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A tale as old as time: A team signs a player to a contract and part of the fanbase freaks out without knowing the details of the contract. That was the case when the San Francisco 49ers signed fullback Kyle Juszczyk to a five-year deal worth $27 million.
Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle shared Juszczyk’s contract info Monday morning:
Kyle Juszczyk (49ers) five years, $27M, $4M signing bonus, $9.6M gtd, salaries $1.07M (gtd), $1.12M (gtd), $4.75M ($1.25M gtd), $5.75M, $5.75M; $2.155M option bonus for 2023 to 2025 to be exercised by April 1, 2022, $2.155M non-exercise fee
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 15, 2021
An easier way to read Wilson’s info from above:
2021: 1.87M
2022: 1.92M
2023: 7.80M
2024: 8.70M
2025: 8.70M
The math isn’t final here, but that’s an assumption for Juszczyk’s cap hits in each year. The only guaranteed money in 2023 for Juice is his $1.25 that was guaranteed at the signing and spread over three years. The 49ers giving Juszczyk guaranteed money in three seasons tells us how valuable they feel he is to their organization.
Instead of looking at Juszczyk as a typical fullback who anyone could do his job, think of how Kyle Shanahan uses him. Think of the blocks he’s asked to execute and how the 49ers make defenses pay for not respecting Juszcyzk as a receiver. To San Francisco, Juszczyk was worth the guaranteed money. That might not be the case for another team.
So, no guaranteed money after 2023, and the only guaranteed money in 2023 is for under $2 million. This reads as a team-friendly deal that ensures Juszczyk is taken care of upfront, so everyone wins.