For the first time all offseason there’s a number on the Nick Bosa contract negotiations. While most of the updates on extension talks between the 49ers and their star defensive end have amounted to “no update,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Tuesday night offered an actual revelation.
Speaking to Rich Eisen on NFL Game Day, Rapoport gave a number on a contract the 49ers have offered Bosa. It’s the first time there’ve been numbers in a report on the talks.
“From what I understand, they have offered him a contract in excess of $30 million per year,” Rapoport said. “But will he beat Aaron Donald’s $31.7 million? That really is the question.”
There has been speculation that the hangup in the negotiations has been between the 49ers wanting to get Bosa near Steelers DE TJ Watt’s $28 million AAV, and Bosa wanting to get past Aaron Donald’s $31.7 million AAV.
Rapoport’s report would indicate there’s more at play here than just the AAV of the contract.
If the 49ers have offered north of $30 million, and Bosa wants north of $31.7 million, there’s less than a couple million between the two sides and it’s hard to imagine San Francisco would drag this out as far as it has over a couple million dollars. Bosa is too important for them to get that stingy when they can easily carve out that couple extra million.
There’s likely something bigger that’s hanging things up like contract structure, guaranteed money, and other things that’ll play a role in the 49ers’ ability to build out a championship-caliber roster over the next few seasons. Meanwhile, Bosa may be trying to ensure he gets the maximum dollar amount over the maximum amount of time.
It’s a stalemate that’s taken the negotiations down to the wire, and if the extent of the holdout truly is just over a couple million bucks it’s hard to imagine it goes on much longer.
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