Breaking Down the Colton McKivitz Extension
The 49ers RT is signed through the 2028 season
Following a bumpy win to start the season over the Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers announced their extension with right tackle Colton McKivitz. The deal was initially agreed to before the game, but the team and McKivitz waited until following the game to announce it. The three-year/$45 million deal kicks in next year, tying McKivitz to the 49ers for the next four seasons.
The deal was met with mixed reaction from the fan base, much like the money figure that paid him modestly around fringe starter money. At $15 million-per-year and $27 million guaranteed, he’ll be the 14th highest-paid annual earner, and has the 17th most guaranteed money among right tackles (per Overthecap.com). That’s not a significant sum for the 49ers, but enough to commit to him being a starter for the next three seasons.
That money tells you how the team feels about him. He’s a low-level starter with enough to his game to warrant keeping him around. He’s made quite the career out of being a fifth-round pick back in 2020, but entering his sixth season at age 29, it doesn’t seem like there’s much upside left to be tapped into. This would be a very similar contract, but with a little more guarantees, to Jaylon Moore, whom the team let walk this off-season.
“It is a big deal. You see what guys are getting (paid) now so it’s hard to not be thinking about it, right? It is a lot of money. You’re in the NFL for, obviously, winning and being good. But money is a hard thing to not think about.” - McKivitz told the SFChronicle prior to the season, when asked his thoughts about entering a contract year.
The cash for continuity along the line is reasonable, and will help John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan shape the roster with another piece in place. However, this signals that the front office doesn’t want to invest much into a unit that fans want to see become a strength, rather than just passable. This suggests that the team may continue and try to develop the tackle position as a future plan for LT Trent Williams, but a high-investment along the line now seems unlikely.
Despite struggles from the offensive line against Seattle, McKivitz had a solid game. He plays into Kyle Shanahan’s scheme well and is a reliable, tenured veteran. While the frustration from Shanahan’s hubris is well deserved, the team was always going to need to find value somewhere now that Brock Purdy’s extension will begin to affect the cap space. A starting tackle on a cheap deal is valuable within itself, even if McKivitz isn’t an elite, or even a strong starter.
He’ll have a chance to prove his worth this season. However, if the offense continues to struggle, they can be certain who’ll be the first to shoulder blame.