Nick Bosa’s prolonged holdout is over.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the current AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year has reached a five-year, $170 million contract extension with the 49ers. Rapoport added that the contract includes guarantees worth $122,5 million and that San Francisco will not charge Bosa any fees for his strike-related expenses.
With an average yearly salary of $34 million, Bosa has surpassed Aaron Donald’s $31.7 million with the Rams to become the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
In order to wait for a contract extension after a career-best 2022 season, Bosa skipped the entirety of training camp and the preseason. While contract negotiations were taking place, he trained independently to safeguard his most valuable asset—his health—but they took longer than anyone anticipated, including his coach.
On August 1, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged. He anticipated that Bosa would rejoin the team by the end of the preseason, but negotiations didn’t get to a conclusion until just a few days before San Francisco’s game against the Steelers to kick off the regular season.
Bosa won’t be able to play as much on Sunday, according to Shanahan, who told reporters on Wednesday.
The next two and a half practices will be used as the basis for our decision, according to Shanahan.
However, Shanahan made it clear that Bosa will play in Week 1 by joking that he “would have to have a beer belly and be out of shape” to sit out the first game, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.
The record contract represents good value given Bosa’s performance over the previous two seasons. Bosa has been absolutely dominant on the field since tearing his ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season, compiling 34 sacks, 40 tackles for loss, and six forced fumbles in the past two seasons. In 2022, he received both the DPOY award and his first All-Pro selection, paving the way for a crucial period in which Bosa could benefit from his ascent.
Bosa was never in doubt for this team, despite San Francisco’s propensity to not pay everyone important to stay put. Bosa is the 49ers’ best defender, and during their successful run under Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, they have relied heavily on their defense. The only outstanding query was when they might close a deal.
We now have a solution. Bosa must now get ready to go out on the field for the 49ers in a short while.