HEADLINES

Month: August 2023

Bears, Broncos In On Jonathan Taylor?

August 24th, 2023 at 6:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two non-Dolphins Jonathan Taylor suitors may have emerged. The Bears and Broncos are believed to have expressed interest Taylor, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes.

Having more teams enter the fray will help the Colts and Taylor’s camp drive a market, but Jackson adds no team has submitted an offer that meets the AFC South team’s demands. The Colts are said to want a first-round pick or a package similar in value. No team has traded a first-rounder for a running back since the Colts did so (for Trent Richardson) in September 2013.

It is not known if the Bears or the Broncos have made an offer. Two teams are believed to have done so, and given the Dolphins’ connections since the Colts let their disgruntled back seek a trade, it would surprise if Miami was not one of the teams to have submitted a proposal. The Colts and Dolphins have held ongoing discussions. The Broncos and Bears each made moves at running back this offseason, though Taylor would obviously surge to the top of either team’s depth chart.

Chicago signed D’Onta Foreman to a one-year, $2MM deal and used a fourth-round pick on Texas’ Roschon Johnson. But previous David Montgomery backup Khalil Herbert is positioned as the committee leader as we near the regular season. A Taylor addition would crowd this backfield, though the Bears do have a connection. Matt Eberflus was the Colts’ DC during Taylor’s first two seasons. This would be a fascinating partnership, Taylor teaming with Justin Fields, due to the Bears having led the NFL in rushing last season.

The Broncos were also in on Dalvin Cook, though they were not believed to have been a serious suitor. That makes it worth wondering if the team is seriously interested in Taylor. Unlike the Bears, the Broncos have a franchise-QB contract on their books. Russell Wilson‘s cap number spikes from $22MM this year to $35.4MM in 2024. Restructuring the deal would be an option for Denver, but the team has seen starter Javonte Williams make a quick recovery from ACL and LCL tears. Going down in Week 4 of last season, Williams returned for training camp and made his preseason debut last week. The Broncos also gave Samaje Perine a two-year, $7.5MM deal; the ex-Bengal backup is expected to see frequent work alongside Williams.

As for the Dolphins’ lingering interest, Jackson adds Taylor has a home in South Florida and would be fine with a deal that sends him to the AFC East club. The Dolphins are not the only team Taylor would be OK with joining, however. “Several” teams would appeal to Taylor, whose trade request became public nearly a month ago. After some Jim Irsay comments did not go over well, the fourth-year back is believed to be dug in as he attempts to leave Indianapolis.

It will be interesting to see if Taylor insists on having a new contract in place or whether he would be amenable to playing out his rookie deal elsewhere. Taylor, 24, is believed to be seeking an upper-echelon RB contract, doing so in a year that has not seen one handed out. Other teams have shown hesitancy to grant that wish, likely affecting the trade offers being sent. Taylor not insisting on a new deal would also give another team the option of placing a low-cost franchise tag on him in 2024. With that representing one of Taylor’s issues with the Colts — who are not planning to extend him this year — it would surprise if the 2021 rushing champion would be fine if his next team had no immediate extension plans.

The Colts have a seemingly good situation as far as a Taylor payment would go, holding Anthony Richardson on a rookie contract that runs through 2026. This situation has progressed to the point Indianapolis is giving the former second-rounder until Tuesday — when the team must set its final roster, which will include a decision regarding Taylor’s PUP status — to bring back an acceptable trade offer.

Seahawks Activate S Jamal Adams From Active/PUP List

August 24th, 2023 at 4:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jamal Adams missed all but one game last season, but he remains on track to suit up for the start of the 2023 campaign. The Seahawks activated the All-Pro safety from the PUP list on Thursday.

A torn quad tendon suffered in the season opener last year shut Adams down for the remainder of the campaign, and he has been rehabbing the injury every since. The ailment represented a major blow for a player who missed four games in 2020 and five the following season, leaving him sidelined for much of his tenure in Seattle.

