Report: 49ers agree to renegotiate Alex Boone’s contract

Adam Schefter just reported that the 49ers have agreed to renegotiate Alex Boone’s deal. Here’s Schefter’s exact tweet: “49ers holdout G Alex Boone is expected to report to San Francisco in next 24 hours with a reworked 2-year contract, per league sources.”

According to Jason Cole, Boone will not be fined for the holdout and will make $6 million over the next two seasons. He would have made just $3.6 million before this new deal. The 49ers cannot franchise Boone in 2016 according to Cole.

When the 49ers cut Adam Snyder yesterday, you knew it was a matter of time before they brought back Boone.

Do you expect Boone will play Week 1? Do you think he’ll be ready to play after skipping the entire offseason?

This article has 107 Comments

  1. He’ll play. I wonder what the terms will be. You think it would have been an extension. Boone probably took less money for less years so he can go on the open market and make tackle money.

  2. I’m a bit surprised by this but I guess they(49ers) didn’t have much choice outside of taking a chance at the position for a year and draft high at that spot next spring.

    1. They already drafted Brandon Thomas “high”, he was a late first early second talent. I agree that this was going to happen eventually. He had too much to lose holding out too long.

  3. ‘When the Niners cut Snyder you knew it was a matter of time…’
    I didn’t notice you or anyone else here make that comment yesterday. Did I miss it, or is this just 20/20 hindsight?
    My brilliant hindsight at this point is that they were able to cut Snyder in a youth movement because they already knew they had things worked out with Boone, not the other way around.
    I wrote sometime this spring/summer that a public impasse is just what’s visible. That a behind-the-scenes give & take could happen and some face-saving spin could be agreed upon to the satisfaction of both sides.

    1. While a 2.3 mill increase over 2 years isn’t a lot and I’m happy Boone is back, I think it was a bad move by the team to renege on their method of doing business.

      I’m a staunch proponent of not rewarding players for holdouts and this sets a bad precedent.

    2. He may have gotten what was offered before training camp. That’s what happened with Crabtree.

  4. All they did is gaurenty money he was already going to make. Was going to get 5.75 million If he was a starter. Now gets 6 million with incentives. Seems like a wasted hold out to me

    1. LG, is that true? If that’s the case, then they basically did what the Hawks did to get Marshawn into camp. Guaranteeing incentives that are likely to be earned anyway wouldn’t be setting as bad a precedent as giving him a new deal. I wonder if we can do the same exact thing for VD to keep him happy.

  5. 2 years 6 million. All penalties and fines are gone and he can become a FA after 2016, he can’t be tagged.

  6. The niners folded like little girls….. Can’t wait for next season when we have a handful of holdouts.

          1. I’ve been told I exude sexiness when I enter the room. Do you my Italian hairy chest and gold chains has something to do with it?

    1. So he just guaranteed the money he would already be receiving if he started all games. Basicly, he got injury guarantees and no tag clause.
      I guess they could have worked that out without this hold out drama.

  7. Boone knows the window is closing, and that the 49ers had to come back sooner or later. This is the precedence I’m talking about. This is why players have no fear in this org. I’m just sayin.

  8. DIME A DOZEN HAMMER?! Looks like the Browns just took ownership of of said dime. Winston moves good like a running back should. No lottery ticket for me….

    Holy was the preacher.
    Riding on his rig of steel in the rising sun.
    This was no grim reaper.
    But a man with a smile who took a pride in a job well done.
    Ohh in a blood red sunrise.
    He’s preaching conversion as you lay down and die.

    Just a god given holy roller.
    In a god forsaken land.
    He didn’t choose this killing ground.
    He didn’t want this scrap of land.
    You’ve got to scorch the earth, yeah.
    and make the rivers run dry.
    Untill we learn to hate like him.
    Kill for killin’. Live to die.

    Ride on you son of a gun. Ride on. Ride into the setting sun. Ride on you son of a gun…

    1. Razor,

      Don’t worry, last years TC darling (Marquise Gray) is available.

