Kyle Juszczyk Picks Up A Lucrative Contract Extension

Kyle Juszczyk continues to break the norm.

If you look up his position on the San Francisco 49ers' depth chart, you'll see Juszczyk listed as a fullback. And if you know anything about fullbacks, you know that they don't normally sign five-year, $27 million contracts ($10 million guaranteed).

Like I said, Juszczyk continues to be an exception to the rule. The 29-year-old is a valuable weapon in Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Juice, as he's known around the league, isn't a hammer in the run game. Yes, he's 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, but he's carried that ball only 42 times for 157 yards and three scores in his eight-year career.

It's the passing game where he makes the biggest impact -- outside of blocking, of course.

Juszczyk was utilized in his four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, the team who drafted him in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft, but he's been used even more effectively in his four seasons with the 49ers.

He's racked up 102 receptions for 1,080 yards and seven scores during that four-year period. His four receiving touchdowns in 2020 tied the most for his career, and it's only the second season in which he's hauled in multiple touchdowns.

Juszczyk is that rare Swiss Army knife fullback. He can do so many different things, which is extremely useful in an offense such as Shanahan's. In fact, people might not fully grasp just how key of a role he plays in that offense.

This was an underrated keep for San Francisco as free agency approaches.

Some might be concerned about the length of a deal for a guy who's about to be 30, and that's a valid argument. But general manager John Lynch wanted to keep him around, and they were able to do that.

Now we'll have to see how it works out for them.

Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.