the market, but there is a general consensus across the league that this deal will not establish the new standard going forward.

For Purdy, who finished fourth in MVP voting in his first full season as a starter last year, his next

contract is expected to fall within the range of Burrow and Lawrence, assuming he maintains or

improves upon his 2023 performance. While a regression could slightly lower his expectations, any improvement from his highly efficient 2023 season could push his AAV upwards of $60 million. A

potential contract extension for Purdy could span five years and reach $300 million if he continues

to excel in 2024, reflecting the current trend in quarterback contracts where each new deal sets the market rate.

As with all NFL contracts, the guaranteed money will be of utmost importance. Purdy’s

performance record compares favorably to Lawrence’s and is on par with Burrow’s, suggesting

guarantees in the range of $150 million with a maximum value around $300 million would not be surprising.

Ultimately, these projections could be impacted by the contract outcomes of quarterbacks like Tua

Tagovailoa in Miami or Jordan Love in Green Bay, potentially altering the market landscape.

Regardless of the exact figures, this signifies a significant shift for the 49ers in roster construction.

They have previously benefited from a relatively cost-effective quarterback situation, even during

Jimmy Garoppolo’s tenure. However, with Purdy potentially commanding a salary commensurate

with the league’s top quarterbacks, there will be increased pressure for him to compensate when the team allocates less spending to other positions on the roster.