The San Francisco 49ers are the talk of the NFL. They gave Jimmy Garoppolo eleventy bajillion dollars this year, and they signed the former face of the enemy with Richard Sherman. They’re set to take a massive swing at the NFL in 2018, but their roster is extremely top-heavy. A disaster draft leaves some promising players exposed, but nobody who should be a starter on a championship squad. Obviously, they protect Jimmy Garoppolo and Richard Sherman, but who else makes the cut?
Lost to Free Agency: Eric Reid, Carlos Hyde, literally who cares this team was terrible last year
The No Doubters:
| Player | POS. | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | QB | $37,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $26,600,000 | $26,900,000 | $27,000,000 |
| Richard Sherman | CB | $13,000,000 | $13,000,000 | $13,000,000 | – | – |
| Joe Staley | LT | $7,668,750 | $7,700,000 | UFA | – | – |
| Solomon Thomas | DE | $6,398,719 | $7,678,463 | $8,958,210 | – | UFA |
| Daniel Kilgore | C | $5,375,000 | $2,775,000 | $3,630,000 | UFA | – |
| DeForest Buckner | DT | $4,961,180 | $5,788,046 | – | UFA | – |
| Arik Armstead | DE | $3,131,746 | – | UFA | – | – |
| Trenton Brown | RT | $1,920,974 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Ahkello Witherspoon | CB | $881,718 | $1,058,768 | $1,235,786 | UFA | – |
Jimmy Garoppolo and Richard Sherman are, so far, the crown jewels of GM John Lynch’s tenure in San Francisco, and represent just north of 28% of the 49ers 2018 cap hits. They are a tier above the rest here, the ultra no-doubters. Then we get to the trenches, where the 49ers have expended the most capital in the last few years. 49ers mainstay Joe Staley will be here until he retires, and Daniel Kilgore just signed a contract extension. The tree last first round picks of the 49ers—all along the defensive line—all garner protections. Young gun Trent Brown, who seems to be a lot of hype and potential also makes it. Ahkello Witherspoon, a standout last season at about a million bucks a year, also garners protection.
The More-Than-Likely Staying:
| Player | POS. | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Pierre Garcon | WR | $9,250,000 | $8,400,000 | $11,300,000 | $12,000,000 | UFA |
| Jimmie Ward | FS | $8,526,000 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Marquise Goodwin | WR | $2,750,000 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Joshua Garnett | G | $2,537,539 | $2,960,463 | – | UFA | – |
| Adrian Colbert | FS | $576,196 | $666,196 | $756,198 | UFA | – |
| Jaquiski Tartt | FS | $1,602,686 | UFA | – | – | – |
| George Kittle | TE | $629,571 | $719,571 | $809,574 | UFA | – |
Pierre Garcon isn’t going to be long for the team with that cap hit come 2019, but he’s a monster possession receiver for the Niners. His only question is his age and injury recovery. Jimmie Ward is really good, but was hurt seven times while I typed this sentence. He should stick around, mostly due to the loss of Eric Reid. If Garoppolo and Sherman are the jewels of John Lynch’s tenure with the Niners, the Goodwin is not too far behind. Colbert and Kittle appear to be absolute steals of the 2017 draft. Tartt and Garnett are holdovers from the prior front office who are talented, but injuries shelved them for some or all of 2017.
The Leftovers:
These guys are bad players on a bad roster and will be bad somewhere else. I want to fire Zane Beadles into the sun. Reuben Foster is talented, but he may not even make the team thanks to his chronic condition known as “weed and idiocy.”
