Armstead’s release gives 49ers $18 million in 2024 salary cap space originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
There is a silver lining to the 49ers losing their longest-tenured player this offseason.
San Francisco post-June 1st release defensive tackle Arik Armstead created $18 million in 2024 salary cap space for the 49ers, by Above the limit.
Due to multiple restructurings, Armstead’s contract leaves San Francisco with $25.9 million in dead money to be spread across the 2024 and 2025 NFL seasons. The 49ers will have a cap hit of $10.3 million this season and $15.6 million in 2025.
The 30-year-old defensive back has been with San Francisco for his entire nine-year NFL career after being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. The former 49ers captain signed a three-year, $43 contract. million with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, later saying he felt “disrespected” for San Francisco’s final offer before being released.
Armstead’s official release leaves the 49ers with approximately $25 million in cap space for 2024, per Above the cap. This gives San Francisco the flexibility to allocate those additional funds toward contract extensions for a key player like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, or potentially carry over a substantial portion of them to the 2025 season, when the 49ers will have significantly less cap space to work with. .
Armstead was a prominent figure during his time in the Bay Area, serving as a leader on and off the field while regularly serving the Northern California community with his philanthropic efforts. The 30-year-old had a knack for excelling in big games, finishing with the second-most playoff sacks in franchise history (eight), behind only Nick Bosa (10).
As Armstead begins a new chapter in his career, he leaves his longtime team with a parting gift. How San Francisco decides to use the extra space will be a major storyline as the 2024 NFL season approaches.
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