SANTA CLARA, Calif. – San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch teased him late Saturday night, but it didn’t become official until Sunday: Niners keep quarterback Kyle Juszczyk.
In order to re-sign Juszczyk before the opening of the early negotiation window on Monday, the Niners and their versatile defender agreed to a five-year, $ 27 million deal that includes $ 10 million guaranteed. said a source for ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday night.
Joe Linta, Juszczyk’s agent, confirmed that a five-year agreement he had been contacted via Twitter.
The deal with Juszczyk comes less than 24 hours after Lynch sent a cryptic tweet on Sunday night saying, “I’m thirsty. Niners fans, do you want some “Juice? “”. Lynch’s tweet was a clear reference to Juszczyk, nicknamed “Juice” and became a fan favorite in the Bay Area and in the Niners locker room.
“He is, in my opinion, one of a kind,” said George Kittle at the end of the season. “I don’t know anyone doing the things they do on the football field. I also think it’s incredibly underappreciated. But the people who watch football, the people who understand football, get how important Juice is.”
Juszczyk also confirmed the five-year deal, thanking the organization on social media on Sunday night.
San Francisco has more than 20 players who will become free agents without restrictions and has given priority to about half a dozen of them entering the new year of the league. Keeping Juszczyk allows the 49ers to continue working on offers with their other priorities, including left-back Trent Williams and defenders K’Waun Williams and Jason Verrett.
The 49ers initially signed Juszczyk for a four-year deal, worth $ 21 million in 2017, a contract that easily surpassed any previous transaction for a fullback. In four seasons since then, Juszczyk’s 102 receptions for 1,080 meters and seven touchdowns exceed the 43 catches, 399 meters and four scores of the closest defender in each of these categories.
Juszczyk’s versatility has become a focal point of Shanahan’s offense, which focuses on making things look similar in terms of staff and alignment, but adding wrinkles that throw off the defense. Juszczyk had embodied this by aligning in the slot (9.3% of his snaps), outside receiver (7.2%), tight end in line (11.5%) and in the background (72%).
Coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense has been a better defender than any team in the league since Juszczyk’s acquisition and has been much more successful with him on the field.
With two running backs on the field, the 49ers averaged 5.99 yards per game (second in the NFL), 4.49 yards per rush (fifth) and 8.65 yards per pass (third). ). With one or no running backback on the field, those numbers drop to 5.45 (20), 4.26 (23) and 6.48 (19).