It is now official. Free-agent-to-be outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks is back with the San Francisco 49ers, signing a 6-year, $44.5 million deal with $17.5 million guaranteed, according to various reports including this tweet from the Mercury News' Cam Inman.
It was stated earlier that the Niners were in deep talks with Brooks about a deal but that deal was said to be in the range of five years, $35 million. Kudos to his agent for making sure that that wasn't the case as his deal is a year longer and $9.5 million richer. The $17.5 million guaranteed is the big part but the tricky part is still to come for the Niners.
Brooks can pretty much be penciled in as one of the starters with a contract like that so that leaves Aldon Smith ad Parys Haralson to go into camp knowing that they'll be competing against one another for that other spot. It's a good problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.
May the best man win, and may Brooks pay for the winner's dinner.