Adams will not immediately return to full team drills, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson (Twitter link). That comes as no surprise, given the cautious approach the Seahawks have taken with respect to his rehab process. Taking part in training camp was in question during the spring, but a late-August activation will give the three-time Pro Bowler at least some time to prepare for Week 1 participation.

Retuning to the field, but more importantly, his previous form, would be a sizeable development for the Seahawks’ defense. Seattle struggled against the run last year, and the former Jets first-rounder will help in that regard upon his return. Adams would also provide depth and versatility at the safety spot with incumbent Quandre Diggs and free agent signing Julian Love in the fold as starters. What is already a strong secondary (in large part based on the play of 2022 fifth-round corner Tariq Woolen and the potential of first-round rookie Devon Witherspoon) will be boosted further when Adams is available.

The 27-year-old is on the books through 2025, and his cap burden makes his presence and performance a key storyline to watch moving forward. Adams is set to see his cap hit eclipse the $23MM mark starting next year, although with no guaranteed money due after 2023, his play this season could have major implications on his financial future. In the meantime, he is now clear to begin the next phase of his recovery as he heads toward a highly-anticipated return.

Cardinals Trade OL Josh Jones To Texans

August 24th, 2023 at 2:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

A busy day on the trade front for the Cardinals continues. Arizona is sending offensive lineman Josh Jones to the Texans, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Cardinals (who have now confirmed the deal) will send Jones and a seventh-round pick to Houston for a fifth-rounder (Twitter links).

As is the case with hybrid defender Isaiah Simmons, Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Like Simmons, the Cardinals and new general manager Monti Ossenfort will move on from a Steve Keim-era draftee instead of seeing Jones potentially depart next offseason in free agency.

Jones saw only 55 offensive snaps as a rookie, but he took on a much more significant role in the two years since. The 26-year-old played all 17 games (including 12 starts), and saw time at both right tackle and right guard in 2021. His versatility was showcased to a further degree this past season when he logged 622 snaps, all but 12 of which came at left tackle while filling in for an injured D.J. Humphries.

The former third-rounder earned a career-high PFF grade of 75.8 in 2022, showcasing potential if given a full-time starting opportunity. The Cardinals have Humphries on the books for the next three seasons, however, and first-round rookie Paris Johnson Jr. is set to start right away at right tackle. Kelvin Beachum was retained, and he will now be assured of the swing tackle role. Moving on from Jones will result in $2.74MM in cap savings for the Cardinals.

The move also represents another in what has been a busy offseason along the O-line for the Texans. Both tackle starters (Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard) have signed lucrative extensions, and guard Shaq Mason was acquired via trade with the Buccaneers and later signed to a new deal. Jones – a native of Richmond, Texas who played collegiately at Houston – will be in place as a backup to all three of those entrenched starters.

As KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes (via Twitter), the Texans are in need of capable depth at the right tackle spot in particular as the regular season approaches. Howard is recovering from hand surgery, and his Week 1 availability remains up in the air. Charlie Heck, meanwhile, will begin the season on the PUP list while dealing with foot and back injuries, per Wilson. That will sideline the former fourth-rounder for at least the first four games of the campaign.

The Cardinals and Texans worked out a trade on Day 1 of the draft which allowed the latter to move up to No. 3 on the board and select Will Anderson. It was the first of two swaps Ossenfort authorized which ultimately resulted in Johnson – the Cardinals’ top target to bolster their O-line – being selected sixth overall. The teams have now partnered once again, with one adding valuable depth and the other adding further to its draft cupboard as part of a full-scale rebuild.

Cardinals Trade Isaiah Simmons To Giants

August 24th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:08pm: Providing further details on the financial implications of the deal, Howard Balzer of gophnx.com tweets that Simmons already had a roster bonus of $4.2MM paid out earlier in training camp. That figure, along with the outstanding signing bonus from his rookie contract, will leave Arizona with $5.56MM in cap commitments to their now-former starter. The Cardinals’ only financial savings will be Simmons’ $1.01MM base salary; the Giants will now be on the hook for that amount.

9:38am: Isaiah Simmons‘ time in Arizona is coming to an end. The Cardinals are trading the former first-rounder to the Giants in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The deal is now official.

