The 49ers and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner have agreed to a five-year, $95 million contract extension (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter).
The new contract will keep him in the league through 2026, making him the highest-paid inside linebacker in league history.
Warner, a former BYU third-round pick, was due to enter the free agent pool next spring.
The Niners wouldn’t let him go without a new contract, giving him a huge raise to overtake Bobby Wagner as the league’s highest-paid ILB.
At least, that’s the title he now holds; Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts could dethrone him in the coming weeks.
When questioned about a new deal for Warner in May, head coach Kyle Shanahan responded, “I want to get it done personally.”
“I feel like I’d say the same thing about him as I did about [George] Kittle [last year] when we were talking about it.”
I just think it’ll be a matter of time.
“I understand he isn’t in his free agency year or anything like that, so it isn’t always on my mind.”
But Fred is a guy who I intend to keep around for the rest of my life and who has earned it.
Wagner has a flawless attendance record as a pro, having played 95% of the team’s snaps over the last three seasons.
In 2020, he was named First-Team All-Pro after recording 125 tackles and earning the No. 1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
By far the best off-ball linebacker
Warner has always stated that he wants to be a “Niner for life,” and he now has a contract that will cover the majority of his NFL career.
