The Ahmad Brooks signing

The 49ers signed outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks to a six-year contract extension worth 44.5 million dollars Tuesday. This will keep the core of the 49ers front seven together for the foreseeable future. Brooks registered seven sacks last year and 18 sacks over the course of his career with the 49ers (20 overall).

This signing was an excellent move by the 49ers for two reasons. One, it keeps Brooks, who is a key pass rushing contributor on the defense going forward. Two, it takes care of a need the 49ers may have developed had Ahmad Brooks left in free agency.

As stated, Brooks accounted for seven sacks last season and has been a dangerous edge rusher since 2009. On the whole, while he is a little bigger, he still has tremendous burst off the edge and has learned how to use his moves to get pressure. He’s also grown into the role as an outside linebacker after playing inside most of his college career. Going forward, he’s a strong complement to the more run savvy Parys Haralson and the rookie sensation Aldon Smith. He works well in the rotation and has starting ability which helps when there are so many options available and durability is at a premium.

By locking Brooks up, the 49ers also kept themselves from jumping into the fray of free agency. While Brooks will be getting around seven million a year, it’s a relative bargain compared to the best pass rushers that will be available in this year’s free agency crop. While Mario Williams or Cliff Avril would have been flashy additions, both would have demanded upwards of nine million a year. While both would have been an upgrade over Brooks in terms of pass-rushing, Brooks knows the system well and has had more experience setting the edge in the run game. The price they paid for him allows them enough spare cap space to work on the defensive backfield.