Why did 49ers give NaVorro Bowman an extension?

The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk seem far apart in their contract extension negotiations. Aiyuk often works with TJ Houshmandzadeh during the offseason, and the former NFL wide receiver joined Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game this week to provide an update on the situation (h/t Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area). The Minnesota Vikings recently signed their star wideout, Justin Jefferson, to a deal worth up to $35 million annually. However, Houshmandzadeh acknowledges that Aiyuk should not expect to earn anything near that range. This deal is unlikely to impact Aiyuk's contract negotiations. It's just a

The San Francisco 49ers faced a tough financial decision this offseason. Unable to negotiate a salary reduction with defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who had struggled with injuries in recent years, the team decided to part ways with the longtime Niner. To mitigate the loss of Armstead, the 49ers traded a seventh-round draft pick to the Houston Texans for defensive tackle Maliek Collins. San Francisco's defensive line coach, Kris Kocurek, recently discussed the addition of Collins and what he likes about the defensive lineman. "I really liked him coming out of Nebraska — just the explosion that he can generate through his lower body," Kocurek told

Garrett Podell of CBS Sports recently assessed the NFL landscape, identifying quarterbacks poised to improve or regress in 2024. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy fell into the latter group, with Podell predicting the third-year player might struggle to match last season's production. Purdy set a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards during his sophomore NFL season, and his 113.0 passer rating led the league. However, Podell believes that level of production might not be sustainable. "Purdy averaged the most yards after catch per completion (6.6) and the most yards per

Brandon Aiyuk probably wants to avoid playing on his fifth-year option. Although it would earn him $14.124 million in 2024, it is far below his market value. Similarly, the San Francisco 49ers likely want to avoid approaching the $30 million annual salary that might end the wide receiver's holdout. Last week, Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle reported what was likely the 49ers' latest offer to Aiyuk, stating, "I'm hearing maybe their offer's in the $26 million range, which, you know, it's certainly not Justin Jefferson money, nor should it be, but it's closer to that DeVonta Smith, Amon-Ra St. Brown, that next tier down." Suppose the two sides can't reach a mutually