San Francisco 49ers star pass rusher and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa made his way back to the Bay Area late Wednesday night.
Bosa’s presence in Northern California came hours after he inked a record-breaking contract with San Francisco following a lengthy holdout.
“Hey faithful. I’m back, baby. Sorry for the scare, Bosa told those on hand as he landed in the Bay Area. “Let’s go win some games.”
The former No. 2 pick is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at $34 million per season. Bosa’s deal comes out to $170 million over five years with $122.5 million in total guarantees.
For both the star pass rusher and the organization, this ends what were extensive negotiations heading into Sunday’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s now likely to suit up in just a few days.
I mean, there is some question because we haven’t seen him,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters when asked if Bosa would suit up on Sunday. “But I think you guys know how I’m talking. He’d have to have a beer belly and be out of shape or something, which that’s not in Bosa’s DNA.”
It’s not yet known how many snaps Bosa will take when San Francisco opens its regular season on the road. But Wednesday’s news was about a lot more than one game or the short-term. It was more about getting one of the best NFL players locked up for five years and moving on with the drama of the past several weeks.
That has to be considered the biggest takeaway here. Both Bosa and the 49ers’ brass had expressed confidence throughout the offseason that he’d be locked up before Week 1.
“It’s pretty high. I think I am pretty confident about that. I think I’ll get what I deserve,” Bosa told reporters back in in June about his confidence level that a new deal would get done soon.
The 49ers knew they had to back up that proverbial Brinks Truck for Bosa ahead of Week 1. It was going to be a complicated contract. There were a lot more factors involved than total value or average annual salary. Contract length, fully guaranteed cash and total guarantees were three factors the sides had to work through.
Bosa’s importance to the 49ers can’t be overstated. Last season saw the former Ohio State star rack up 48 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks. Not a single returning member of the 49ers outside of Bosa had more than three sacks a season ago. Again, his importance has been on display during the star’s four-year in run in Santa Clara.
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