Fred Warner is the heart and soul of the 49ers defense. Drafted in the 3rd round in 2018, the 49ers saw a rangy hybrid linebacker who represented an evolution of the position. Warner was not meant to be the run stopping middle linebacker from a bygone era, Warner's skills perfectly matched the current state of the game. A game in which passing is emphasized by coaching and officiating, where a good QB earns $30 million a year while the very best running back can't make $15 million.
Though the 49ers drafted Warner with this in mind, they got so much more than they bargained for. Upon his arrival the 49ers hoped to pair him with Rueben Foster as their 1-2 punch at linebacker. Foster was their first-round pick from 2017, and looked to be the future of the defense. This made it even more impressive when Warner, not Foster, got the green dot on his helmet in his rookie season. The 3rd round rookie from BYU displayed the intelligence, leadership and commitment to be the defensive signal caller. By November 2018 Foster was released. Foster's poor behavior was the main reason for his release, but it's hard not to look at the development of Warner as something that made the decision that much easier. Warner was becoming what Foster was drafted to be, a team leader.
In 2019 the 49ers paired Warner with free-agent linebacker Kwon Alexander and then magic happened. Once timid, Alexander instilled confidence in Fred Warner, and in doing so, Warner's game elevated to a higher echelon. In 2018 Warner was solid, in 2019 Warner was a threat. With Warner commanding the defense the 49ers made it all the way to Super Bowl 54 and came up just short of a championship. While they may have lost a title, they found their defensive leader for the next decade in the process.
2019 Performance
Warner's statistical output saw a significant jump from 2018 to 2019. His ability to create turnovers was the most obvious area of improvement. Overall Warner recorded 118 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 9 passes defended, 1 interception and 1 touchdown. Warner did it all for the 49ers in 2019. Pro Football Focus graded Warner out at a 66.9.
2020 Cost
Warner may be the very best value player on the 49ers in 2020, considering George Kittle will get a new deal of course. The 49ers are only paying Warner $1 million this coming season.
Future Outlook
Picture Warner in red & gold for the next 10 years. His contract expires in 2021, at which point the 49ers would be foolish not to re-sign him and pay him like the cornerstone he is. His vast improvement from year 1 to year 2, coupled with his unquestionable leadership ability makes him a player the 49ers cannot afford to lose. When examining contracts of other players around the league at his position, it's fair to estimate his contract should cost the 49ers around $11-13 million per year. That will be money well spent.
49ers restructure Fred Warner's contract, create $9.5 million in salary cap space
By David Bonilla
Mar 14
The San Francisco 49ers made another move to add salary-cap space. On the same day the team restructured cornerback Charvarius Ward's deal, it restructured linebacker Fred Warner's. ESPN's Field Yates was the first to report the news.
The move creates $9.5 million in salary cap space for the Bay Area team. Paired with Ward's restructuring, the 49ers created nearly $20 million of additional cap space.
The 49ers restructured the contract of LB Fred Warner, creating $9.5M in cap space, per source.More
Details emerge on LB Fred Warner's restructured deal with 49ers
By David Bonilla
Mar 15
On Tuesday, the San Francisco 49ers created $9.5 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contract of linebacker Fred Warner. The deal remains a five-year one worth $95.225 million, and the player remains signed through the 2026 season.
However, much of Warner's 2023 base salary has been converted to a signing bonus, paying him that amount immediately but allowing the 49ers to spread the salary-cap impact of the amount throughout the length of the contract. In Warner's case, the impact of the signing bonus will go beyond 2026, as the 49ers added a void year in 2027.
Warner's 2023 salary cap number reduces from about $18.5 million to $9.049
Three 49ers rank in NFL's top 25 performance-based payouts
By David Bonilla
Mar 17
Three San Francisco 49ers players are receiving a nice little bonus for their on-field efforts during the 2022 NFL season. Safeties Tashaun Gipson and Talanoa Hufanga, and center Jake Brendel are among the NFL's top 25 performance-based pay distributions for this past season. The NFL Communications staff released the list on Friday morning.
Gipson will receive a $708,106 bonus. The safety recently re-signed with the 49ers on a one-year deal. Hufanga will receive $703,926, and Brendel earns $643,691.
NFL players will receive $336 million in performance-based pay. The performance-based pay program is a collectively bargained benefit that compensates all players based on their playing time and salary levels. The program was first implemented as part of the 2002
The following list tracks San Francisco 49ers signings, interests, and losses during free agency, which officially kicks off at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, March 15, at 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET). NFL teams can begin negotiations with player agents on Monday, March 13, at 9 a.m. PT (noon ET).
This list will be updated frequently throughout the early days of free agency, so please bookmark it and check back often for the latest information.
Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA): A player with an expiring contract who has four-or-more accrued seasons and is free to negotiate with any team at the start of the new league year.
Restricted Free Agent (RFA): A player with an expiring contract who has three accrued
