Getty Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers in action against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field on December 05, 2021 in Seattle.
When it comes to drafting top-level NFL talent, the San Francisco 49ers have done pretty well. Eventually, though, those players have to get paid.
This is where the 49ers have found themselves the past two or three years. The team has had to make tough decisions like trading defensive tackle DeForest Buckner while extending fellow defensive lineman Arik Armstead. The current conundrum is what to do with wide receiver Deebo Samuel and defensive end Nick Bosa.
Samuel is going into the final year of his rookie contract, while Bosa has two years on his rookie deal but is now eligible for a new contract. In that context, Samuel is a bigger priority in terms of resigning players, but former CBS writer and former NFL agent Joel Corry explained that the Niners may want to make their move now.
Based on stars at his position and an expanding salary cap in 2023, Corry explains that Bosa is the frontrunner to be the first non-QB to earn $30 million per year.
“Bosa would still be the best bet to be the first non-quarterback to hit the $30 million-per-year mark if he played the 2022 season on his rookie contract… Bosa having another Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2022 could push the contract into the $33 million-per-year neighborhood where [Bosa’s agent Brian] Ayrault is adamant about getting the type of increase he secured for Donald over Miller.”
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How 49ers Can Save Money on Bosa
A key aspect of what Corry mentions in the paragraph above is that it involves the 49ers not extending him this offseason, but instead in 2023. San Francisco will save money if they get Bosa his money now, rather than let him add another dominant season.
Meanwhile, the 49ers can free up $25.5 million in space if/when they trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, giving them around $28.4 million for 2022 per Spotrac. So, why would San Francisco wait?
The unfortunate answer is that the Niners have to juggle bringing back top players and improving the team in free agency and the draft. Resigning Deebo needs to be the top priority. There’s also guard Laken Tomlinson, who is set to hit free agency but has made it known that he wants to remain in San Francisco.
If the 49ers look to splash money in free agency on a name like New England Patriots corner J.C. Jackson, that would make money even tighter. There’s ways to delay cap hits with void years, but it constricts a team later on.
If Samuel, Bosa and Tomlinson all get new deals, free agency additions would either be minimal or be players who are good value rather than the best possible talent.
Bosa’s Colleagues Setting Contract Standards
Bosa knows he’s going to get paid, primarily because he’s seen every top pass rusher from Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett to his own brother Joey Bosa getting paid in recent years. Joey was given a gargantuan $135 million extension by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, making $27 million a year. The brothers share the same agent in Ayrault.
The other notable example is Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt. Watt is averaging $28 million a year after becoming one of the most explosive defenders in the NFL.
However, these names and contract examples aren’t about comparing talent or who deserves what. It’s simply the standard that’s being set for Bosa and the 49ers. Pass rushing always comes at a premium, and Bosa could become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league thanks to his skillset.