How Aiyuk’s new contract impacts 49ers’ 2024 salary-cap space originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers officially locked down star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk through the 2028 NFL season last week — and also created additional 2024 salary-cap space in the process.
Following Aiyuk’s lengthy “hold-in,” San Francisco on Friday signed the 26-year-old to a four-year contract extension worth a reported $120 million. The deal created almost $8.4 million in salary cap space for the upcoming season, per Spotrac.com, decreasing Aiyuk’s 2024 cap hit from $14.124 million to $5.725 million (h/t 49ers Webzone).
The 49ers now have the second-most cap space in the NFL after the adjustment, per Over the Cap, with just over $44.6 million in available room behind the Cleveland Browns, who have $50.03 million in space this year.
The Aiyuk savings will be short-lived, however, as his cap hit is $11.2 million in 2025 before jumping to $16.2 million the following season. In 2027, Aiyuk is scheduled to account for $42.3 million against the cap and $44.16 million in 2028.
While Aiyuk’s contract does include an immediate $23 million signing bonus, it’s prorated over the length of the deal, per Spotrac, and $76 million of the total extension is guaranteed — $45 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing.
Here’s a full breakdown of Aiyuk’s contract and subsequent cap hits:
2024: $5.7 million
2025: $11.2 million
2026: $16.2 million
2027: $42.25 million
2028: $44.16 million
2029: Void year
2030: Void year
With plenty of cap space in 2024, the 49ers are set up nicely to potentially work out a deal with Trent Williams, who remains away from the team amid his own contract holdout, and take advantage of their ever-decreasing Super Bowl window.
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