Brock Coyle

49ers Cut Brock Coyle, Who Will Retire

The 49ers released linebacker Brock Coyle on Thursday, the team announced. San Francisco also signed linebacker David Mayo to a two-year deal and announced linebacker Elijah Lee has signed his exclusive rights tender. 

Coyle later announced his retirement from football due to the back injury that cut his season short in 2018 [Twitter link].

Injuries are a part of this game and it is a risk all players willingly take when we step onto the field. Unfortunately, the injury I sustained last season is one that will prevent me from returning to the field again.

Coyle, 28, joined the 49ers in 2017 on a one-year deal and impressed, starting 10 games and appearing in all contests while registering a career-high 62 tackles. He signed a three-year deal in the ensuing offseason but only played in one game in 2018 due to the injury.

Mayo, 25, was a fifth-round pick by the Panthers out of Texas State in 2015. He has appeared in all but one regular season game in the last three seasons with Carolina, making four starts and logging a combined 35 tackles. While he didn’t see a ton of action on the defensive side of the ball, Mayo is a strong contributor on special teams.

Lee, 23, was a seventh-round pick by the Vikings in 2017. The 49ers signed the Kansas State product off Minnesota’s practice squad that same season and he has appeared in 30 of a possible 32 games in his career. In 2018, the linebacker made five starts and logged 65 tackles with a sack and forced fumble.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/12/18

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

  • Waived from injured reserve: OL J.J. Dielman

Detroit Lions

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

49ers To Sign LB Terence Garvin

With the 49ers’ linebacking corps still incomplete, the team will add a depth player in Terence Garvin, Matt Maiocco NBC Sports Bay Area reports (on Twitter).

Garvin’s played regular-season games for three teams — the Steelers, Redskins and Seahawks — in a five-year career and spent this offseason with the Dolphins. He was unable to make Miami’s 53-man roster but will now attempt to carve out a role with the 49ers, though this may be a temporary addition.

Reuben Foster‘s suspension will sideline him for one more game, and Maiocco notes (via Twitter) Brock Coyle is in concussion protocol. Malcolm Smith is questionable for Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury.

Garvin’s served as a career special teams presence, starting just four of the 74 games in which he’s played. The 27-year-old defender’s played in at least 15 games in four of his five seasons, however.

Injury Updates: Fournette, Texans, 49ers, Jackson

Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette left today’s win over the Giants with a hamstring injury. While the second-year star was forced to sit out more than half the contest, the team isn’t overly worried about his availability for next week’s game against the Patriots.

“They said it was in a good part,” said head coach Doug Marrone (via Hays Carlyon of 1010XL on Twitter). “I don’t know if there’s any good part of those things. It’s something that he felt like, he’s had it before, he knows how to treat it. That makes things pretty optimistic, which normally I’m not that optimistic.”

Before exiting today’s contest, Fournette had run for 41 yards on nine carries. He also added another three receptions for 14 yards. If the running back were to miss any time, the Jaguars would presumably turn to backup T.J. Yeldon.

Let’s take a look at some more injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Texans right tackle Seantrel Henderson broke a bone in his ankle during today’s loss to the Patriots, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). It’s uncertain how much time the 26-year-old will miss. The lineman suffered the injury after getting his ankle stuck under Patriots defensive lineman Keionta Davis. Henderson missed the preseason after having a noncancerous cyst removed, but the free agent addition was expected to still serve as a starter for the Texans.
  • 49ers linebacker Brock Coyle suffered a concussion during today’s loss to the Vikings, reports Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter). The 27-year-old had compiled six tackles during the contest. Coyle appeared in 16 games (10 starts) for San Francisco last season, finishing with 64 tackles. 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Maiocco adds that offensive guards Mike Person and Joshua Garnett both looked fine in the locker room after leaving the game with foot injuries.
  • Buccaneers wideout DeSean Jackson suffered a concussion during today’s win over the Saints, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. The receiver suffered the injury in the fourth quarter following a hit from Ken Crowley. The 31-year-old had a standout day for Tampa Bay, hauling in five catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

49ers Re-Sign Brock Coyle

The 49ers have re-signed linebacker Brock Coyle, according to a team announcement. Coyle underwent offseason shoulder surgery and, presumably, the operation was a success as he is being retained for three more years. The deal is worth$11.5MM with $4.1MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

It was expected that the Niners would re-up Coyle in the wake of Reuben Foster‘s domestic abuse arrest earlier this year. Coyle started ten games last season alongside Foster and while he doesn’t offer the same upside, he does have familiarity with the team.

Coyle, 28 in October, tallied 62 tackles with half a sack last year. He’ll reunite with old teammate Richard Sherman now that they’re both in San Francisco.

NFC West Notes: Wilson, Cardinals, Foster

Yesterday, we learned that Seahawks QB Russell Wilson could be in line for a new contract with an AAV of $30MM as early as next offseason (he is under club control through 2019, and Seattle does not revisit deals that have more than one year remaining). While that report raised some eyebrows, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (who penned the above-referenced article) tweets that Wilson’s current deal — which he signed in 2015 — has an AAV of 15.31% of the 2015 salary cap. A $30MM AAV on his next contract would represent 15.87% of the projected 2019 cap, so it would be a reasonable benchmark for Wilson to shoot for. Given that, and given Wilson’s accomplishments in the league, a $30MM/year deal does not seem especially far-fetched.

