What Extending Nick Bosa Will Cost the 49ers

People don't realize how expensive Bosa's extension will be.

As the 49ers' franchise and fanbase vehemently debates the pros and cons of extending Deebo Samuel's contract and paying him what the market currently says an elite wide receiver is worth, Nick Bosa somehow escapes that scrutiny and stays out of the spotlight like a student hiding in the back of the classroom.

Bosa is up for an extension, too. And his will be even more expensive than Samuel's. But no one seems to mind paying Bosa what he will command.

Maybe people don't realize how expensive Bosa's extension will be.

His brother, Joey Bosa, signed a five-year, $135 million extension ($27 million annually) with $78 million guaranteed two years ago. Then last year, T.J. Watt became the highest-paid non-quarterback when he signed a four-year, $112 million extension ($28 million annually) with $80 million guaranteed.

Now, Bosa will become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. To keep him, the 49ers will have to fork over a five-year, $145 million extension ($29 million) with $82 million guaranteed. That's what the market dictates. No less will suffice.

The franchise and fanbase don't seem to question giving Bosa all that money, even though he missed almost all of 2020 and has torn both ACLs and a core muscle. But he has been elite for two seasons -- 2019 and 2021 -- and he plays a premium position, so extending his contract is a no brainer, even though the 49ers had a top-5 defense without him in 2020.

But Samuel also plays a premium position -- wide receiver. The position Jerry Rice played. Do you think Bill Walsh would have traded Jerry Rice so he could keep a defensive end and pay him more? Fat chance.

Samuel will be cheaper than Bosa. And Samuel hasn't had surgery in the NFL. And Samuel has been elite for two seasons, too. In 2019, he gained 961 yards from scrimmage and averaged 13.5 yards per touch -- phenomenal numbers for a rookie. And then last season, he gained 1,770 yards from scrimmage and averaged 13.0 yards per touch. Another great season -- the only difference is he got the ball more often. And he can't control how often he gets the ball.

And Samuel did all this while playing with Jimmy Garoppolo, one of the most physically limited starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Samuel's numbers will get even better once Trey Lance takes over.

But he's the one the 49ers might trade. As opposed to Bosa, who struggled at times against chips and double teams last season, while Samuel was downright unstoppable.

The 49ers have more than enough money to keep both. But if they choose to keep only one, maybe they should keep the cheaper player who scored 14 touchdowns last season.