wco81 wrote:Probably not the time to have extended discussion but the 49ers window is now and they will have to make big decisions after next season.
Shanahan is signed through the 2025 season. So for 2026, he'd have to get a new deal.
Purdy comes off his rookie contract after 2025 season.
Spotrac says a lot of key players contracts can be voided after the 2024 or 2025 seasons. For instance, CMC contract can be voided for 2026. Same with Deebo and Kittle.
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/yearly/cap/Armstead makes $28.353 in 2024 and then contract could be voided in 2025.
Warner and Greenlaw are scheduled to make $24.4 and $9.6 million in 2024 and have their contracts voided in 2025.
Ward makes $17.9 million in 2024 and can have his deal voided in 2025.
Trent is set to make $31.5, $34.1 and $37.8 in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Hargrave is set to make $15.4, $26.5 and $28.3 million in the next 3 seasons.
Bosa is set to make $14.7, $20.5, $42, $52 and 42 million.
Obviously many of these out years will be restructured or the player will be cut.
But it's going to be hard to keep these players on the team this season (Aiyuk), after next season and after the following season.
Of course if the players aren't performing to high standards, they likely get cut.
But the inability to draft potential starters to replace many of these stars may shut this window quickly.
For instance, the Chiefs did a great job of reloading in the past few drafts, after they had to turn over their OL and a lot of their defense. They have several starters on rookie deals, though those are ending in the next season or two. But they had all this talk about bad WRs and their WRs aren't making much money yet they're in the AFC Championship game again and it wouldn't be surprising if they got to the SB and won it again.
That's despite Mahomes' HUGE contract. Chris Jones' contract is ending after this week or the SB but otherwise, they don't have contracts like the Hargrave, Bosa or Trent contracts looming over the next few seasons.
49ers are only in the final four because Purdy has vastly outperformed expectations so far so they can carry these big contracts for now. But if he plays well the next two seasons (but not necessarily play well enough to be a SB champion), 49ers lose all that salary flexibility and will have to pay him big money as well.