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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Kyle Madson

12 QBs will cost more than 49ers entire QB room in 2023

The 49ers have a team-building strategy that’s somewhat unique to a modern NFL that’s defined by an arms race at quarterback.

A quick assessment of the league’s landscape would indicate a top quarterback is necessary to contend. San Francisco is aiming to buck that trend and instead of getting more expensive under center, they’re actually getting cheaper.

Good production from a quarterback on his rookie contract is the fastest way to build a contender in the NFL since it allows a team to spend more in other places while they’re still inexpensive at the game’s most important position. It’s smart to pay an elite QB, but their price tags have gotten so high that in some cases it shrinks the margin of error for a front office in building out its roster.

San Francisco has had opportunities over the last couple of years to go more expensive at QB, but they’ve gone cheaper instead. A key reason they’re so cheap at that spot is that they’ll roster a pair of rookies, one of which was the final pick in the seventh round.

They also didn’t aim for a high-priced option in free agency. Instead they used their available space to add key pieces like defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and nickel corner Isaiah Oliver.

A good illustration of the 49ers’ QB situation and how it juxtaposes with the rest of the NFL’s contenders can be seen via salary cap hits.

Of the 49ers’ 15 largest cap hits this year, only two belong to quarterbacks. Their entire QB room for training camp, which includes Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen, will only cost $16,994,952 against the salary cap. Lance and his $9,301,439 cap hit account for more than half of that cost.

San Francisco’s entire QB room would rank as the 13th-biggest cap hit for a quarterback in the NFL this season. That number could actually wind up dropping depending on how extensions for some players work out.

It’ll be fascinating to see how the 49ers stack up to other contenders with their inexpensive QB room. If it works, we may see some teams try to replicate the strategy. If it doesn’t, we may see San Francisco take a big swing again to try to find a franchise QB.

Here’s a quick look at the 12 QBs who will carry larger cap hits than the entire 49ers QB room this year:

1
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $39,693,381

Difference: $22,698,429

2
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $36,600,000

Difference: $19,605,048

3
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

2023 cap hit: $30,975,000

Difference: $13,980,048

4
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $26,832,647

Difference: $9,837,695

5
Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders

Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $23,800,000

Difference: $6,805,048

6
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $22,000,000

Difference: $5,005,048

7
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $22,000,000

Difference: $5,005,048

8
Daniel Jones, New York Giants

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $21,750,000

Difference: $4,755,048

9
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $20,250,000

Difference: $3,255,048

10
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $20,000,000

Difference: $3,005,048

11
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

2023 cap hit: $19,057,000

Difference: $2,062,048

12
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

(Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

2023 cap hit: $18,636,281

Difference: $1,641,329

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