The 49ers need to clear some cap space by Wednesday afternoon. They took steps toward getting under the $208.2 million cap by restructuring defensive end Dee Ford’s deal and clearing $4.96 million in space per ESPN’s Field Yates.
That $4.96 million brings San Francisco to roughly $5 million over the cap. Defensive lineman Arik Armstead is a restructure candidate to clear some room, and the club can make other moves to clear bits of space at a time.
Ford’s future in the NFL is still up in the air after he played in just seven games over the last two years because of a back injury. Whether he tries to play or retires in 2022, the club will still get the $4.96 million savings up front while kicking the rest of the money left on his contract down the road into years where the salary cap is expected to explode.
The most efficient way for them to open up room is by trading or releasing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but while the club is in a holding pattern with their QB’s trade market, moves like Ford’s restructure will make a little bit of room in the meantime.
