Armstead’s release gives 49ers $18 million in cap space for 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
There is a silver lining to the 49ers losing their longest tenured player this offseason.
San Francisco release after June 1 defensive tackle Arik Armstead created $18 million in 2024 cap space for the 49ers, above the cover.
Due to multiple restructures, Armstead’s contract leaves San Francisco with $25.9 million in dead money to be spread over the 2024 and 2025 NFL seasons. The 49ers will have a salary cap hit of $10.3 million this season and $15.6 million in 2025.
The 30-year-old defensive tackle had been with San Francisco for his entire nine-year NFL career after being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. The former 49ers captain signed a three-year, $43 million contract dollars with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, and then said felt “disrespected” for San Francisco’s final offer before being released.
Armstead’s official release leaves the 49ers with $25,245,331 in cap space for 2024, per about the cap. That gives San Francisco the flexibility to allocate those additional funds to contract extensions for a key player like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, or potentially roll over a substantial portion of them to the 2025 season, when the 49ers will have significantly less cap space to spare. work. .
Armstead was a prominent figure during his time in the Bay Area, serving as a leader on and off the field while regularly serving the Northern California community with his philanthropic efforts. The 30-year-old had a knack for stepping up in big games, finishing with the second-most playoff sacks in franchise history (eight), trailing only Nick Bosa (10).
As Armstead begins a new chapter in his career, he leaves his longtime team with a parting gift. How San Francisco decides to use the additional cap space will be a key story as the 2024 NFL season approaches.