The 49ers and NaVorro Bowman have reached agreement on a contract extension, the team announced on Thursday night. The new pact will keep him in place through the 2022 season. The new four-year extension is worth $44MM with $20MM guaranteed, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
“Over the last six years, NaVorro has become a cornerstone of our organization and securing his future in the Bay Area was a priority for us,” said general manager Trent Baalke. “The perseverance he displayed while overcoming adversity and returning to his All-Pro form provides a great example of what can be accomplished through hard work and self-belief. This contract extension reaffirms our core philosophy of rewarding our own players and we are thrilled to know NaVorro will play his entire career with the 49ers.”
The news comes as a surprise since the Niners had three years until Bowman could reach the open market again. We should know more about the impetus for this move come Friday, but for now it appears that the 49ers simply wanted to do right by one of their star players. When putting the two deals together, Bowman now has himself a seven-year, ~$67.55MM pact.
That yearly average of $9.65MM puts him ahead of Lawrence Timmons, making him the league’s third-highest paid inside linebacker in terms of AAV behind Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner. In terms of overall value, Bowman has the highest-paying contract of any inside linebacker as his $67.55MM deal bests Kuechly’s $61.8MM pact with the Panthers which takes him through the 2021 season.
In the playoffs following the 2013 season, Bowman suffered a serious knee injury which kept him out of action for the entire 2014 campaign. The linebacker came back in a big way in 2015, however, leading the NFL with 154 total tackles plus 2.5 sacks and two passes defensed. Bowman’s remarkable comeback earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod.
Since entering the league in 2010 as a third-round pick, Bowman has earned First-Team All-Pro selections and three trips to the Pro Bowl. In total, the SF standout has 733 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three interceptions, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and 25 passes defensed to his credit.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Good for Bo
Good to hear. He’s our leader and best player.
Love this! First good thing they’ve done in a long time. I live the draft picks this season as well as last year also. I think their defense can actually be surprisingly better than last year with Armstead and Buckner up front and Ward sliding into the new role he is taking on.
Just for him to get that knee ready everyday takes 2 hours before practice or games…what a remarkable dude, well deserved