Just ahead of the 49ers’ first practice of the season, their most important offseason box has finally been checked.
They’ve agreed to a long-term contract with outstanding defensive end Nick Bosa.
Bosa, 25, is expected to sign a five-year contract worth up to $170 million, with $122.5 million guaranteed, according
to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in sport and the highest-
paid defensive player in NFL history. According to Schefter, Bosa will most likely play Sunday in the season opener
against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With Bosa entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, neither party was in a hurry to reach an agreement
on an extension. Throughout the offseason, Bosa and 49ers brass expressed confidence in the possibility of an
extension.
However, this is the first time the 49ers have taken this long to finalize a transaction. They usually wait until near the
beginning of camp, so it wasn’t surprising that Bosa didn’t report immediately away. Each day he remained gone,
however, brought a little more surprise, even if there was no genuine indication that the two sides would not reach an agreement. It ended up taking several weeks longer than the team had planned.
In only four NFL seasons, Bosa has won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards, as
well as 156 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 43.0 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, and eight forced fumbles in
51 games.
