The San Francisco 49ers have prioritized their pending free agents and Anquan Boldin will likely be the first up to get a new contract in the offseason. With March 11 being the kickoff date for the NFL offseason and free agency, San Francisco is looking to get a new deal done for Boldin before he even has a chance for his phone to ring from other teams. After working off a one-year deal, Boldin could be in store for something bigger.
The 49ers acquired Boldin last season in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. They intended for the receiver to run in tandem with Michael Crabtree. However, Crabtree tore his Achilles in training camp and Boldin became the No. 1 target for quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The result was 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns on 85 catches. He just finished a three-year, $25 million deal and would ideally like something multi-year despite being 33-years-old.
CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reports the 49ers are targeting a multi-year contract in order to help their lacking cap space. San Francisco has just about $5.5 million in cap space to work with according to Over The Cap. The 49ers plan to do some clearing of players including cornerback Carlos Rodgers that might be able to save them some space to give Boldin and more contracts.
It is being reported that Boldin could earn a three-year deal worth somewhere around $18 million. That would give the aging receiver a multi-year contract he desires while also not breaking the bank for San Francisco which is the team's biggest issue.
After Boldin, who is the next to receive a new check from the team? The 49ers will try and work out a new contract for Kaepernick after they decide exactly what the quarterback is worth. The San Mercury News reports the team is taking the smart approach to Kaepernick's contract extension and not rushing into any deal simply because his rookie contract expires in a year. The team is considering a deal somewhat like what Jay Cutler signed with the Chicago Bears. The quarterback inked a seven-year, $126 million contract that saves Chicago a lot of salary cap space.
While Kaepernick has certainly done enough to earn a new deal, the team is hesitant given that there are other free agents to sign first. The quarterback admits that he will take a pay cut if it means the 49ers can sign other players to favorable deals and keep the team balanced. His contract will determine the direction the team can take with their remaining free agents.
