Report: 49ers ‘very close’ to reaching extension with another star

The San Francisco 49ers are nearing an extension with star linebacker Fred Warner, according to NBC Sports’s Jennifer Lee Chan.

Warner, 28, is in the fourth year of a five-year, $95 million extension he signed back in 2021, and could now be in line for a record-breaking contract at the position.

“San Francisco appears to have learned from its past and desires a drama-free offseason, unlike 2024 where multiple players were absent from team headquarters while working through contract [negotiations],” Lee Chan wrote.

“Warner’s extension likely will make the All-Pro the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL while keeping the 2018 third-round draft pick in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future.”

The 49ers have been very proactive this offseason, signing tight end George Kittle to a four-year, $76.4 million extension last month that made him the highest-paid player at the position.

Then, they reached terms with quarterback Brock Purdy on a five-year, $265 million deal earlier this week, locking their franchise signal-caller in with the franchise until 2030. And they may not be done yet, with an impending Warner deal seemingly around the corner.

The change in timings for significant contract extensions has been notable this offseason. The 49ers have dragged out negotiations with stars late into offseasons in the past, with Brandon Aiyuk’s four-year, $120 million deal and Trent Williams’s three-year, $82.66 million deal being signed in late August and early September last year, respectively.

Hoping to have a full offseason program with their whole team, San Francisco’s direction has seemingly changed this year as they enter a crucial 2025 season, having missed the playoffs with a 6-11 record last year.

Warner has been one of the most productive linebackers since entering the NFL back in 2018. He played through an ankle fracture for much of the 2024 season, yet still earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, racking up 131 tackles, five tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions last year.

He is also one of the key leaders in the locker room on the defensive side of the ball, which will be important in 2025 as San Francisco lost several key starters, including Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd this offseason.

On Saturday, Warner noted how the early extensions for Kittle and Purdy have eliminated distractions for the team this offseason.

“I think it’s obviously worked out really well being able to knock those things out earlier,” Warner said, via Lee Chan. “Allowing us to focus just purely on ball and getting better as a team, so things are moving in the right direction.”

Now, he seems to be next in line for an extension, which could lock him up in San Francisco for the remainder of his career.