Fred Warner is worth every penny 49ers gave him

Fred Warner’s durability with 49ers

This will be brief, but the most important ability is availability, and unlike several key members of the 49ers, Fred Warner is available constantly.

Freak injuries, like torn ACLs or Achilles, are largely unavoidable, but there is proof that some athletes are simply more injury-prone than others (h/t The Atlantic). 

Warner has played and started all 48 games possible during his career. He’s played, during those games, at a high level, and additionally he doesn’t miss many snaps in those games, if any.

This in and of itself is not the reason to break positional value, but for a team that has struggled with injuries, there is a significant value in spending on a player who will be available no matter what.