Nick Bosa still hasn’t received a new contract from the San Francisco 49ers, so the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is extending his holdout as far as he can — and it may even last into the regular season. With Week 1 just days away, will the 49ers get a deal done with Bosa in time for their matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers? If so, how will San Francisco get by in the interim?
Where Negotiations Stand Between Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers began practicing for Week 1 on Wednesday, and Bosa was not in attendance, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Bosa’s availability for Sunday’s gamer is “now in doubt” as he works towards an extension in San Francisco.
With the first practice of game week upon us, #49ers star Nick Bosa is not in the building for meetings with his teammates, sources say, as his holdout stretches into the regular season. His status for Week 1 is now in doubt as he seeks a blockbuster contract extension.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2023
Because he’s still on his rookie contract, Bosa can have his daily fines for missing training camp and the preseason waived once he reports to the 49ers. That’s an advantage that fellow defender Chris Jones — already on his second contract with the Chiefs — doesn’t hold as he seeks a new deal in Kansas City.
But once the regular season starts, Bosa will miss out on 1/18th of his $17.859 million base salary for every week he misses. That’s roughly $992,000 per week. Of course, Bosa is hoping his new contract with the 49ers will more than make up for whatever cash he loses by missing games.
San Francisco is already willing to make Bosa the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher, per Rapoport. The Steelers’ T.J. Watt currently leads edge defenders with a $28 million average annual value — the 49ers are amenable to hitting at least $30 million per year for Bosa.
But there’s one more checkpoint Bosa may want to reach — surpassing the Rams’ Aaron Donald as the NFL’s most expensive defender at any position.
Fearful Donald would retire following their Super Bowl victory, Los Angeles ripped up Donald’s existing contract and gave him a straight raise at $31.67 million per year. It’s an outlier deal that hasn’t been approached until now.
Rapoport also mentioned the concept of an immediate $5 million roster bonus Donald received as part of his Rams extension, suggesting Bosa may want the same concession. It’s almost hard to believe such a minor issue could complicate contract talks, but the Bosas — including Nick’s brother, Joey — have traditionally fought for every dollar.
The 49ers’ DE Depth Chart Behind Bosa
49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek might be the best in the business. But if he doesn’t have Bosa at his disposal, he’ll have his work cut out for him early in the 2023 campaign.
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If Bosa isn’t on the field for Week 1, San Francisco will start former second-round pick Drake Jackson and free agent addition Clelin Ferrell at defensive end. Jackson has impressed throughout the summer and will be a starter regardless of whether Bosa reports. Ferrell has a first-round pedigree that Kocurek might be able to tap into.
Nick Bosa recorded 18.5 sacks and 48 QB hits last year.
The career highs of the #49ers current four active edge rushers COMBINED, 20.5 sacks and 41 QB hits.
— Jack Hammer (@JackHammer_NFL) September 6, 2023
The only other edge rushers on the 49ers’ 53-man roster are Kerry Hyder Jr. and Austin Bryant, who have primarily been rotational options during their NFL careers.
San Francisco has one defensive end — Alex Barrett — on its practice squad. Fifth-round rookie Robert Beal Jr. can be activated from injured reserve (IR) after four weeks, potentially bolstering the club’s pass rush.
Impactful free agents remain on the open market if the 49ers want to consider an external option. Veterans like Melvin Ingram, Carlos Dunlap, and Jason Pierre-Paul have been available all offseason, while Malik Reed and Tarell Basham were released at final cutdowns.