| Player | POS. | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Malcolm Smith | OLB | $4,450,000 | $5,450,000 | $6,100,000 | $6,550,000 | UFA |
| Zane Beadles | G | $4,083,334 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Earl Mitchell | DT | $3,850,000 | $4,450,000 | $4,450,000 | UFA | – |
| Cassius Marsh | OLB | $3,481,250 | $4,200,000 | UFA | – | – |
| Garrett Celek | TE | $2,675,000 | $2,925,000 | UFA | – | – |
| Garry Gilliam | RT | $2,450,000 | $5,050,000 | UFA | – | – |
| K’Waun Williams | CB | $2,268,750 | $2,600,000 | $3,200,000 | UFA | – |
| Robbie Gould | K | $2,250,000 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Aldrick Robinson | WR | $2,200,000 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Eli Harold | OLB | $2,081,344 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Reuben Foster | ILB | $2,053,479 | $2,464,175 | $2,874,873 | – | UFA |
| Dekoda Watson | OLB | $1,608,333 | $2,033,334 | UFA | – | – |
| Laken Tomlinson | G | $1,600,941 | – | UFA | – | – |
| Ray-Ray Armstrong | OLB | $1,237,500 | – | – | – | – |
| Kyle Nelson | LS | $1,150,000 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Don Jones | FS | $1,100,000 | UFA | – | – | – |
| C.J. Beathard | QB | $801,965 | $962,358 | $1,122,751 | UFA | – |
| Bradley Pinion | P | $753,550 | UFA | – | – | – |
| Blake Bell | TE | $705,000 | – | – | – | – |
| Trovon Reed | CB | $705,000 | RFA | – | – | – |
| Ronald Blair | DE | $697,601 | $787,602 | UFA | – | – |
| Aaron Burbridge | WR | $655,089 | $745,089 | UFA | – | – |
| Joe Williams | RB | $637,346 | $802,346 | $892,346 | UFA | – |
| John Theus | T | $630,000 | $720,000 | – | – | – |
| Sheldon Day | DT | $630,000 | $720,000 | UFA | – | – |
| Dexter McCoil | S | $630,000 | RFA | – | – | – |
| Tyvis Powell | S | $630,000 | RFA | – | – | – |
| Rashard Robinson | CB | $630,000 | $720,000 | – | – | – |
| Trent Taylor | WR | $605,484 | $695,484 | $785,485 | UFA | – |
| D.J. Jones | DT | $591,963 | $681,963 | $771,966 | UFA | – |
| Pita Taumoepenu | OLB | $591,361 | $681,361 | $771,361 | UFA | – |
| Victor Bolden | WR | $557,666 | $647,668 | RFA | – | – |
| Kendrick Bourne | WR | $556,666 | $646,668 | RFA | – | – |
| Matt Breida | RB | $556,666 | $646,668 | RFA | – | – |
| Erik Magnunson | T | $556,333 | $646,334 | RFA | – | – |
| Max McCaffrey | WR | $555,000 | ERFA | – | – | – |
| Jeremy McNichols | RB | $555,000 | ERFA | $800,946 | – | – |
| Cole Hikutini | TE | $555,000 | ERFA | – | – | – |
| Cole Wick | TE | $555,000 | $645,000 | RFA | – | – |
| Pace Murphy | T | $555,000 | $645,000 | RFA | – | – |
| Darrell Williams | T | $555,000 | ERFA | – | – | – |
| Elijah Lee | OLB | $555,000 | ERFA | – | – | – |
| Greg Mabin | CB | $555,000 | ERFA | – | – | – |
| Will Redmond | CB | $555,000 | $645,000 | – | – | – |
| Jimmie Gilbert | OLB | $484,000 | $649,000 | RFA | – | – |
| Donavin Newsom | ILB | $481,666 | $646,668 | RFA | – | – |
| Nick Mullens | QB | $480,000 | $570,000 | ERFA | – | – |
| Deandre Carter | WR | $480,000 | $570,000 | ERFA | – | – |
| Andrew Lauderdale | T | $480,000 | $570,000 | ERFA | – | – |
| Boseko Lokombo | OLB | $480,000 | $570,000 | ERFA | – | – |
| Chanceller James | S | $480,000 | $645,000 | RFA | – | – |
| Channing Stribling | CB | $480,000 | $570,000 | ERFA | – | – |
| Malik Golden | S | $480,000 | – | – | – | – |
