Niners Nation
The 49ers’ post-June 1 releases of Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins become official on Monday, giving them some additional space against the cap.
It’s the start of a new month and, with June 1 having already come and gone, the 49ers officially gain some additional cap space on Monday.
June 2 is the day when the NFL officially processes post-June 1 cuts. For the 49ers, that means veteran defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins’ 2025 salaries are each off the books.
The 49ers parted with Hargrave at the start of new league year, cutting him with a post-June 1 designation two seasons into a four-year, $84 million contract signed in free agency in 2023. He helped the 49ers go within a whisker of winning the Super Bowl in his first season but spent most of his second year on injured reserve with a torn bicep.
Hargrave’s injury made life much more difficult for Collins, who was an effective pass rusher in his lone season with the 49ers after being acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans. He had five sacks but was ineffective against the run, leading the 49ers to elect to release him with a post-June 1 tag as part of their significant revamp on the defensive line.
With both those releases now official, the 49ers receive an extra $5.6 million in cap space for 2025.
Breaking down the financials for Over The Cap, Jason Fitzgerald writes:
Collins had a $4.762 million cap charge which will now drop to just $1.358 million on the year. The team defers $4.074 million of his dead money to 2026. Collins signed a two year, $20 million contract with the Browns after he was cut.
Hargrave’s signing always had a low probability of working out given the cost and this was pretty much the best case scenario for their cap. The team reworked this deal in early December to allow them to June 1 him. He will have $6.7 million in cap charges this year and a whopping $16.16 million in dead money for 2026. Like [Dalvin] Tomlinson, Hargrave got a massive deal following a release, signing a two year, $30 million contract with the Vikings.
It is a useful boost to the 49ers, who are set to take around $8 million this year as part of their impending trade for Bryce Huff.
The releases of Hargrave and Collins help offset that cost, meaning the 49ers — second in the NFL in cap space with $53.4 million before taking the June 1 business and the Huff trade into account — will still be in an excellent position in terms of their 2025 cap.
They will have the flexibility to make moves at the trade deadline if they wish, and should have a substantial amount of cap room to carry over into 2026, increasing their scope for free agent spending next offseason.
