The San Francisco 49ers Can't Afford to Waste Their $41 Million Window

While things weren't as easy as the final score indicated, the San Francisco 49ers clocked up another win on Thursday night. With that 30-12 victory over the New York Giants, the NFC West club improved to 3-0. They were already sitting atop many NFL power rankings, and it's tough to imagine that will change after the current round of games.

And while there's something to be said for keeping things in perspective—three games is less than a quarter of an NFL season—it does seem safe to say that the Niners are a pretty good team. At the risk of thinking ahead, this is a club that will expect to make a legitimate run at the Lombardi Trophy.

The salary cap reinforces that perspective. San Fran actually has a league-leading $41 million in available space. Some of that cash is theoretically earmarked for future uses, but its presence still provides a golden opportunity in the present.

And that's something the club can't afford to waste.

The San Francisco 49ers Keep Rolling

The NFL, perhaps more than any other league, prides itself on parity. The phrase "any given Sunday" exists for a reason; when two teams meet on the gridiron, anything can happen.

Through that lens, the 49ers TNF win over the Giants is a feather in the club's metaphorical cap.

The matchup came in a short week. Brandon Aiyuk, an all-purpose offensive weapon, was unable to play. Quarterback Brock Purdy was blitzed an eye-popping 29 times, which forced head coach Kyle Shannahan to adjust his play-calling. The Niners also continued to struggle with penalties, committing six fouls worth 71 yards on the night.

But even with those challenges, San Francisco answered the bell. Purdy threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns; many of those yards came after the catch, but he keeps leading the team to wins. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle stepped up in Aiyuk's absence, and Christian McCaffrey remained his reliable self. The Niners' defense also did its part, limiting the Giants to a paltry 150 yards of offense on the night.

Add a 3-0 record into the equation, and it's easy to see why oddsmakers are feeling positive about San Francisco.

The 49ers Still Have Salary Cap Space to Improve

When you think of a team that's 3-0 and stocked with some big-time talent, it's easy to imagine that they're pressed up against the salary cap ceiling. That isn't true of the 49ers.

The NFC West club currently has $41.9 million of space, based on OverTheCap's data. That's largely due to offensive talents like Aiyuk and Samuel being on reasonable contracts; the two men carry a 2023 cap hit of $3.9 million and $8.6 million respectively. Add in some restructured deals and a starting QB earning less than $1 million, and the space starts to add up.

That spare cash is obviously beneficial, but it creates a win-now situation.

As San Fran general manager John Lynch told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, that cap space will be needed in the future. While the league's spending ceiling is expected to rise, so will expenses. Players, like Aiyuk and Purdy, will want raises, and Samuel's cap hit will swell after this season.

Furthermore, if the current quarterback market has proven anything, the top stars will always seek larger and larger paydays, regardless of their current contract. Who's to say that someone like Kittle won't come knocking in an effort to reset the tight-end pay grade?

Through that lens, the rest of the 2023 season is a golden opportunity. The roster is in place and largely locked in, but the abundance of cap space gives the Niners an opportunity to add some reinforcements, provided that they're smart.

Targeting a young star who will require a long-term extension isn't advisable, but there's more than enough room to target a veteran who will come off the books after the season ends. As Matt Barrows of The Athletic noted in a 49ers mailbag, maybe the likes of Zach Ertz (Arizona), Budda Baker (Arizona), Kendrick Bourne (New England) or Brian Burns (Carolina) could provide a boost at the trade deadline.

The general manager didn't rule those sorts of moves out.

"We've pretty much done what we're going to do this year," Lynch told Maiocco. "But you never know with the trade deadline and all that."

That leaves the club in a golden window, where the top talents are under contract AND there's room to improve. Most teams, including the 49ers of the future, don't have that luxury. Either you're capped out trying to keep your existing talent, or you have space because your current roster isn't good enough. This is a rare opportunity to have your cake and eat it, too.

Lynch and the 49ers have that golden opportunity; they can't afford to waste it.