NFL free agency: Predicting where top 25 projected players land in 2022
By Peter Panacy
player. 42. . Linebacker. San Francisco 49ers. Fred Warner. 14
2022 NFL free agency: Fred Warner to SF 49ers
*Updated Oct 1st – Warner signs 5 year contract extension to stay with 49ers worth $95 million*
In 2020, the SF 49ers traded one of their best defenders, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, to the Indianapolis Colts just before he was eligible to receive his fifth-year option.
The Niners won’t do the same with their star first-team All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.
Warner was named the team’s defensive captain his rookie year back in 2018 and quickly solidified himself as one of the league’s best at the position. And while the bulk of high-paid linebackers in the league are on the wrong side of 30 years old, Warner can now end up commanding a hefty contract to keep him in the red and gold for the long run.
It’ll likely be something in the range of $18 million annually. Perhaps more.
Still, a player of Warner’s ilk is worth retaining. And it’s not just because he’s a regular 100-plus tackler frequently towards the league leaders over the last three years.
No, Warner also doubles as an excellent pass-coverage linebacker and the elite-level types at this position are awfully hard to find.
The 49ers have one. They’ll want to keep him.
While San Francisco has plenty of other players looking at long-term extensions, such as EDGE Nick Bosa, keeping Warner around as a defensive captain and leader is about as no-brainer a move there is.