49ers Give Raheem Mostert a Raise
The 49ers did the right thing.
They gave running back Raheem Mostert the raise he requested, according to Mostert’s agent, Brett Tessler.
The 49ers reportedly gave Mostert a signing bonus and new incentives which will allow him to earn roughly $5.6 million in 2020, or double what he would have earned before the raise.
What a happy ending to this story. Mostert is a 28-year-old running back who won’t hit free agency again until he’s 30. By then, his career could be over -- running backs take tremendous punishment. And Mostert has outperformed his special-teams deal, so if the 49ers want him to play running back, they should pay him like a running back.
And now, they are.
Here’s what I think happened:
Mostert and Tessler probably spent the offseason communicating with 49ers Executive Vice President Paraag Marathe, who’s in charge of negotiating contracts with players. Marathe is extremely good at his job, but doesn’t always see the full picture. He wants to save the Yorks as much money as possible. That’s what Marathe does, and he does it quite well.
I believe general manager John Lynch stepped in and used his power in the organization to make things right with Mostert. Mostert wasn’t asking for much -- just a couple million extra dollars. The 49ers can afford to give him this raise. And Mostert is important to the team. Lynch should understand this because he’s a former player.
If indeed Lynch saved the day, good for him. He’s valuable to the organization, even if he’s not a scout, because he’s John Freaking Lynch and he has common sense.
What a great way for the 49ers to start training camp.
