Loyalty, maturity and prosperity have lured Ahmad Brooks back to the 49ers’ elite defense rather than next month’s free-agent market.
Brooks, a starter at left outside linebacker last season, signed a six-year, $44.5 million deal Tuesday with $17.5 million guaranteed, according to his agent, Greg Williams.
“Getting as much money as you can (in free agency) sounds good, but at the same time, what team is going to give you the best opportunity to win?” Brooks said during a conference call with reporters. “I feel the 49ers are heading in the direction of being the best team.”
In Brooks’ sixth NFL season, and his first as a full-time starter, the 49ers went 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship game, where they lost 20-17 in overtime to the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
Brooks was one of six 49ers starters ticketed for unrestricted free agency March 13. The others are quarterback Alex Smith, offensive lineman Adam Snyder, wide receiver Joshua Morgan, cornerback Carlos Rogers and safety Dashon Goldson. Another pending free agent is Ted Ginn Jr., a part-time starter at receiver and a return specialist.
Brooks expects the 49ers to have “a great defense for a long time,” and the linebacker corps is a key factor in that. General manager Trent Baalke last week referred to Brooks, Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith as every-down linebackers, signaling at least a diminished role for longtime starter Parys Haralson.
Salvaged off the waiver wire in 2008 from Cincinnati, Brooks started only one game in his first three seasons with the 49ers. But he started every game last season, tallying seven sacks. He also had a fourth-quarter sack in a playoff victory over New Orleans.
“Once I got cut by the Bengals, I pretty much told myself I would never let this happen again, regardless of what goes on in my life,” Brooks said. “I just had to re-evaluate myself as a player and as a person.”
Those life changes have continued. With his 28th birthday approaching March 14, Brooks was baptized this month at Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Mountain View. Unlike in past offseasons, he has remained in the Bay Area to work out with teammates rather than return to his native Virginia.
“These are the people that gave me a chance to go out there and get this contract,” Brooks said. “From the time I got to the NFL, I felt like I should have been starting, and coaches would always be giving me excuses, like, ‘He doesn’t know the defense. He can’t learn the defense.’ That’s a lie. That’s always been a lie.”
He wouldn’t name which coaches stiff-armed him, but he did hail defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for believing in him this past season.
The 49ers still have 18 pending free agents. Defensive back C.J. Spillman reportedly agreed to a three-year, $6 million deal last week with $1.8 million guaranteed.
Long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, who had spent his entire nine-year career with Cleveland, got a one-year, $826,000 deal, according to CSN Bay Area.
