The San Francisco 49ers have hired Hall of Fame candidate and FOX analyst John Lynch to be their new general manager, the team announced Sunday night.

Sources tell ESPN the deal is for an almost unprecedented six years.

Lynch has no front-office experience but has been connected to front-office jobs in the past. 

"So many opportunities are missed in the NFL because people don't want to do something different," Jed York said. "We're OK with that, because I am confident in Kyle and John. John has watched John Elway and how he's built a team in Denver. As easy as it is to say he hasn't built a team yet -- I get that -- I talk to Kyle, and he says John is the most prepared of all the TV [people] he meets in the production meetings before games.

"We understand we'll have to live with growing pains, but I'm willing to do that because I believe the upside with both of them is so great."

The New York Jets have signed guard Brian Winters to a four-year contract extension.

The deal is believed to be worth $7 million annually, but exact terms haven't yet been revealed.

Winters, 25, was projected to be one of the most coveted guards on the free agent market.