“49ers lose draft picks due to clerical payroll mistake”

TLDR:

49ers face penalties for clerical payroll error, lose 2025 fifth-round pick and reduced 2024 fourth-round pick due to misreporting player compensation. No ill intent found but rules state any miscalculation results in punishment.

Key Elements:

• 49ers penalized for clerical payroll error
• Lose 2025 fifth-round pick and reduced 2024 fourth-round pick
• Miscalculation of player compensation led to punishment
• No ill intent found, but rules dictate punishment for any error

The 49ers made a mistake in calculating total player payroll resulting in the loss of a 2025 fifth-round pick and a reduced 2024 fourth-round pick. The team’s pick in the fourth round will now be at No. 135 instead of No. 131. Despite no ill intent found, the league imposed discipline due to the clerical error. This punishment highlights the strict rules regarding the salary cap and player compensation to prevent teams from gaining a competitive advantage through miscalculations.