      I know you like this guy, but there was no room for him here and RB is one of the easiest positions to find players.

      I’m more disappointed about losing Seymour.

      1. Granted, I’m not in the same league as the 49ers decision makers, but from my laymen’s perspective, that running back is special. I cannot justify keeping James over an eventual number one back or on a hope that a broken down premier back whose rehab seems to be defining his career, might someday return to form….

        1. Razor,

          With all due respect I think you are jumping the gun on a player who hasn’t faced true NFL competition yet. Winston is already 25 and is a character risk as well. There was no room on this roster for him.

          We have polar opposite views on LMJ so I won’t bother trying to defend him being kept over Winston other than to say he has performed well when given a chance and brings far more versatility to the team than Winston.

          1. My eyes say he has number one back capabilities. Maybe the Browns jumped the gun, but I think they’ve got themselves a silver bullet to send….

            1. Razor,
              Although I agree in part with your sentiments regarding GWin, the truth is that he has yet to prove his worth in the NFL.

              Former 49ers RB Thomas Clayton led the entire league in preseason rushing some years back and hung around the PS for a bit, yet, never made it as a RB in the league.

              If our current RB’ can stay healthy we should be good this season. We know what Gore can do, and if LMJ’ skills are correctly utilized our offense will shine.
              CHyde will provide young legs and inflict a good punch relieving Gore.
              BMiller plays the FB/SAK position with a LB’ disposition and has the ability to catch.

              If LMJ does not become the COP (change of pace) RB the team is looking for, they will purge the college scene for a player next year that can fill the position.
              Also, help could come next year with the hopeful healthy returns of KHunt, Lattimore, and Trey Millard.

              1. I did not work with Glenn Winston, I did not know Glenn Winston, Glenn Winston was not a friend of mine, AES, Thomas Clayton is no Glenn Winston….

              2. Razor,

                You may be right and he turns out to be a stud; who knows? However, he was not going to be that in SF because he wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity with the guys in front of him. He would be at best the 3rd or 4th RB here if they had kept him on the roster which involves more play on ST’s than carries at RB. You have to keep players on the back end of the roster that can contribute elsewhere. Winston doesn’t fit that description which is why he was ticketed for the PS if he made it through waivers.

                Part of having a deep and talented team means you can’t keep everybody unfortunately.

              3. Do you think the 49ers have been informed Lattimore is good to go in 6 weeks if needed? Because if he is still an unknown, Hyde/Winston would have been a winning ticket in 2015….

                What if God forbid Gore and Hyde fold? Winston would have been the Ace of Spades…..

              4. AES- We shall see but to me it looks like LMJ has lost some of his quickness. He just looks slower. Perhaps he sacrificed speed for mass to be a better blocker. Don’t know if he is capable of filling the role some of you see him in.

              5. From most accounts I’ve read, he’s looked good in his rehab. My guess is with such a devastating injury, they want to err on the side of caution and build it back to a point where there is no question of whether he can go or not. I doubt he sees the field this year unless he proves he’s game ready and/or the team has injury issues.

              6. Willtalk,
                I have sneaking suspicion that LMJ could become the COP player the team wants if he is used wisely.

                GRo has gone on record that he would like to use more passes to the RB’s this season and that would fit LMJ’ open field talents perfectly.

                I agree that LMJ looked a tad slower out of the blocks recently, but as you said, this could be due to the added mass he put on during the off season.
                Another factor could be that he was still running tentatively because of his elbow injury.

                In any case, we’ll soon know exactly what we have in LMJ because he will get his opportunities in one week.

        2. That’s what im sayin razor..winston is a hard nose runner.So if Carlos is Gore’s backup..Who is gonna be Carlos’ backup?Lmj? Lattimore? Running game needs more..Hyde and Winston could be a helluva backfield..power speed..Scatback with speed aint enuff backin up hyde..

