49ERS AGREE RECORD BREAKING FIVE-YEAR, $170 MILLION DEAL WITH REIGNING DPOY NICK BOSA
The San Francisco 49ers and three-time Pro Bowl defensive end, Nick Bosa, have reached a long-term extension agreement, the team confirmed on Wednesday.
The extension is a huge five-year, $170 million deal that includes up to $122.5 million in total guarantees, easily surpassing the $102 million mark set by Bosa’s brother, Joey, with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020.
As per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the deal also includes a significant $50 million signing bonus, by far an NFL record for a defensive player. Bosa is set to earn an annual average $34 million salary, which makes him not only the highest paid defensive player in the league but also the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history, eclipsing Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle, Aaron Donald.
The new deal comes just four days before the 49ers travel to Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for their Week One opener and officially ends Bosa’s holdout. Bosa had been a no-show all through the 49ers mandatory minicamp and training camp as both parties tried to work out a deal before the season. The three-time Pro Bowler has been training on his own while contract talks progressed and is expected to play the opener on Sunday.
As per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the 49ers will also waive all of Bosa’s fines as per NFL regulations. The 2019 defensive rookie of the year is on the fifth-year of his rookie contract after his fifth-year option was picked up last season and the team is thus allowed to do so. The 6-foot-4 defensive end accrued up to an estimated $1 million in total fines this summer as league rules stipulate a $40,000 fine for drafted and undrafted rookies if they miss a day of preseason training camp.
San Francisco opted not to extend Bosa before the fourth year on his rookie contract last year but the former Ohio State Buckeye showed up anyway and went on to have a career year. Playing the entirety of the 2022 season on a $5.2 million salary, Bosa recorded a league-leading 18.5 sacks for 138 yards in 16 games and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The 49ers’ best defensive player, Bosa was crucial in helping guide the team to a third NFC Championship game in four years.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday he was preparing to tell them he had nothing new on Bosa’s extension before he was told on the way to his press conference that the deal was done.
Asked how many realistic snaps the 2019 second overall pick is expected to play this weekend, head coach Kyle Shanahan said jokingly, “How many snaps are in the game?”
“We’ve got to see when he gets here but I know Nick [Bosa] will come in shape,” said Shanahan. “I know he’ll be good. We’ll be smart with it and that will be based off of these next two and a half practices… There is question [about him playing on Sunday] because we haven’t seen him. But you guys know [with] the way I’m talking, he’d have to have a beer belly and be out of shape or something [not to play]. But that is not in Bosa’s DNA.”
Bosa flew back to Santa Clara on Wednesday evening and is set to have a full practice with the team on Thursday and Friday before the trip to Pittsburgh. “Hey, faithful. I’m back, baby,” said Bosa via a video released by the team upon landing on Wednesday. “Sorry for the scare. Let’s go win some games.”
In other news, Niners All-Pro tight end George Kittle was back at practice on Wednesday after missing time over the past couple of weeks with a groin injury. The four-time Pro Bowler was a limited participant alongside wide receiver Ray Ray McCloud. Barring any setbacks, both pass catchers are expected to play on Sunday.
Bosa’s record-breaking contract means the San Francisco 49ers now have the league’s highest-paid defensive end, the league’s highest-paid running back in Christian McCaffrey, and the highest-paid NFL fullback in Kyle Juszczyk. The Niners also have the third-highest paid left tackle (Trent Williams), the third-highest paid tight end (George Kittle), the third-highest paid linebacker (Fred Warner), the sixth-highest paid defensive tackle (Javon Hargrave), and the seventh-highest paid wide receiver (Deebo Samuel).
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.