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Nick Wagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After finishing profitable contract extensions with quarterback Brock Purdy and tight finish George Kittle in latest weeks, the San Francisco 49ers had another key participant to deal with to wrap up their most urgent offseason enterprise: linebacker Fred Warner.
On Monday, the Niners and Warner checked that field as he agreed to a three-year, $63 million contract extension, sources instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal ties Warner to the staff by way of the 2029 season. The reworked deal additionally returns Warner to the highest of the listing of highest-paid off-ball linebackers within the league at $21 million per season and provides $56 million in assured cash to a deal that not had any, the sources instructed Schefter.
Whereas Purdy’s deal represented the biggest deal in staff historical past (5 years for $265 million, together with $181 million in total assured cash) and the largest elevate the Niners have ever handed out, Warner’s extension at all times figured to be a bit simpler as a result of he had two years remaining on the five-year, $95 million deal he signed in 2021.
Like with Kittle this offseason and operating again Christian McCaffrey final yr, Warner’s deal was extra about transferring cash round, including some ensures and reducing his near-term wage cap figures.
Beneath the phrases of his outdated deal, Warner was scheduled to depend $29.17 million towards the 2025 cap and $26.71 million towards the 2026 cap. Each numbers would have been simply among the many two highest on the place within the NFL. These numbers are anticipated to lower considerably with the extension.
When Warner reported together with most of his teammates for the beginning of the offseason program in April, he made it clear that he had no considerations concerning the potential for a contract extension.
Though Warner is coming off a season wherein he earned a fourth first-team All-Professional look and his third straight, he performed by way of a small fracture in his ankle for the ultimate 13 video games of the season. He revealed close to the tip of final season that he required painkilling injections to make it by way of the tip of the season.
However Warner didn’t require ankle surgical procedure and mentioned he felt “nice” when he returned for the offseason program.
With Warner, 28, Purdy and Kittle signed earlier than the on-field portion of organized staff actions start, the 49ers can relaxation straightforward from a enterprise standpoint as they head towards coaching camp.
In recent times, the Niners have engaged in prolonged contract negotiations with defensive finish Nick Bosa, receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left sort out Trent Williams. All of these extensions did not get achieved till late August or early September with every participant lacking most or all of coaching camp.
There needs to be no such points for the Niners this yr as they try and bounce again from a disappointing 6-11 end in 2024.
