The 49ers have been accustomed to dealing with running back unavailability during Kyle Shanahan‘s tenure, but Jerick McKinnon is on track to make his 49er debut at long last. However, Tevin Coleman‘s status is now uncertain. The second-year 49ers back did not practice Friday because of the poor air quality in San Francisco, which has been affected by the recent wildfires raging in many west coast areas. Coleman, who has a sickle cell trait, also did not finish a practice earlier in training camp due to poor air quality, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Although the 49ers traded Matt Breida, they still have McKinnon, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson on their active roster.
Here is the latest from the NFC West, moving first to the Rams’ resetting of the cornerback market.
- The Rams were slightly over the 2020 salary cap earlier this week, but their Jalen Ramsey extension solved that problem. They created $7.5MM through the Ramsey deal, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets. Ramsey’s cornerback-record five-year, $105MM contract calls for only a $1.2MM base salary in 2020 — down from $13.7MM. The ensuing years, however, include base salaries of $17.5MM (2021), $15MM (’22), $17MM (’23), $14.5MM (’24) and $15.5MM (’25), Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This contract’s rolling guarantee structure will convert injury guarantees to full guarantees the year before, essentially tying Ramsey to Los Angeles’ payroll through at least 2024, Garafolo adds (via Twitter).
- Rams free agent signing A’Shawn Robinson qualified for the high-risk $350K stipend as an opt-out player, but his agent and the team reached a compromise that allowed the defensive lineman to avoid the opt-out list. The Rams instead placed Robinson on the non-football injury list and are paying him $500K this year, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Robinson was on track to opt out. Even though he did not officially do so, his two-year contract will toll to 2021 if he does not play this season. Robinson will keep his $6MM signing bonus, but his $3MM 2020 base salary will toll to 2021, Breer adds. Robinson could, however, come off the NFI list and play by Week 10.
- Seahawks special teams coordinator Brian Schneider took a leave of absence this week, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Larry Izzo will take over in that role during his absence. Schneider has been with the Seahawks throughout Pete Carroll‘s tenure, following Carroll from USC to Seattle in 2010. Izzo is in his third season with the team.
- Prior to roster cutdown day, the 49ers considered trading Ahkello Witherspoon, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Witherspoon was aware of the team’s effort, which did not end up producing a deal. The 49ers are set to be without Jason Verrett, who missed all of last season and has dealt with injuries throughout his career, Sunday due to a hamstring injury. Witherspoon is in line to serve as a key depth player to start the season. Emmanuel Moseley replaced him in the starting lineup during the playoffs. A fourth-year player, Witherspoon is set for unrestricted free agency in 2021.
- The 49ers did not restructure Dee Ford‘s deal to set up a big move, John Lynch said (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, on Twitter). The move, however, did create $9.5MM in cap space. That gave the team some breathing room; it holds $10.9MM in cap space as of Saturday. The move does, however, make Ford a more difficult cut in 2021. It would now cost the 49ers $14MM-plus in dead money to release the defensive end next year.
I’m not sure why I enjoy mocking the ‘salary cap’ but it’s so easy do to and no one else even pays attention to the fake’ness of it
Ramsey’s cornerback-record five-year, $105MM contract calls for only a $1.2MM base salary in 2020 — down from $13.7MM. The ensuing years, however, include base salaries of $17.5MM (2021), $15MM (’22), $17MM (’23), $14.5MM (’24) and $15.5MM (’25)
So signing a guy to $105m deal LOWERS the cap hit? We all know next year, JR will ‘redo’ his contract and get a hefty new signing bonus.
You’re telling us what we’ve known for years. This is nothing new.
Yet everyday, on every sport sites, ‘salary cap’ is discussed, why? Just today, Alvin K and Cook’s salary cap hit was on ESPN, CBS Sports, NFL.com and here. To name a few.
Isnt it just “kicking the can down the road” though? That’s how I always looked at it. I know the Steelers will be in trouble on Bens last year because they’ve continued to restructure. Or am I not understanding it correctly? You can’t just sign someone and throw it all in guaranteed signing bonus can you?
I’ve heard that expression a ton. Brees & NO have ‘kicked it down the road’ pretty much since their SB run. Dallas pops up w/ the same phrase; yet neither team has been guilty of being over the cap. So what does it mean to kick it down the road?
What doesn’t make sense about what they did? They tore up his old contract and wrote up a new one that has a base salary of 1.2 mil this year? Just because the team and player came together to subvert the cap, doesn’t mean it’s fake?
You’re right. But if a team and player are openly subverting the cap, then why have one?
As I said, I’m guessing 90% of the readers on this site know JR will restrcuture his deal next year. They’ll convert salary to a signing bonus and ‘free up cap space’.
If I were in Ramsey’s (or any player that reworks their deals) shoes, I’d gladly take 1 lump check rather than spread out over the season.
I don’t understand your displeasure. It’s complex with multiple nuances. It’s not black and white. It’s a real thing that exists and teams can’t go over it, but they can have different numbers based on the rules, including carry over. You want a simple salary cap, you need 100% guaranteed contracts like in basketball
It’s not a displeasure. But to hear it constantly talked about by everyone; sports reporters, fans, teams et al & yet in nearly 30 years of existence (1992 I think I came about) not 1 team has ever been penalized for being over the cap. Don’t you find that strange?
28-32 teams (adding the expansion teams later on) are 100% in compliance. That’s a remarkable feat.
You can bet that at least 70% of mega deals signed this offseason will be ‘revisited’ next offseason to make cap room for the teams. As I said, I’d rather take a lump sum as well. You don’t hear the players complaining about re-working their deals.
It’s not strange at all. They aren’t penalized because they aren’t over the cap. It’s accounting. With the way the nfl counts salaries and teams structure contracts with signing bonuses and guarantees it allows you the flexibility to manipulate the balance sheet in any given year. They aren’t over the cap because they can’t be. Literally every company in America uses similar practices. You want the salary cap to be concrete, you need to change the rules. It’s not designed that way
Trying to predict the best 49ers runningback for fantasy is like throwing darts blindfolded. Shanahan drives me crazy sometimes lol
His dad was just as bad!
You mean to tell me Olandis Gary, Alfred Morris, Ryan Torain, Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, and Selvin Young weren’t actually that talented? No way…
Well, they were no Priest Holmes.
To be with Jason Verrett is to be without Jason Verrett.
Don’t lead with it.
The Rams really just put off the inevitable. When Snead is fired, their next GM is going to carry the burden of this deal for years to come. I don’t enjoy raining doom and gloom, but that team is making a lot of senseless moves.