5 moves SF 49ers should plan on making for 2021 offseason
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers must extend Fred Warner at all costs
Do the SF 49ers have to make quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo a cap casualty this offseason?
No, they don’t have to. Whether or not they should is another question, but it’s not exactly mandatory. Garoppolo could arguably give the Niners the best chance at winning out of all available options in 2021.
More from Niner Noise
- Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
- DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet
- 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
- 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar
- Updated 49ers salary cap space ahead of 2023 NFL Draft
Instead, San Francisco’s top priority move for next season must be extending linebacker Fred Warner, a player Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers believes is deserving of All-Pro status.
Warner, in his third year in the league, is well on his way to leading the 49ers defense in tackles again, and he’s added to his already impressive accolade list with two interceptions and three quarterback hits.
In short, the Niners’ captain of the defense is capable of doing it all.
San Francisco can enter negotiations for a much-deserved contract extension as early as the 2021 offseason. And it’s possible Warner holds out if discussions stall, given his importance to the team and the desire to get a deal done before he steps foot on the field again.
It won’t come cheap. Warner could easily earn the kind of money Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, another top candidate for best linebacker in the NFL, is receiving — an average annual value of $18 million per year.
Next. 4 reasons why 49ers won't move on from Jimmy Garoppolo. dark
But Warner is a foundation-type player, and the SF 49ers would be more than wise to make sure they build a defense around him, locking him up for the long run while he’s entering his prime.