Expectations were high for Simmons upon arrival in Arizona, after he established himself as a highly athletic and versatile prospect. Finding a permanent spot for the hybrid defender has proven to be difficult in the NFL, however, and the Cardinals are moving on with one year remaining on his rookie contract. His 2023 cap hit sits at just over $6.57MM, and Arizona will see minimal savings with this trade.

The 25-year-old played at linebacker during his first three seasons with the Cardinals. The team declined to pick up his fifth-year option at a rate of $12.7MM after being classified at that position. Simmons later revealed that his move to safety was of his own choosing. Player and team appeared to be headed for at least one more year together, especially to see how effective the position change would prove to be. Instead, new Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort will cut bait with a Steve Keim draftee.

The Giants’ defense played a large role in the team’s surprise run to the divisional round of the playoffs last season, and the unit will again be counted on to be effective under second-year coordinator Don Martindale. New York lost a starting safety in Julian Love during free agency, but there is also plenty of uncertainty for the team at the inside linebacker spot. Former Colt Bobby Okereke is locked into one starting spot at the second level, but the other first-team role has been in the air during the summer.

Simmons could fill in at either spot, and it will be interesting to see if he is used in a similar fashion to how he wished to be deployed in Arizona. On that point, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets the Giants plan to use him at the LB spot. The Clemson alum has filled the statsheet during his career with 258 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles and four interceptions. Those figure have not translated to strong PFF grades, however, and issues in run defense helped contribute to the Cardinals’ decision to decline his fifth-year option and, now, move on altogether before his contract year began.

The rebuilding Cardinals are eyeing future assets as they look to contend further down the road. Given his age and draft pedigree, it appeared Simmons could have had at least a short-term future with the team, one whose defense already lost corner Byron Murphy and defensive lineman Zach Allen in free agency. That unit will be without another starter now, while the Giants will take a flier and see if Simmons can live up to his draft stock in Year 4. If that takes place, he could prove to be a highly worthwhile acquisition.

CB Prince Amukamara Retires

August 24th, 2023 at 12:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

After three years without seeing regular season action, Prince Amukamara has officially brought his NFL career to an end. The cornerback signed a one-day contract on Thursday to retire as a Giant.

Amukamara began his career in New York after being selected in the first round in 2011. Expectations were high after that decision, which in turn followed a decorated college career at Nebraska. After serving as a backup during his rookie campaign, he operated as a full-time starter for the rest of his Giants tenure.

That spell included the 2011 postseason, which saw New York win the Super Bowl. Amukamara went on to play 55 games with the Giants, and it was with them that he recorded seven of his 10 interceptions and 43 of his 78 pass deflections. His overall career arc included a number of ups and downs, however, and he only secured a one-year deal on the open market during his first foray into free agency. The six-foot cover man spent 2016 with the Jaguars, then the following three with the Bears.

Amukamara’s first campaign in the Windy City was enough to earn him a three-year, $27MM Bears contract in 2018, but he was released two years later. He was nevertheless a full-time starter in Chicago, logging a snap share of at least 89% in each of his seasons with the team. That led to sufficient interest to earn him practice squad stints with the Raiders, Cardinals and Saints. The Colts hosted him on a workout last January, but it did not result in a deal.

At the age of 34, Amukamara has now decided to hang up his cleats for good while returning (symbolically) to where his nine-year career began. In addition to his Super Bowl ring, he will depart the game with just over $46MM in career earnings.

Vikings Release WR N’Keal Harry

August 24th, 2023 at 11:36am CST by Adam La Rose

N’Keal Harry‘s time in Minnesota has proven to be very short-lived. The former first-round receiver was released on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Harry signed earlier this month in his latest attempt to find a long-term NFL home. He began his career with the Patriots in 2019, but he was unable to live up to expectations. The No. 32 pick in that year’s class made just 57 catches across three seasons in New England.

