San Francisco 49ers signs DE Nick Bosa to major 5-year, $170 million contract

According to report, defensive end Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers have reached an agreement on a five-year, $170 million deal extension that includes $122.5 million in guaranteed pay.

A 44-day holdout is over.

After leading the NFL with 18.5 sacks and winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, the deal will become Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history by average annual value. He now earns more than Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end T.J. Watt ($28 million) and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald ($31.66 million).

Bosa has the sixth-most sacks (43) since 2019 and the most (34) during the previous two years. He suffered an ACL tear in Week 2 and missed the majority of the 2020 season. Bosa is third among all defensive players with 106 quarterback hits in his first four years of play. He was selected by the 49ers in the second round, out of Ohio State, and went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019.

Bosa, who will be 26 in October, refused to sign a new contract for the entire 2023 training camp. The 49ers vehemently claimed they would move Bosa even though they were aware that he would probably miss training camp unless the two parties reached an agreement on a deal. The 49ers got their star back with just a few days till the start of Week 1.

Additionally, he is most likely to play in Sunday’s season-opening game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.

This previous season, San Francisco allowed a league-low 16.3 points and 300.58 yards per game, giving the 49ers’ defence the top spot in the NFL. Bosa played a major role in that. In order to strengthen the interior of the defensive line, the team also signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million contract.

DeMeco Ryans, the defensive coordinator who left to become the helm of the Houston Texans this offseason, is the largest loss. Ryans was replaced as head coach by Steve Wilks, a former defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.

Although Ryans’ absence is significant, Bosa’s return should make it simpler for the 49ers to build on their 2022 season. The primary uncertainty will be at the quarterback position, specifically if Brock Purdy, a second-year player, can maintain his level of performance after suffering an elbow injury that ended San Francisco’s Super Bowl run.