49ers are in the right ballpark with Nick Bosa contract numbers
The story of the Nick Bosa contract saga has been one of frustration for the 49ers, their fans and almost certainly the player himself. San Francisco's failure to find a way to break the impasse with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has put him at significant risk of missing the season opener with […]
The story of the Nick Bosa contract saga has been one of frustration for the 49ers, their fans and almost certainly the player himself.
San Francisco's failure to find a way to break the impasse with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has put him at significant risk of missing the season opener with the Steelers on Sunday.
But, as the urgency to get the deal done rapidly increases, it is reassuring to learn the Niners are at least in the right ballpark with what they have offered Bosa.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday's season-preview edition of NFL GameDay that the Niners have offered their star defensive end a contract with an average annual salary north of $30 million.
That average would make Bosa the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL. However, the question remains the same as it has been throughout this process: how close will Bosa get to Aaron Donald's average of $31.66 million? That is the highest for a non-quarterback in the NFL.
It is likely Bosa wants to surpass that number after his 18.5-sack campaign in 2022. What is unknown to those outside the contract talks is by how much he wants to beat Donald's average. If it is simply a matter of bridging a gap of $2 million, the impasse shouldn't stretch on much longer.
But whatever the hold up is, whether it's average salary, guaranteed money or a problem with the contract structure, the 49ers don't appear any closer to resolving the issue. Rapoport reported on Wednesday that Bosa is unsurprisingly not at the 49ers' facility for meetings with teammates, meaning his holdout has officially stretched into their gameweek.
Still, Bosa would almost certainly back himself to replicate T.J. Watt's achievements in 2021 and produce a dominant display with minimal time spent at practice and meetings. In that sense, the 49ers still have time to get a deal over the line and get Bosa on the field for the opener.
The frustration goes on, but at least now there is knowledge of a figure that suggests it might not take much to break the stalemate this week.
49ers receiver Ronnie Bell can emerge as hidden gem in rookie season
It’s just a matter of opportunity.
Featured Image Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