          1. Actually I thought he was someone they should have kept last season. He was their developmental H back. That position is more important to the Niner’s than some other teams. Remember the pulled a big WR off waivers from the Hawks who they had to keep on the 53 active roster to try to develop him as a H back. He never worked out. At best that replacement was not even at the same level as Gray. When Wilson got injured they had no replacement which is what Gray would have been. That was my reasoning behind keeping Gray. He was the best available player for a need at depth at H back. That need was obvious to the team because they tried to replace him with that scrub from Seattle.

            I think so far the Front Office has done a far better job with their releases this season than last.

            1. Willtalk,
              Yup, I believe that you’re referring to Chris Harper. He was similar to Delanie Walker in size but not in talent.

              1. I remember in the lead up to the draft that year there were a lot of people on here saying the 49ers should draft Harper. When they signed him off the Seahawks a lot of folk were pretty happy. Now he’s in NFL limbo.

                I wonder if the 49ers would have any interest in signing him to the PS?

              2. Scooter,
                I confess that I was one of them.
                Having lost Delanie to F/A, I felt that Harper fit the same physical profile as DWalk and having watched his play in college he seemed like the perfect player to step in.

                He’s not the first player I missed on and he won’t be the last. Sometimes all we have from players coming out of college is their performances in school. And Harper was a stud in college.

                Remember JJ Stokes coming out of college? He was dominant and looked like a man among boys. His NFL career never came close to resembling his college play.
                Sometimes we just don’t know what we have until a player hits the field.

              3. One of many AES, though most wouldn’t own up to it now. But my point wasn’t about calling people out for liking the guy, we’ve all liked players that never amounted to anything. Just trying to show two things:

                1) The 49ers were interested in Harper once, and they still haven’t really filled that H-Back role yet, so I wonder if they’d consider taking him back on the PS now that he’s a FA. The Packers were looking at him solely as a WR, and he may be better suited as a H-Back.

                2) There isn’t too much point getting up in arms about losing these bottom of the roster guys. The vast majority will only ever look good playing against backups in preseason. And you never know when you’ll get the chance to sign them again, anyway.

    1. Too bad, I thought they had talent. I would have kept Seymour (G/T), and cut Farrell (C/G)

      1. Jon, I like Seymour too but getting Boone back oviously made an impact on the decision to keep Farrell instead since he can play center too.

        1. Glad to see Okoye make it to the PS. Whether he ever makes it or not they made a mutual commitment to each other to see this out till the end. He has a better chance to make it with the Niners. I don’t know if he would have stuck it out with another team under different conditions. This gives him a real season to develop not like last year when he was limited on ir.

  9. Niners knew they were screwing Boone holding him to a backup rookie tackle contract when he was arguably the most important dude on the line. Those cheap bastards finally figured out that Colin was gonna be in the hospital if they made him play behind that right side.

    First three or four games will be solid pass that ball to a runner and sprint backwards for Kap. And how about some of you girls stop bitching about the Niners “caving in?” They did what was right and what they should have done last January.

    1. The only problem with your theory is it isn’t true. Iupati was a much bigger problem than the right side, in fact both Looney and Martin graded out well the past two games.

      1. Tread water until mid season and we will be the scariest team in the NFL the 2nd half.

      2. Don’t disagree Rocket, but come showtime it will be Davis at right tackle and he played for beans without Boone next to him. Don’t expect that to change…

  10. Tread water until mid season and we will be the scariest team in the NFL the 2nd half.

    1. I think you meant me Bay and they were getting better with the run blocking each game. Both were improving the more they played.

      1. @Rocket

        You seem to be defending these guys as OJT players…they’re pros, they should be progressing in practice…not on the 53. Having Boone back will pull the OL together…ask Staley. I think that J Martin is no better than a swing Olineman; Looney will turn the beast loose THIS year.

        1. Oregon,

          It takes time for players to gel, especially on the Oline. For two young guys like Looney and Martin to come in and play as well as they did is impressive. The right side of the line was not a major issue during the preseason and both players graded out very well.

          I’m glad Boone is back, but him being back won’t help anything if Iupati doesn’t get his crap together which was the real problem.

  11. My thoughts:

    – I’m glad Boone is back. He’ll help the offense make up for what could be a rough patch for the defense.

