NFL Spending By Team Over Last Four Seasons
The NFLPA has released the official data on team spending over the last four seasons. The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that each team must utilize 89% of the salary cap over two four-year periods, 2013-16 and 2017-20. As previously reported, the Raiders are the only team that has yet to satisfy that requirement for the closing period. The CBA also requires the league, as a whole, to spend 95% of the cap, in cash, for the same period. That requirement has been easily met.
Here is the full rundown of every team’s spending in declining order:
Philadelphia Eagles – $613,928,134
Denver Broncos – $587,712,791
Seattle Seahawks – $584,305,975
Green Bay Packers – $583,138,740
Miami Dolphins – $577,975,260
Kansas City Chiefs – $575,541,332
Buffalo Bills – $573,647,850
Chicago Bears – $568,301,610
Cincinnati Bengals – $567,289,411
Baltimore Ravens – $562,425,698
San Diego Chargers – $562,232,116
Indianapolis Colts – $556,335,689
Atlanta Falcons – $550,614,572
New York Giants – $543,787,033
Arizona Cardinals – $543,327,538
Los Angeles Rams – $541,957,711
New Orleans Saints – $539,836,498
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $539,736,102
Minnesota Vikings – $539,162,454
New York Jets – $533,151,519
Washington Redskins – $532,545,662
Pittsburgh Steelers – $530,698,171
Detroit Lions – $530,210,549
Tennessee Titans – $524,505,256
Dallas Cowboys – $523,033,036
Houston Texans – $517,212,166
Jacksonville Jaguars – $516,908,734
Cleveland Browns – $516,158,864
San Francisco 49ers – $514,488,198
New England Patriots – $500,083,836
Carolina Panthers – $495,149,346
Oakland Raiders – $491,433,408
Kaepernick Could Still Be In 49ers' Future
- Despite Colin Kaepernick being ready to test his value on the free agent market, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk envisions a path for the polarizing passer back to San Francisco. The sixth-year veteran voiding the contract still leaves the 49ers in charge of his rights until March, so the team could re-sign the 29-year-old quarterback. But that option, per Florio, likely stalls if the 49ers oust their power structure after the season. Florio also writes other teams might not be as quick to sign off on the former Pro Bowl performer due to the backlash that could come from fans as a result of his anthem protests.
“Growing Belief” 49ers Will Fire Trent Baalke
As the 49ers’ post-Jim Harbaugh swoon plunges toward rock bottom, the franchise may be angling for a full-scale rebuild — one that would not include Trent Baalke.
A “growing belief” exists the 49ers will move on from the sixth-year GM after this season, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears. Such talk should not exactly be unexpected considering San Francisco’s freefall over the past three years.
The last update on Baalke’s status came in October, when the 49ers had lost merely five games in a row, and the GM was not considered to be bound for the front office unemployment line. The 49ers are now preparing to snap a franchise-record 11-game losing streak, leading to Baalke’s tenuous status.
Florio points out, though, the organization could look to promote assistant GM Tom Gamble. That would create a smoother transition since Chip Kelly is not expected to be let go after one season despite said said unfolding historically poorly. Bringing in an outside hire and refusing to allow him to hire his own coach for at least a season would certainly bring an awkward arrangement.
Kelly benched Colin Kaepernick, about whom it was reported earlier today would opt out of his restructured contract after this season, and the 49ers on Sunday finished with a net six passing yards — the second-fewest in the franchise’s 70 years of existence. The loss dropped them to 6-22 without Harbaugh after the team started 44-19-1 in Baalke’s first four years.
Colin Kaepernick To Opt Out At Season’s End
49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick restructured his contract back in October, a restructure that allows him to opt out of the deal at the end of this season and bars San Francisco from using the franchise tag on him in 2017. At the time of the restructure, we heard that Kaepernick fully planned to exercise his opt-out clause, and as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, those plans have not changed.
Per Rapoport, Kaepernick will void his contract before the start of the 2017 league year in March and become a free agent. And it makes sense. Although the 49ers have not won a game since Week 1, Kaepernick has played well since reprising his role as the club’s starting quarterback, and he appears to be regaining his old form. Over the last four games, he has completed 86 of 145 passes for 1,110 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 223 yards over that span. It makes sense, then, that he would want to test the free agent waters, as next year’s crop of available quarterback is topped by the likes of Geno Smith, EJ Manuel, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Mike Glennon (assuming, of course, that the Redskins don’t let Kirk Cousins get away). Even if veteran QBs like Tony Romo and Jay Cutler become available, Kaepernick would still stand to make a great deal of money on the open market.
But Rapoport indicates that Kaepernick could return to the 49ers, a scenario that seemed entirely implausible not too long ago. After all, his talents have played well in head coach Chip Kelly‘s system, and Rapoport writes that the once-strained relationship between the franchise and the quarterback is in a very good place. Kaepernick apparently appreciates the fact that the team supported him as he took a controversial social stance, and Rapoport suggests that the issues that precipitated his near trade to Denver this offseason have all but gone away. Plus, San Francisco will have plenty of money to spend.
