49ers Reduce S Craig Dahl’s Salary, Still Hoping To Re-Sign Donte Whitner

The San Francisco 49ers have reduced S Craig Dahl‘s 2014 base salary to from $1.35 million to $825,000, and in turn freed up $525,000 in available cap space, according to the NFLPA’s contract database.

• The salary reduction was first ntoed by ninercaphell.com and comes to us via the Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

Dahl, 28, signed a three-year contract worth $5.25 million with the 49ers last year. He totaled just 13 tackles over the course of 15 games while playing only 89 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s worth noting that Dahl was a decent special teams contributor as well.

Switching gears a bit, Barrows also mentions that sources informed him at the Scouting Combine this weekend that the 49ers are “more optimistic” about re-signing free agent S Donte Whitner in the coming weeks. 

Barrows cautions that there is still a chance that Whitner will reach the open market, but also mentions that the 49ers should have more cap space than originally expected.

Whitner, 28, should be able to do pretty well on the open market this offseason if the 49ers don’t get him locked up in the near future. He totaled 73 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a recovery last year. Pro Football Focus rated him as the No. 6 safety in the league.

We have him listed as the No. 51 player in our Top 100 Free Agents list.