    – His negotiated deal probably has a lot to do with Iupati’s impending free agency, too. I’d assume the plan of succession goes something like this: Looney/Thomas (assuming good health) compete for Iupati’s spot next year, loser backs up and possibly takes over for Boone in two years.

    – I don’t like the precedent this sets. It’s fine to give in and compromise, but not while taking such a staunch stance against holdouts. I know it’s all about saving face and posturing, but it makes the org look weak, especially amid other weaker stances being exhibited with personnel behavioral issues. If anything, realize the need early in offseason, give in a little and get something done…or don’t. The organization has self-proclaimed standards against certain team behaviors and methods of contract negotiation–they’ve acted contrary to those standards in regards to both issues this offseason.

    1. @luckygreen

      Well put…when your negotiation strategy is “don’t negotiate”…that just smacks of sheer arrogance. Sorry guys, slavery’s gone.

      1. Agree with all of you. The main thing is that it appeared that they didn’t want to be held up next season negotiating with Iupati. He would have been much more expensive. Although perhaps the shine has worn off the rose. Lupati is overrated much like Rodgers was when they gave him a big contract. Sometimes players just have career season, get signed to big contracts and then turn back into pumpkins.

      2. Oregon,

        That wasn’t the strategy. The strategy was report to camp and we’ll talk which is more than fair. I’ll wait to see the particulars before dumping on the team too much, but I don’t agree with negotiating with a holdout and if they went against that edict, it was a mistake.

        1. With Boone something was promised in the offseason and when it didn’t happen, he decided to hold out.
          Now they told him come back and we will talk. This is on Paarag. He was trying to clear cap space and restructure deals and Boone wasn’t priority. Now that other things are done, the 49ers can take care of Boone. Not the ideal way to do business but it’s been a whirlwind offseason.

        2. I agree with the idea of not negotiating until someone reports, too. And as much as they professed that their stance, they didn’t hold to it.

          I’m not opposed to them giving in or negotiating, I’m opposed to them strongly stating a standard and acting contrary to it.

  12. Waiver wire officially closed. Ryan mallet traded to texans. Didn’t see where Winston was picked up so I believe he is available

    1. Scratch that my Cleveland prediction was accurate. He is with Cleveland. Shame but not enough footballs in SF to go around

      1. I can’t figure why they didn’t send their 2 million dollar putz quarterback to the practice squad. No one would have claimed him.

        1. I don’t think Gabbert is eligible for the practice squad. Besides they would have lost face which is why they kept him to begin with. The fact that they kept Johnson was a no confidence statement about Gabbert. You don’t need to Vet back ups. Make no bones about it Johnson is the actual number two no matter what they spin it as.

  13. I wonder if they’ve toyed with putting Brooks next to Willis, let Lynch take Brooks’ spot and Lemonier for Aldon?

    1. They might do that in selected situations. But, and that’s a big but, Lynch would be too easy to fool on an every down basis.

  14. Ouch! Talk about the rug getting pulled from under you. They change their mind on Cleveland.

  15. Razor,

    I agree with you. Lemonier plus Lynch on the outside and Brooks and Willis inside. Better than having Wilhoite or Borland inside. And Brooks played MLB in college. Need more pass rush

    1. When Bowman went down, I toyed with the idea of a 4-3 with Brooks at MLB because of all the depth at D-line. From a personnel standpoint a 4-3 puts the best talent on the field till Bowman returns.

      Very unlikely, for all the good reasons teams don’t just change systems on the fly. A switch to 4-3 won’t happen, but its a fun idea to play with.

      With gap pluggers Dorsey and McDonald out, gap shooters like Tank and Lemonier would shine. Dail’s length and Lynch’s explosiveness would be a good 4-3 fit.

    2. @Joel

      Agreement…except use them ALL depending on down and distance; Borland is a ball-hawk in passing downs

  16. Well, I did say yesterday the roster moves to create space and the release of Snyder could well mean Boone being brought back into the fold. As Grant says above, not too surprising.