That underwhelming production resulted in a trade to Chicago with the Bears taking a flier on the Arizona State product. Harry was limited to seven games with the Bears, however, and he made the same number of catches. He thus had very little in the way of interest when his rookie deal expired, needing to wait until August to land a veteran minimum contract in search of a depth role in Minnesota.

A lower-body injury suffered in warmups before the Vikings’ last preseason game resulted in Harry’s contract being terminated, reports ESPN’s Kevin Seifert (Twitter link). Recovery from the ailment will be needed for the 25-year-old to find a spot on an active roster or a practice squad, likely after the dust has settled following next week’s roster cutdowns.

With the spot opened up by Harry’s release, the Vikings signed safety Jake Gervase. The latter spent the first four years of his career with the Rams, seeing very limited game time until last season. The former UDFA suited up for 14 contests in 2022, continuing his heavy usage on special teams. He will look to earn a third-phase role in Minnesota in the coming days and in doing so secure a 53-man roster spot.

Browns Waive QB Kellen Mond

August 24th, 2023 at 10:49am CST by Adam La Rose

Clarity has emerged at the bottom of the Browns’ quarterback depth chart. The team announced on Thursday that Kellen Mond has been waived.

[RELATED: Recapping Browns’ Offseason]

As a result, Cleveland now has three signal-callers on the roster: starter Deshaun Watson, veteran backup Josh Dobbs and fifth-round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The latter has impressed during training camp and the preseason, making it a relatively easy decision to move on from Mond. The 24-year-old will now be on the lookout for another new opportunity.

The Browns claimed Mond off waivers last August after his time with the Vikings came to an end. Minnesota intended to keep the 2021 third-rounder in the fold via the practice squad, but the Browns added him to a QB room which was in flux to begin the 2022 season due to Watson’s 11-game suspension. Jacoby Brissett ended up starting each contest which Watson missed, however, so Mond did not see any regular season action in Cleveland.

The Browns will have Watson available for a full season for the first time since their blockbuster trade acquisition for (and fully-guaranteed extension of) the three-time Pro Bowler. Brissett’s decision to sign with the Commanders left a vacancy at the backup spot, which the reunion with Dobbs (who began the 2022 season in Cleveland but finished it as an emergency starter in Tennessee) filled. The Browns have been connected to carrying three signal-callers on the 53-man roster, something again made possible ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Mond, who has one regular season appearance to his name, will now be available on the waiver wire. It will be interesting to see if the Vikings – who notably do not seem to have a Kirk Cousins succession plan in place at the moment – are interested in bringing back the Texas A&M product. If he goes unclaimed, Mond will be free to pursue a depth role anywhere around the league, something which will be complicated by the approaching roster cut deadline (August 29).

In addition to Mond, the Browns waived defensive end Charles Wiley. The 25-year-old signed in Cleveland earlier this month, after previously spending time with the Ravens and Giants. He has yet to see any regular season games at the pro level.

Raiders Not Looking To Trade Josh Jacobs; Dolphins Inquired On RB’s Availability

August 24th, 2023 at 8:50am CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 24: The Dolphins briefly inquired on Jacobs’ availability, as first reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but those talks went nowhere with the Raiders confident he will play in Vegas in 2023. Subsequent reports have confirmed the Dolphins’ passing interest in Jacobs, including NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. The latter notes that Miami is interested in a high-profile RB trade, “but only up to a certain price” (Twitter link). Talks between the Colts and Dolphins regarding Taylor are ongoing.

AUGUST 23: As the Colts have followed the Chargers’ lead in letting a standout running back find a trade partner, the Raiders continue to wait on their All-Pro back’s return. They are taking a different approach compared to the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor path.

The Raiders are not looking at tag-and-trade scenarios involving Josh Jacobs, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Then again, moving Jacobs’ $10.1MM tag salary would not be an easy task for the Raiders. With less mileage on his odometer, the 2021 rushing champion is also a more appealing trade target than last year’s leader. But it remains to be seen if a team will make an offer for Taylor that will prompt Indianapolis to consider a move. The Colts’ ask is high.

