Ray-Ray Armstrong, 49ers Agree on New Contract: Details, Comments and Reaction

The San Francisco 49ers announced Monday that they signed linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong to a two-year contract extension.

General manager Trent Baalke provided a statement about the move:

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Ray-Ray had a strong offseason and was off to a good start in 2016 prior to being sidelined for the season due to injury. He has continued to work hard in his rehab and is a young player with a bright future in front of him. We look forward to his continued development and contributions, both on and off the field.

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Armstrong provided his reaction to the extension on social media:

The 25-year-old appeared in San Francisco's first two games before the team placed him on injured reserve in September after he suffered a pectoral injury. Niners Wire's Chris Biderman noted the 49ers defense has been ravaged by injuries this season:

The Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows argued on Dec. 1 that Armstrong still had a future in the Bay Area despite his season-ending injury:

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But Armstrong showed enough—he's tall, he's good in coverage and he always was around the ball—to warrant his return.

No matter what defensive scheme the 49ers run next season, they need linebackers. The only player of note at the position is NaVorro Bowman, and he's coming off his second major injury in 2 1/2 years.

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By re-signing Armstrong now, the 49ers are sending a message that they're confident enough in his recovery that they expect him to play a valuable role on the defense in 2017. If the team had any doubts about his long-term health, then it could've let him hit free agency and see how things were progressing then.

In an interview with Patrick Holloway of SB Nation's Niners Nation, Armstrong said he doesn't envision missing the 49ers' offseason workouts during the spring.

"As far as right now, I'm feel pretty good," he said. "Everything's going pretty well. I don't see why I should have to miss anything. Just taking everything day by day, we'll see where I'm at when the season ends."

Barrows highlighted the need for the 49ers to bolster their linebacker depth for the 2017 season. Gerald Hodges and Nick Bellore are both set to hit free agency as well, and their departures would exacerbate the problem.

Keeping Armstrong for two more years was a smart move for San Francisco, and the team will likely continue exploring its options at linebacker in preparation for next year.