Mike Iupati to Cardinals: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Over the last five seasons, Mike Iupati helped turn the San Francisco 49ers into a yearly NFC West contender. On Tuesday, he became the latest in what's been a mass exodus of players and coaches from that core.

The Pro Bowl guard and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to a five-year contract, per ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Iupati, 27, spent his first five years in San Francisco after being a first-round pick in 2010. He's been a regular starter since Week 1 of his rookie season, starting 75 of a possible 80 games. After beginning his career with 48 consecutive starts, injuries have cost Iupati five games over the last two seasons.

Iupati also noted after signing his new deal that he played last season with a broken foot, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.

While he's been absent at times, the injuries haven't hurt his production too much. Iupati has been a Pro Bowler each of the last three seasons and was an All-Pro in 2012. Emerging as one of the better run-blocking guards in football, Iupati was integral in helping running back Frank Gore continue past his prime and keeping quarterback Colin Kaepernick upright.

That said, Iupati's Pro Bowl appearance last season was arguably based more on reputation than actual performance. Pro Football Focus ranked him 50th among 59 eligible guards in pass-blocking efficiency, the second straight campaign in which his pass blocking was quietly an issue. The 49ers as a whole were 19th in pass-blocking efficiency, helping to contribute to Kaepernick's disappointing season.

The overall disappointing 2014 campaign helped expedite Jim Harbaugh's departure for Michigan, sending the franchise into flux. With salary-cap considerations and a number of notable free agents, the organization had to make a decision about whom to keep. Iupati maintained he hoped the 49ers would make him a priority in free agency. 

"We'll see in a couple weeks or a couple months," Iupati said of returning, per Andrew Pentis of the team's official website. "It's going to suck if I do go somewhere [else]. This is my home. I really want to stay here, and I'm sure we'll try to work something out."

The 49ers apparently weren't ready to match Arizona's sizable guarantees. In Iupati, the Cardinals will get someone capable of being an elite run defender but increasingly shaky in the passing game. His eight sacks allowed last season, per The Washington Post, are an incredibly high number for a guard. To wit: In his first three seasons combined, Iupati only allowed eight sacks total.  

Some of those sacks were undoubtedly on Kaepernick, whose tendency to hold on to the ball was a problem all season. But it's nearly impossible for a guard to allow eight sacks without some deep-seated issues in need of rectifying. Heading into his age-28 season, there's no reason to think this deal will become a calamity; he's still well within his prime.

If he doesn't fix his pass-protection deficiencies, though, it could become a massive overpayment.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.