Beginning training camp in late July, the Raiders have been without Jacobs for nearly a month. Jacobs is not obligated to attend camp, having not signed his franchise tender. The team can add sweeteners to entice Jacobs to return on time, as the Giants did — via a high-seven-figure incentive package, albeit featuring escalators classified as not likely to be earned — to bring Saquon Barkley back into the fold. Earlier this month, however, a report suggested the Raiders had not held talks with Jacobs about elevating his 2023 compensation.

Yannick Ngakoue agreed to reduce his tag salary — from $17.8MM to $13MM — to facilitate a trade from Jacksonville to Minnesota in 2020, but envisioning Jacobs making such a concession to leave Las Vegas is highly unlikely. (The Raiders would also need to be motivated to move him, which it appears they are not.) Even as Jacobs’ $10.1MM salary makes him less valuable in a trade, Ngakoue could count on future contracts to balance out the trim he accepted. The developments at running back this year offer Jacobs no such assurances beyond 2023.

Jacobs, 25, totaled an NFL-high 2,053 scrimmage yards last season. The 2019 first-rounder also led the NFL with 393 touches, providing a potential cause for concern regarding his 2023 form. This adds to the reasons why Jacobs skipping regular-season games (and $561K game checks) is considered unlikely. The Alabama alum does not figure to have many more chances at a notable payday, making this $10.1MM salary rather important.

Jacobs reporting just before Week 1 would follow Le’Veon Bell‘s 2017 path. Preserving his body for a free agency push — the nuclear option Bell executed upon being tagged again in 2018 — is extraordinarily unlikely due to the financial sacrifice and the state of the RB market. While Bell had the Jets waiting to pay him in 2019, it cannot be assumed such a payment — on what looks like a crowded 2024 market — would await Jacobs. The Raiders can also merely re-tag their RB1 for barely $12MM in 2024.

With Jacobs not showing up for camp, the Raiders signed Damien Williams. But do not roster anyone particularly close to Jacobs’ level, with 2022 fourth-rounder Zamir White slotted as Vegas’ top backup. The team could rescind Jacobs’ tag, sending him to free agency. But McDaniels may see his seat warm up this season. Having Jacobs at Jimmy Garoppolo‘s disposal would help the second-year Raiders HC’s cause. But the team continues to wait.

Six Teams In Mix For Jonathan Taylor; Colts Turned Down RB’s Extension Request

August 23rd, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins are not the only Jonathan Taylor suitor. Six teams are believed to have shown interest in Taylor, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder reports.

Two of those clubs are believed to have extended offers to the Colts. It is not known if the Dolphins are one of the clubs to make an offer, but given their reported interest from the start of this accelerating derby, they would be a good guess here. But Miami, which has engaged in ongoing discussions with Indianapolis, is not alone in this pursuit.

More than three weeks after Taylor’s trade request became public, the Colts gave him permission to find a deal. The AFC South team wants a first-round pick — a price no team has paid for a running back since the Colts gave up one for Trent Richardson in September 2013 — or a picks package on the Christian McCaffrey level. The 49ers gave up second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-rounders for CMC last year.

The Colts are giving Taylor until August 29 to find a trade partner, Holder adds. The Colts must decide by 3pm CT on August 29 whether to keep Taylor on the PUP list or move him back to their active roster. Taylor remaining on the PUP past roster-cutdown day would mean a four-game absence to start the season. The team looks to have established a deadline. It remains to be seen if that is a point of no return on a Taylor trade.

Part of Taylor’s frustration with the team goes back to May, with Holder noting the Colts refused the running back’s extension request. Taylor, 24, became extension-eligible in January, but he is coming off an injury-plagued season. Taylor’s first notable NFL injury — an ankle malady that may or may not still be causing him trouble — led to him missing six games. GM Chris Ballard cited this and the team’s poor 2022 performance as a reason no extension was on tap.

