In an era when NFL teams move on from players quickly and free agency is flooded with new additions, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner doesn’t think that will happen to him when his contract ends next season.
The 49ers drafted Warner in Round 3 at No. 70 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and since that time, he’s become one of the top linebackers in the league. A four-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, Warner’s consistent play on defense has him confident he’ll land another extension.
Fred Warner Is Optimistic About a Contract Extension With the 49ers
San Francisco has been home for Warner since he entered the NFL. His steady production and ability to stay on the field have made him a key part of the 49ers’ defense. Now in his prime, Warner believes the team will get another deal done before his current contract (signed in 2021) expires in 2026.
“100%. 1000%. You know my confidence is at an all-time high because I know what I’m capable of; I know what our locker room’s capable of, our front office, and everybody that’s involved,” Warner said on the “Ross Tucker Football Podcast.”
With a résumé that includes 897 total tackles (569 solo and 328 assists), Warner’s confidence is backed up by his numbers. San Francisco seems to share that belief in him, too, and leading the Niners to another playoff run or Super Bowl would only strengthen his case. After years of leadership, Warner already has a clear mindset.
“We have been to the pinnacle. We just have to overcome the hurdle at the end. We just got to get guys healthy and get that s*** back,” he added.
If Warner can help lead San Francisco back to the Super Bowl and avenge their overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58, another contract extension feels likely. That could happen if star players like Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa — and Warner himself — come back healthy and stay that way in 2025.
Signed in 2021, Warner’s five-year, $95.225 million contract runs through 2026. It includes a $12.32 million signing bonus, $40.5 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $19.045 million. In 2025, he’s set to earn a base salary of $17.65 million and a $100,000 workout bonus, with a cap hit of $29.174 million and a dead cap value of $28.863 million.
Warner may seem confident now, but what San Francisco plans to do is sure to stem from what they decide to with Purdy and a potential contract extension there. How the 49ers approach their starting quarterback is certain to have an impact on which other players receive new deals as well.
