49ers’ Nick Bosa agrees to historic deal, becomes NFL’s highest-paid defensive player in history: report

Nick Bosa, a three-time Pro Bowler and the reigning defensive player of the year, has agreed to the terms of a record-breaking contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers.

He racked up 18.5 sacks in 2022, and he is now being paid like the elite pass rusher that he is. On Wednesday, Bosa agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension, according to ESPN.

The historic deal makes Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history by a considerable margin. Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt signed a four-year, $112 million extension last year.

San Francisco exercised the fifth-year option on Bosa in 2022. The team and Bosa’s representatives have been working on a long-term deal for quite some time. Bosa decided to hold out until he landed a lucrative new deal.

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In March 2022, 49ers General Manager John Lynch said the organization was working on extensions for Bosa and star wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

“We have a plan for each of those guys,” he told reporters. “We will keep those discussions private, but like I’ve long said, those guys are going to be a part of us for a long, long time. They’re fantastic players. They are very much at the core of who we are, and they are fabulous players, fabulous people and a big part of who we are.”

Now that Bosa’s deal seems to be done, he will likely end his holdout and could play in the Niners’ season opener against the Steelers on Sept. 10.

Bosa’s deal includes $122.5 million in guarantees, ESPN reported.

In June, Bosa expressed confidence about the deal getting done.

“It’s pretty high,” Bosa said when asked about his confidence level about getting an extension. “Yeah, I think I’m pretty confident about that.”

“I think I’ll get what I deserve,” he added.

Bosa’s deal should help alleviate some feelings of uneasiness that have recently surrounded the Niners franchise.

The team recently traded Trey Lance, a player they had hoped would develop into their franchise quarterback, and rookie kicker Jake Moody had a turbulent preseason. 

The 49ers were scheduled to take on a $17.9 million salary-cap hit under the terms of Bosa’s fifth-year option, but that number will likely drop due to the extension. The exact amount will not be known until the full contract details are made public.