  17. The contract makes sense for both sides.

    Boone’s holdout reduced his value (in Baalke’s eyes) because there was no guarantee he wouldn’t hold out again. Boone would be a long term wildcard no matter what the new contract terms were. So Baalke went for the short term. Two solid years at $3M per year is very 49er friendly.

    It makes sense for Boone because now he has security, and will make big bucks in 2016 marketing himself as a tackle.

    “Will Boone will play Week 1?” Holdouts are big injury risks, even when they stayed in shape. I’m expecting Boone to play though. If Anthony Davis can play vs Dallas, Boone will play too.

  18. If 2013 form holds true for the first three games, Boone can work himself into shape in the first two against less than top defensive teams. The real issue is can he be ready for week three. He should be, but only playing will tell.

    Of course if Grants half empty glass springs a link, they could be at 0-3 by then and it won’t make a difference.

  19. $3,000,000 a year base salary is tied for the 12th highest paid among guards.

    Niners -. {looney ready to play, O-line is younger and got stronger}

    Boone – {not getting a long term big money contract hurts}

    1. I just read that the Niners simply moved his incentives into his base salary. If that’s the case, I have no idea why it took so long to get this done. Was the team really that stubborn or was this always on the table, and Snyder and Co. finally agreed to it with the stipulation he can’t be tagged in two years? With the rumors we heard that the team had offered him an option that would bring his salary in line with the top 12, I’m guessing Snyder caved, not the team.

      1. From what I had read earlier it sounded like the 49ers had been trying to get Boone to extend his contract, not just renegotiate the remaining two years, and that was the stumbling block.

    2. @oneniner

      No tears for Boone….he’ll do well….Remember Fred Dryer from the Rams ? All he signed was one year contracts for about ten years….his performance made him irreplaceable, they had to resign him until he ended up on TV

  20. Great. Ray Mac made the NBC National News.
    Now I’m going to wait, because the Miami “sexual assault” story changed drastically from initial reports.

  21. If you like at the 53 before they signed Boone, it looks like they already had an agreement with him BEFORE they made the cuts.
    Okoye on the PS? Will he be the ace in the hole?
    Iwould have liked to see him take a few snaps on Special teams returning the ball.

  22. “The 49ers were interested in Harper once, and they still haven’t really filled that H-Back role yet, so I wonder if they’d consider taking him back on the PS now that he’s a FA. The Packers were looking at him solely as a WR, and he may be better suited as a H-Back.”
    ~ Scooter

    If I recall, Harper had a short stint on the 49ers roster last season, but perhaps long enough for the team to get a good gauge on his abilities. The H-Back role needs a player that is good at many facets of the game.
    Catching
    Running
    Blocking

    Delanie was not the best receiver, but he excelled at YAC and was an extraordinary blocker.
    Harper may have lacked in some of these areas. If that’s the case, I don’t see the team making another pitch for him.

  23. From Maiocco today:

    As long as Boone was a starter, he would have made $5.75 million over the next two seasons. Now, the 49ers will pay him $6 million. Essentially, the 49ers rolled his next two years of incentives into base salary, a source said. Boone had made all of his incentives in the two seasons after entering the starting lineup.

    In other words the team really didn’t give him anymore money and the Boone camp caved. I highly doubt that this wasn’t on the table from day one.

    1. This also means that the move the front office has done to free up cap space wasn’t for Boone.

      1. Good observation. Some cap room can be forwarded to the following season, but it seems like Baalke has someone in mind for a contract extension (or restructuring).
        – Crabs? Iupati?
        – Throw a bone to Vernon for returning to training camp?
        – Reserve cash for emergency free agent?
        – Quietly negotiating a trade for expensive veteran? (least likely)

    2. Seems like sides were locked in by Baalke’s “we don’t negotiate with players that are not in camp” policy… and an aggressive agent’s “hold out first, talk later” policy.

      Its a shame. It compromised the 49ers planning and put Boone at an unnecessary injury risk.

  24. Careful not to send Boone out there before he’s ready, because I’m sure history tells us these holdouts create a higher propensity for injury….

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