clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NaVorro Bowman contract: Three 49ers restructure to accommodate bonus

Three San Francisco veterans restructured their own contracts to allow the team to extend linebacker NaVorro Bowman for five years and $45.25 million.

By T.J. Doyle
Ezra Shaw

On Tuesday, it was announced that the San Francisco 49ers had signed inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman to a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $45.25 million ($25.5 million guaranteed), according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network. As it turns out, the team would not have been able to sign Bowman to the extension if not for some veteran San Francisco players re-working their own contracts to clear roughly $2.5 million in cap space. Via CSNBayArea.com:

Tight end Vernon Davis, cornerback Carlos Rogers and defensive lineman Ray McDonald restructured their contracts to provide the 49ers with the necessary cap room to award Bowman with a $7.5 million signing bonus, a league source told CSNBayArea.com on Friday.

Bowman's extension means the third-year pro will be in San Francisco through at least the 2018 season, and also means the 49ers have all four starting linebackers under contract through at least 2015. Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks are all inked through at least the 2015 season.

In 11 games this season, Bowman has made 100 tackles (68 solo), assisted on 33 others and chipped in two sacks and one interception. The former Penn State Nittany Lion was the 91st selection in the 2010 NFL Draft.