Will the 49ers Extend Fred Warners' Contract Before OTAs Start?

The 49ers have one last order of business this offseason: Extending Fred Warner's contract.

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) during the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The 49ers have one last order of business this offseason: Extending Fred Warner's contract.

They just gave Brock Purdy a five-year, $265 million contract. A few weeks earlier, they gave George Kittle a four-year, $76.4 million extension. Now, Warner is the final cornerstone player to lock down long-term.

The 49ers should have the cash to finalize a deal with Warner soon considering they just sold 6.2 percent of their franchise to three wealthy families. The 49ers were valued at roughly $8.5 billion, which means the owners just got more than half a billion dollars they can use to spend on their best players.

And Warner might be the best 49ers player of all. He has been a first-team All Pro linebacker in four of the past five seasons. The last 49ers linebacker to accomplish that feat was NaVorro Bowman. And before him, Patrick Willis, who was one of the greatest linebackers of all time.

Warner's extension most likely will make him the league's highest-paid linebacker considering everyone knows he's the league's best linebacker. The current highest-paid linebacker is Roquan Smith who signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Ravens.

Expect the 49ers to give Warner a five-year deal worth slightly more than $100 million. That's what the market says he's worth. And the 49ers aren't going to play hardball with the best player on their team and the quarterback of their defense.

Expect Warner to have his contract extension finalized before the 49ers report for OTAs a week from Tuesday.