Christian McCaffrey contract extension: Where does 49ers star's salary rank among NFL's highest-paid RBs?

Christian McCaffrey's contract extension somewhat slipped under the radar in San Francisco media circles, what with Brandon Aiyuk waiting on an extension. The tables, however, turned on Tuesday, May 4 when the 49ers reportedly signed McCaffrey to an extension.

Per Tom Pelissero, McCaffrey has signed a two-year, $38 million extension. This means he is now under contract in San Fran until 2027. The new deal likely indicates that the 27-year-old running back will finish his career in San Francisco.

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More on Christian McCaffrey's contract extension: Is the 49ers star the highest-paid RB in the NFL?

Christian McCaffrey was already the highest-paid running back in the league before the new contract extension. With his new deal, he adds further distance between himself and the best of the rest.

McCaffrey's new deal adds two more years to his current one with the 49ers. He will also get a bonus of $8 million in the first two years, and his average annual salary for the next four years will be around $17.5 million. He will earn $18 million per year in the last two years of his contract.

Top five highest-paid running backs in the NFL in 2024

1. Christian McCaffrey, 49ers: $19 million in the last two years of the contract. ($17.5 million annually for the next four years)
2. Alvin Kamara, Saints: $15 million
3. Jonathan Taylor, Colts: $14 million
4. Saquon Barkley, Eagles: $12.6 million
5. Josh Jacobs, Packers: $12 million

Christian McCaffrey played a huge role in the 49ers' run to the Super Bowl last year. He had 272 carries for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns in 16 games last year. McCaffrey also had 67 receptions for 564 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

The 49ers star won the Offensive Player of the League award for his performance last season, and the franchise has awarded him a lucrative deal.

The 49ers now have some tough decisions to make as they don't have the funds available to extend Brandon Aiyuk. As a result, they might trade away Deebo Samuel or Aiyuk in order to create more cap space for a potential contract extension for Brock Purdy.

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