Javon Hargrave and the 49ers just drove up the price tag even further for Quinnen Williams and Dexter Lawrence.
Hargrave, the No. 1 ranked free agent in The Post’s Top 30, agreed to terms Monday to leave the Eagles for the 49ers on a four-year, $84 million contract that includes $40 million guaranteed, according to reports.
It’s the second huge contract in as many days for an elite NFL defensive tackle, following Daron Payne’s four-year, $90 million extension that included $60 million guaranteed to remain with the Commanders.
The Jets’ Quinnen Williams and the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence are seeking extensions this offseason rather than playing on the fifth-year option attached to their rookie contracts.
Williams threatened in January to skip voluntary spring workouts if a deal is not done by then, while the Giants just opened negotiations with Lawrence, according to general manager Joe Schoen.
Williams and Lawrence, both 25 and coming off career-best years, surely will expect to eclipse the $21 million per year annual average on the 30-year-old Hargrave’s deal.
Hargrave had a career-high 11 sacks in his final year of a bargain three-year, $39 million deal inked in 2019.
The market for defensive tackles is led by the Rams’ Aaron Donald’s $31.6 million per year average, but the next tier of deals had stagnated since the Colts’ DeForest Buckner ($21 million) and the Chiefs’ Chris Jones ($20 million) signed.
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No longer the case, especially with the Titans’ Jeffrey Simmons also due for a big deal similar to the duo in New York.
Hargrave’s departure further weakens the Eagles defense. Inside linebacker and leading tackler T.J. Edwards signed with the Bears almost as soon as free agency opened at noon Monday.
Defensive backs James Bradberry and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson also are free agents, and cornerback Darius Slay has been granted permission to find a trade.
Free-agent center Jason Kelce, who considered retirement, announced he is returning to the Eagles.
