Do the 49ers Want to Trade Fred Warner for a First Round Pick?
Of course the 49ers should extend Fred Warner's contract this offseason.
But will they? Or will they trade him instead?
The 49ers should have extended DeForest Buckner's contract last offseason, but didn't. They traded him to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick in the 2020 Draft, and used the pick on Javon Kinlaw, who isn't nearly as good as Buckner.
The logic went like this: While Buckner is excellent, he doesn't play a premium position -- defensive tackle is not as valuable as defensive end. And he wants premium money, as in more than $20 million per season. So in their minds, they couldn't afford to pay that premium for Buckner.
The same logic applies to Warner. The 49ers repeatedly have called him the best middle linebacker in the NFL, but middle linebacker isn't a premium position the way defensive end or cornerback is. And yet, the highest-paid middle linebacker in the league, Bobby Wagner, currently makes $18 million per season on average.
So Warner will want $19 million per season at least most likely. And if the 49ers were to backload the contract the way they backloaded the deals for Trent Williams and Arik Armstead, they'd end up paying Warner more than $20 million per season in a few years.
And they're already paying Jimmy Garoppolo $27 million per season. Armstead will start making $20 million per season in 2020. Williams will start making $26 million per season (not a typo) in 2023. And don't forget George Kittle, who will make $16 million per season starting next year.
The 49ers have roughly $13 million in salary cap space remaining for 2021, and about $9 million of that will go to the rookies.
Did the 49ers leave any money for Warner?
Or will they give him the Buckner treatment and trade him before the draft and replace him with a rookie first-round pick?
I have no idea what they intend to do. All I know is this.
They better freaking not trade Warner. Trading Warner would be shameful.