Other scribes, however, are more skeptical of the possibility that Kaepernick returns to the Bay Area. Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, for instance, says that he cannot envision Kaepernick playing for the 49ers next season under the current front office regime (Twitter link). If Kaepernick does decide to move on, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report lays out a few potential destinations, which include the Bears, Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Browns.
Opinion: Impending UFAs 49ers Should Re-Sign
- Of the 49ers’ 17 players scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in the offseason, the team should try to re-sign six – defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey, tight end Vance McDonald, linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, and quarterbacks Christian Ponder and Thaddeus Lewis – opines Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Armstrong has a fan in defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil, who gives the 25-year-old “two thumbs up,” but the coach’s uncertain future could affect whether the defender returns, writes Barrows.
Vance McDonald Having Strong Contract Year
- Currently amid a career-best season, 49ers contract-year tight end Vance McDonald is making a strong case that he’s worth re-signing, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. With 22 catches in nine games – all starts – the fourth-year man is on pace to easily eclipse the career-high 30 receptions he posted last season. McDonald has already found the end zone a personal-best four times, too, and is averaging a tremendous 17.4 yards per catch. “He’s one of our weapons on the offensive side of the ball and he runs better than most tight ends in this league,” head coach Chip Kelly said of McDonald, who’s on track to net a sizable raise over the roughly $800K salary he’s raking in this season.
49ers’ Chip Kelly Rules Out Return To Oregon
The University of Oregon fired head football coach Mark Helfrich yesterday, but former Ducks — and current 49ers — head coach Chip Kelly won’t be returning to Eugene anytime soon. “Yep,” said Kelly, when asked by reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, whether he would remain with San Francisco. “So we’re done with that, I hope. The only person I’ve talked to is [Helfrich]. So we can talk about the Bears. I have not talked to anybody at Oregon expect Mark Helfrich.” 
[RELATED: 49ers Place LB Shayne Skov On IR]
Kelly has already been forced to deny rumors that he would leave the NFL and return to the collegiate ranks, as he told reporters last month that he isn’t “going anywhere.” However, as the 49ers continued to struggle this season, NCAA clubs have reached out — privately and indirectly — and been informed that Kelly has no interest in becoming a college coach. Kelly signed a four-year, $24MM contract prior to the 2016 season, but San Francisco has played uninspired football during the first year of his tenure, posting only a single win so far.
Kelly, of course, did experience success during his four seasons with Oregon, managing a 46-7 record while appearing in one National Championship game, a loss to Auburn. Since joining the NFL as the Eagles’ coach in 2013, Kelly has registered a 27-31 overall record, earning one playoff appearance during that stretch.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Kevin Graf
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Chris Hubert
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Asa Jackson
- Cut: LB James Burgess
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T Jake Rodgers, T Tyrus Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Tony McRae
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Kennard Backman, RB D.J. Foster
New York Jets
- Cut: OL Zach Sterup
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Wynton McManis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Kevin Smith
- Cut: RB Zac Brooks, RB Malcolm Johnson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB D’Joun Smith
49ers Place LB Shayne Skov On IR
The 49ers have placed linebacker Shayne Skov on injured reserve with a knee injury. To take his place on the roster, defensive back Marcus Ball has been bumped up from the practice squad.
Skov was injured on Sunday as the Niners lost to the Dolphins. The good news is that the linebacker did not tear his ACL and he will not require surgery. Skov suited up for 15 of the 49ers’ 16 regular-season games last year. This year, he appeared in nine of eleven possible games for SF. Playing mostly on special teams, he did not record an official statistic this year.
Ball, 29, spent 12 games with the Saints in 2014, which makes up most of his NFL experience. This year, he briefly hooked on with the Panthers and appeared in one contest. He signed on with San Francisco’s practice squad one week ago and today he gets a crack at the main roster.
The 1-10 Niners travel to Chicago on Sunday to face the Bears.
Opinion: 49ers Should Retain Kaepernick
The 49ers have a way forward with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle argues. In Miami, Kaepernick ran for 113 yards and threw for 296 more with three touchdowns against one interception. While he can’t provide that kind of production every week, Lynch sees that as a glimpse of what Kaepernick is capable of doing in Chip Kelly‘s offense. It has been widely speculated that the Niners will move on from the controversial Kaepernick in the offseason, but it’s always difficult to find a capable QB and they might not find a ton of attractive options in the spring.
- 49ers general manager Trent Baalke recently praised pending free agent tight end Vance McDonald, as Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee writes. “He’s gotten much more consistent, he’s doing a good job blocking,” Baalke said. “He’s a good all-around football player, and he has a chance in this scheme to do some things, as you say, because the matchups are favorable.” Barrows notes that among NFL tight ends with at least 20 receptions, McDonald is No. 2 behind New England’s Rob Gronkowski in averaging 17.4 yards per grab. There should be a lot of changes for the 1-10 Niners in the offseason, but McDonald could be playing his way on to the 2017 team.