Final Nico Hoerner contract detail kills offseason rumors before they can even begin

In less than a week, the Chicago Cubs signed two of their most important players to long-term contract extensions, ensuring Nico Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong will call Wrigley Field home for years to come.

The team will hold a press conference for Hoerner's extension after Sunday's series finale against Washington - but the details are already out there: six years, $141 million - with a Net Present Value of $137.5 thanks to $2.5 million of his annual salary from 2029-32 being deferred. He'll earn $23 million annually in 2027 and 2028, then $22.5 million (including the deferred money) from 2029-32.

The deal exceeded many projections, but given what he could have gotten on the open market with the ability to not only play second, but shortstop, it's a fair deal for both sides. But we're not here just to hash out all the financials - there's one more critical detail in the contract: it includes a full no-trade clause, finally putting years of speculation to bed.

Now, nobody was thinking Jed Hoyer would extend Hoerner, then immediately trade him. But knowing the only way he gets moved before this contract ends in 2032 is if Hoerner himself signs off on it should give the fanbase peace of mind. And, assuming he plays the entire contract with the Cubs - he'll join some elite company in franchise history.

Nico Hoerner will join a group Cubs legends with his new contract

Adding this new deal to the time he's already spent in a Cubs uniform, Hoerner will have spent a total of 14 years with the club - the same number as Ron Santo - and more than iconic players like Sammy Sosa, Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, Kerry Wood and Joe Tinker. It would take a third extension with Chicago to get into the range of Ernie Banks (19 years), Billy Williams (16 years) or Ryne Sandberg (15 years) - but the Gold Glover is now poised to be one of the longest-tenured Cubs in decades.

PCA might be the face of the franchise, but for a generation of Cubs fans, Nico Hoerner will be the consistent staple that bridged one era to the next, delivering eye-catching defense, heads-up baserunning and a gritty consistency that's come to define this team. And that's pretty special.