Fred Warner is a rich man.
The star 49ers linebacker made history Wednesday after reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $95 million contract extension. That's the most expensive deal ever for a linebacker. Warner is getting $40.5 million in guarantees and the deal runs through the 2026 season.
But as always with Paraag Marathe and the 49ers, Warner's contract has a pretty unique structure.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday morning that Warner's contract essentially is two separate deals. The first is a five-year extension where the final two years automatically void, which makes it a three-year extension. That becomes $54.9 million in new money over three new years, good for an $18.3 million average. It also is more than the three-year extension Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner signed in 2019 -- $54.0 million and an $18.0 million average.
The second deal is the 49ers buying back the final two years -- after they've voided -- by paying Warner $21.85 million in 2025. That new money total would become $76.8 million, good for a $19.2 million average.
RELATED: Warner's extension means 49ers must ask even more of star
If Warner plays all five years of the extension, the contract is a $95 million extension, which is a $19 million average. In the short term, Warner gets a huge upfront extension that nearly is 70 percent guaranteed. The second deal also gives the 49ers more options and flexibility.
San Francisco 49ers
What this all means is pretty simple: Warner's massive deal is a win-win for both sides, keeping the NFL's best linebacker in the Bay Area.