Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers made another extension this past weekend, inking right tackle Colton McKivitz to a three-year, $45 million deal that includes $27 million guaranteed.
McKivitz, 27, has often been the subject of criticism from 49ers fans, but has manned the right tackle spot for the 49ers the last two seasons after Mike McGlinchey departed in free agency.
A fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, he becomes the latest player that San Francisco has extended, giving the team some certainty along the offensive line, specifically at tackle.
What does McKivitz’s deal look like? Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio released the year-by-year details of the contract, which includes a signing bonus of $6.8 million.
2025
Base salary: $1.17 million, fully guaranteed
Per-game active roster bonus: $510,000 total, fully guaranteed (but must be earned)
2026
Base salary: $1.215 million, fully guaranteed
Option bonus: $8.185 million, fully guaranteed
Workout bonus: $150,000, fully guaranteed (but must be earned)
Per-game active roster bonus: $680,000 total, fully guaranteed (but must be earned)
2027
Base salary: $1.5 million
Option bonus: $12.67 million, $8.29 million of which is guaranteed for injury. Of that amount, $6.29 million becomes fully guaranteed on April 1, 2026. Another $2 million becomes fully guaranteed on April 1, 2027.
Workout bonus: $150,000
Per-game active roster bonus: $680,000 total
2028
Base salary: $7.36 million
Option bonus: $6.8 million
Workout bonus: $150,000
Per-game active roster bonus: $680,000 total
Looking at the deal, the 49ers are essentially guaranteeing two years of McKivitz’s contract, with $25 million of the $27 million in guaranteed money vesting by April 1, 2026.
San Francisco doesn’t appear to have void years on the deal, which they’ve included in previous contracts, but they’ve kept the base salary lower in the first three years, and the cap hits are feasible in 2025 and 2026. Given that $6.29 million of McKivitz’s 2027 option bonus guarantees on April 1st, 2026, it makes sense that this partnership will extend for the next three seasons.
But, with the option bonus structure, there is flexibility to move off McKivitz or have a re-negotiation in the later years of the contract extension. McKivitz’s three-year extension kicks in during the 2026 season, so he’s adding the one year he had on his current contract to that deal.
Ultimately, it makes sense why the 49ers would look to strike an extension here. They didn’t have any security at tackle beyond 2026, with Trent Williams getting older and McKivitz on a contract year. They’ve opted against addressing the tackle position in the NFL Draft, and it would be hard to replace two starters in one draft next offseason.
With McKivitz in the fold, the 49ers can now focus on getting a future replacement for Trent Williams next offseason without having to worry about solidifying the right side of the offensive line as well.
The tackle market has exploded in recent years. Just see Jaylon Moore’s three-year, $45 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason after he started five games...