Now let’s take a look at a few more rumors from the NFC West:

  • Just like 2013, Steve Keim‘s first year as the Cardinals‘ GM, Arizona has a void at quarterback. During a recent interview on 98.7 FM, Keim addressed that need (article via Vince Marotta of ArizonaSports.com). He indicated that the team would be active in the free agent market, which is as rich in QB talent as it has been at any time in recent memory, and he did not rule out the possibility of a trade. Of course, whether they do so via free agency, a trade, or the draft, the Cardinals will need to acquire at least two signal-callers this offseason.
  • As Matt Maiocco of NBCSports.com observes, when the 49ers have released a player due to off-field issues in the past, they have done so immediately. The fact that San Francisco has yet to release Reuben Foster in light of the recent domestic violence allegations levied against him indicates to Maiocco that the team has not seen enough concrete information to cut ties with the former Alabama standout.
  • In the same piece, Maiocco reiterates that the 49ers will look to re-sign LB Brock Coyle, assuming the team is confident that Coyle will make a full recovery from his offseason shoulder surgery. Maiocco is also more optimistic than other writers that the 49ers will be able to retain DE Tank Carradine .

Extra Points: Bills, Panthers, Steelers, 49ers

ESPN’s NFL Nation identified each team’s biggest decision in free agency and Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) took a crack at determining what each team should do with their decision. Of note, Yates believes the Bills should pay what it takes to retain free-agent cornerback E.J. Gaines. The Bills acquired the 25-year-old defensive back from the Rams prior to last season as part of a package for wide receiver Sammy Watkins and Pro Football Focus ranked him as the league’s 13th-best cornerback last season. Gaines was one of several pieces the Bills added last year to improve their secondary, including first-round selection TreDavious White and signing Micah Hyde.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • With a need for help in the secondary, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer identifies Eric Reid and Lamarcus Joyner as potential upgrades for the Panthers through free agency. Reid, 26, would provide an immediate impact and some youth to Carolina’s safety corps which includes Kurt Coleman, 29, and Mike Adams, 36. Reid, a former first-round pick, had 16 tackles in 13 games with the 49ers last season. Joyner presents a veteran presence to work alongside cornerbacks Daryl Worley and James Bradberry, whom both will be entering their third year in the league, while also being able to contribute at safety where he spent nearly all of last season with the Rams.
  • Tight end Vance McDonald was a late bloomer for the Steelers last season and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler speculates the 27-year-old may be worth retaining despite the $4.3MM cap hit it’ll take to keep him in 2018. McDonald had a career-high 10 catches and 112 yards receiving in the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Jaguars. He was acquired from the 49ers 12 days prior to the Steelers’ regular-season opener and appeared in 10 games, catching 14 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. Pittsburgh also has Jesse James at tight end, who started 14 games last season and tallied three touchdown catches.
  • The 49ers will look to re-sign linebacker Brock Coyle in the wake of Reuben Foster‘s arrest on suspicion of domestic abuse, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Coyle started 10 games last season alongside Foster, who the 49ers traded up to select with the No. 31 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Maiocco also opines the Niners general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan should explore middle linebacker options through free agency and the draft with Foster’s status uncertain heading into next season. Linebacker Malcolm Smith is also slated to return after missing last season with a torn pectoral. San Francisco will have either the ninth or 10th overall pick of the upcoming draft, pending a coin flip with the Raiders.

49ers Waive LB Ray-Ray Armstrong

The 49ers have waived linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (Twitter link). The move was made to clear a roster spot for the return of Tank CarradineRay-Ray Armstrong (vertical)

Armstrong, who received a two-year extension in December, had been relegated to primarily playing special teams after being supplanted in the starting lineup by Brock Coyle in early November. The team leader in snaps at linebacker with 532, Armstrong saw the field for just 14 snaps in Week 10 vs. the Giants.

With emergence of Coyle and first-round pick Reuben Foster in recent weeks, there just wasn’t any room in the linebacker corps on a Niners team looking toward the future. Armstrong ends his tenure with San Francisco with 53 tackles and one sack on the season.

 

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/17

Today’s minor moves:

  • The Bears will sign free agent offensive tackle Tom Compton, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). The 27-year-old has primarily worked as a reserve during his five NFL seasons, having started in just 11 of 44 appearances with Washington and Atlanta. Last season was Compton’s only one as a member of the Falcons. While he played in all of the NFC champions’ games, he didn’t start any of them.
  • The Cowboys have signed defensive end Damontre Moore, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Moore, a former third-round pick, has appeared in 49 career games but never started a contest. Although he’s posted 10 sacks during his NFL tenure, Moore might be best known for getting cut by the Giants after a headphone-related altercation. He’ll compete for a rotational role in Dallas.
  • The Chiefs re-signed offensive lineman Mike Person, tweets Terez A. Paylor. Person, 28, was a 14-games starter for the Falcons in 2015 but didn’t see the field last year. Person, who has 31 career starts under his belt, is in the mix for a reserve role for Kansas City.
  • After being non-tendered by the Seahawks earlier this week, linebacker Brock Coyle has now signed with the division-rival 49ers, per his agency (Twitter link). Coyle is a former undrafted agent, and though he’s never been a full-time starter, he’s appeared in 35 games during his three-year career.
  • The Jets announced that they’ve re-signed long snapper Tanner Purdum. Purdum has been with Gang Green since 2010 and has appeared in every game during that time.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/17

Unrestricted free agent news will obviously dominate the day, but several clubs also had to make decisions on whether to offer tenders to restricted and exclusive rights free agents. All RFA tenders listed are original round/right of first refusal (worth $1.797MM), and all links go to Twitter:

RFAs:

Tendered:

Non-Tendered:

ERFAs:

Tendered:

Non-Tendered: