The 49ers, naturally, would like to extend star linebacker Fred Warner, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2021 campaign. However, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says no contract talks have taken place just yet (video link).
That doesn’t mean that negotiations will not commence soon, and look for San Francisco GM John Lynch to do his utmost to keep Warner in the fold for the long haul. The BYU product was selected in the third round of the 2018 draft, and he has played virtually every snap for the Niners over his first three professional seasons.
During that time, Warner has established himself as one of the top off-ball LBs in football. In fact, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics considered him the best linebacker in the league in 2020, thanks in large part to his stellar 91.1 coverage grade. Warner landed his first Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors for his efforts.
We heard earlier today that Darius Leonard, another premier linebacker taken in the 2018 draft — he was chosen 34 spots ahead of Warner — will not be giving the Colts a hometown discount in his negotiations with the club. Rapoport suggests that both Leonard and Warner have a good chance to eclipse Bobby Wagner‘s $18MM AAV, which currently tops the inside linebacker market.
It will be interesting to see which player signs first, as that player’s deal will likely push the second player’s asking price just a little higher. Leonard and Warner have had similar career trajectories to this point, and though Warner is over a year younger than his Indianapolis counterpart, Leonard has two Pro Bowl bids and two First Team All-Pro honors to his credit. Either way, both players have a good chance of landing massive multi-year deals in the coming months.
Well they’re gonna wanna get on that or trade him for assets
Has anybody ever heard of this guy? His stats show that he is a tackling machine, but is that because of his own ability or does it simply reflect the strength of the 49ers defensive line?
Drugs are bad
RU kidding me? Did you watch any of the Super Bowl against the Chiefs? He is a BEAST. Watch Mic’d Up on You Tube for that Super Bowl and you immediately appreciate him and Kittle. I am saying that as a CHIEFS fan. Would take him and Kittle any day.
Warner is the best LB in the NFL, and no offense to Leonard, but it really isn’t all that close. Warner can do it all, and he does it all at an extremely high level.
Just pick any game from last year, and you’ll quickly come away agreeing. He’s also as consistent as they come, welcomes being challenged, and he has gotten better each and every season since he’s been drafted. If he continues that trend, I definitely would love to see how he could possibly get even better this year!!
Super high IQ one of the smartest dudes I’ve ever seen let alone play football
Well, Leonard and Warner play very different roles, so that’s not really an apples to apples comparison. That’s mostly because Leonard attacks the LoS a lot more. They’re both at the top or near the top compared to other players. Warner is definitely a more consistent player in his role, however, and that’s indisputable.
If the 9ers want to keep Warner, they better get on this soon. I don’t think Warner would mind leaving and is due a major raise. Given Mosley’s age and recent injury history, I very highly doubt that Warner is not on Saleh’s radar in New York. Warner’s impending free agency could be a reason that the Jets are willing to roll with Mosley for another year instead of trading or releasing him now for a replacement (not that Mosley is a bad player when he’s available, but the new regime would like a familiar face, especially one that is younger and has the talent that Warner does).
HighMileHighFan, strong defensive lines = less tackling opportunities for linebackers.