Bosa talks contract, says he'll be patient
Nick Bosa's goal is “not necessarily” to become the NFL's highest-paid defensive player this offseason, but he definitely wants to sign a long-term extension with the 49ers.
“Oh yeah, I'd love to be here, for sure,” Bosa said Tuesday, two days after the 49ers' NFC Championship Game loss at Philadelphia. “This is a great organization. They treat me as good as you can. I have amazing relationships here.”
This season's NFL sack leader and a first-team All-Pro, Bosa has only one season left on his rookie contract, at a fifth-year option salary of $17.9 million. That is about half of what he could make in a multi-year extension, presumably by training camp or the season.
“I'm definitely going to have patience and probably not worry about it for some time,” Bosa said. “I have an amazing agent who will handle all that. I'll just enjoy my time off and get ready to roll next year.”
Teammates recognized Bosa's career-best year by awarding him the 49ers' highest honor, the Len Eshmont Award. He was denied another shot at his first Super Bowl ring upon Sunday's 31-7 season-ending defeat. Early in that game, a wayward cleat of an Eagles player dug into Bosa's right calf, opening a wound which Bosa thankfully said Tuesday is not infected but is still sore.
It was Bosa's third NFC title game in his four seasons, and he feels the 49ers remain “on the right track,” he said. “We had the pieces. We have the template. Getting that (first-round) bye would help and rest to improve your chances. But, yeah, we're on the right track.”
They'll forge ahead with a new defensive coordinator now that DeMeco Ryans has left to become the Houston Texans coach. Bosa said he'll miss Ryans' smile, knowledge and, especially, his appreciation for defensive linemen.
“But I trust Kyle (Shanahan) will replace him with the best guy possible, who'll have the right mindset and the same principles DeMeco had,” Bosa said.
Although Bosa had a careerbest 181/2 sacks in the regular season, he had none in the playoffs. He tackled the “deceptively strong” Jalen Hurts for a 3-yard loss near the goal line — nearly a safety — on what officially was a second-quarter run play.
Who will win the Super Bowl between Hurts' Eagles and Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs, the latter having beaten Bosa and the 49ers to the Lombardi Trophy three years ago?
“It'll be a good battle, that I will not be watching,” Bosa said.
49ers general manager John Lynch on Wednesday acknowledged Bosa's leverage heading into contract talks on a multiyear extension, saying he deserves to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award next week.
“He's earned that. He's a fantastic football player; he's a game-changer of a football player,” Lynch said. “I should stop now. But everybody already knows all that.”
MCGLINCHEY ON MOVE? >> Right tackle Mike McGlinchey has trained year-round at the 49ers' facility since they made him their first-round pick in 2018. Tuesday marked the first time he's cleaned out his locker, and he found rookie memorabilia like a get-well card from teammate Joe Staley's daughter Grace.
McGlinchey's rookie contract has expired, and he is eligible to test free agency March 13, unless the 49ers make him a contract offer, as he desires.
McGlinchey, a Philadelphiaarea native, said the Bay Area has become his fond home, and it's where his fiance is from. But in terms of a hometown discount, “you can't be an idiot about it.”
Then again, he noted: “It's hard to ever want to leave this place. I've seen people do it and be kind of heartbroken about it later.”
McGlinchey does not want the 49ers to place the franchise tag on him. He wants long-term financial security for his family.
To put that into perspective, he will have 17 groomsmen at his July wedding.
“That ring wasn't my first priority this year. I was hoping to get a set this year (with a Super Bowl ring), but it didn't work out that way,” McGlinchey said. AIYUK REVIEW >> The 49ers figure to exercise wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's fifth-year option for 2024 by this May. Lynch did not outright say so, but did say: “Brandon had a fantastic year. I really applaud Brandon, Kyle calls him a warrior often, we appreciate the way he plays, the way he's improved, his play since he's been here. We'll figure that out in due time.”
TOP PICK'S HEALTH >> Defensive end Drake Jackson, the 49ers' top pick at No. 61 overall last year, was inactivated four of the final five games after wearing down his rookie season.
“It was a long season and I think he learned as the year goes, if you lose any power in this league, it gets a lot harder,” Shanahan said. “We had a decent group of rushers and I think as the year went out, he got thin, it got too long for him. His body wasn't quite ready for what we needed. We felt toward the end of the year better with the other guys.
“He's still the exact same talent that we drafted. We really enjoyed the person, but like I said to a lot of our guys in our meeting yesterday, people don't get what anyone means by how long an NFL season is.”