Ripple effect: Rams’ deals with Donald and Kupp could drive up price for 49ers stars
Much to the delight of their fans, the Los Angeles Rams struck deals with both Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp this week. It ensures that they’ll be in the mix for the next couple of years (at least) as the Rams try to win another championship with their Super Bowl window wide open.
As excited as the Rams are about extending their two biggest stars, the 49ers probably aren’t thrilled about the news – for multiple reasons.
Not only do the 49ers have to face Donald and Kupp twice a year for the next two-plus seasons, but the cost of signing two of their own cornerstones just went up. You may have heard that both Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa are candidates to sign extensions, and while things haven’t boiled over just yet, the 49ers would be wise to extend their deals sooner rather than later.
Bosa and Samuel both reported to mandatory minicamp this week, a positive development for San Francisco. But with Bosa’s contract expiring after the 2023 season and Samuel becoming a free agent next offseason, the 49ers will need to extend their stars soon.
Being the valuable offensive playmaker that he is, Samuel is absolutely looking at Kupp’s deal as a starting point for his eventual contract – especially with his desire to play more wide receiver than running back. Kupp got $80 million over three years, but more importantly, his deal comes with $75 million guaranteed – the highest ever for a wide receiver.
You don’t think Samuel will want as much, if not more guaranteed money than Kupp got? Of course he will, and with the way the wide receiver market has been trending – 11 players are now making at least $20 million per year – he could eclipse Kupp’s contract, being a younger player, too.
And as for Bosa, he’s going to command a massive deal. He doesn’t play the same position as Donald, but he is also a defensive centerpiece for San Francisco and is unquestionably one of the top edge rushers in football.
T.J. Watt is the highest-paid edge rusher at $28 million per year, and Donald makes $3.67 million more than him annually. So for Bosa, he’s going to not only look at Watt’s deal, but also Donald’s as the floor for his next contract.
Rich Eisen broached the idea of the Rams hurting the 49ers’ leverage with these deals while interviewing Les Snead, and while Snead admitted he likes to “bruise the enemy,” he doesn’t see this as a situation that directly applies.
“Deep in the bowels, we’re definitely competitive,” Snead said. “And we like to bruise the enemy as much as possible, but I think in those situations, we’re really focused on Aaron, we’re really focused internally on us, and if we do this with Aaron, what’s second, third, fourth and fifth level domino effects from that contract and how do we work around it. And I’m sure the Niners are doing the same themselves. They’re focusing on themselves trying to build the best Niners team possible so when we do battle twice a year, it’s one of those 15-round heavyweight fights.”
Regardless, the 49ers are going to have to pay Bosa and Samuel with sizable contracts. And if the Rams’ deals with Kupp and Donald can drive the price tag up even a few million more, no one in Thousand Oaks will complain.