Between May and training camp, a number of sobering developments transpired for running backs. It is unsurprising to see the Colts press pause here, but Taylor — who hired a new agent in late May — has changed his tone with the team. Indicating as recently as this year he still wanted to retire a Colt, the 2021 rushing champion switched gears. His agent has gone back and forth with Jim Irsay on social media, with the outspoken owner’s comments on the RB meetings not going over well with his own RB1. Irsay’s one-on-one meeting with Taylor did nothing to end this impasse, with Holder adding the Wisconsin alum remains set on being traded out of Indianapolis.

One year remains on Taylor’s rookie contract. The former second-rounder’s hope for an extension has complicated a trade, with teams leery of sending over notable draft compensation and authorizing a near-top-market extension. It is not known what price Taylor is seeking, but none of the rumors involving the franchise-tagged trio (Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, Josh Jacobs) reached the McCaffrey or Alvin Kamara levels. No back has even secured a $10MM-per-year deal since the Browns paid Nick Chubb (three years, $36.6MM) in July 2021.

The Colts would have the option of tagging Taylor in 2024. In theory, a team that acquires Taylor via trade would as well. Though, it would be odd if a team traded for Taylor without the intention of extending him. Despite some of the recent RB extensions working out for teams, the market iced over this offseason. Taylor’s standoff with the Colts may represent the final chapter in perhaps the worst year for the position in its history.

49ers To Name Sam Darnold Backup QB; Team Exploring Trey Lance Options

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold has beaten out Trey Lance for the 49ers’ backup quarterback job, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report (on Twitter). As a result, the former San Francisco starter’s status going into his third season is uncertain.

Playing ahead of Lance in the 49ers’ second preseason game, Darnold had been expected to begin the season as Brock Purdy‘s backup. Wednesday’s announcement, however, brings clarity on one end and adds doubt on another. After going into last season as the 49ers’ unquestioned starter, Lance has seen his stock crater. Lance is not at 49ers practice Wednesday, the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman tweets.

Rumblings about a Lance trade emerged before the draft, though the 49ers denied they were shopping him. Lynch spoke to Lance about the rumors, and the athletic passer indicated he was not seeking a trade. That all may change now. The Vikings were on the radar for Lance before the draft, and Rapoport suggested this as a landing spot for the Marshall, Minn., native. But the Vikes, who roster ex-49er Nick Mullens behind Kirk Cousins, drafted Jaren Hall in Round 5.

The 49ers have continued to shop Lance for much of the offseason, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets, noting no significant offer has come the team’s way. In April, however, Russini notes the Vikings and 49ers were pretty far down the road on a trade (Twitter link). Considering the lack of evidence regarding Lance’s NFL capabilities, it is difficult to foresee the 49ers receiving an especially worthwhile proposal. That will put the organization to a decision with 2021 third’s overall choice.

Prior to free agency’s outset, John Lynch spoke of the 49ers adding another QB due to Lance coming off two ankle surgeries and Purdy rehabbing a torn UCL. Rather than that quarterback becoming a third-string option that drifted off the radar once Purdy returned, the 49ers signed Darnold. Kyle Shanahan has spoken highly of the 2018 third overall pick, who signed a one-year deal worth $4.5MM early in free agency. And the 49ers will go into the season with the recent Panthers starter as Purdy’s top reserve.

The appeal of playing in a 49ers offense housing three All-Pro skill-position talents (George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey) helped bring Darnold back to California. The USC alum is still just 26, and while he has been given considerable run as a starter (55 games), the 49ers represent a better situation compared to the Jets and Panthers offenses he piloted. Shanahan has made it clear Purdy is the starter, and he debuted for the team against the Broncos on Saturday. It is certainly interesting that Darnold — the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 — will back up last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, but even if Purdy’s leash should be lengthy, the 49ers have more stability at QB2 in the sixth-year veteran.

For Lance, this marks another setback in a career full of them. Shanahan had thrown cold water on Lance’s prospects in the spring. Rather than this being a three-way competition for the starter gig, the 49ers did not give Lance much of a shot to regain his job as Purdy rehabbed. The North Dakota State alum quarterbacked much of the second half Saturday, and although he fared decently (12-for-18, 173 yards), it is possible that becomes audition tape for another team now.

Lance’s past three-plus years have doubled as one of the strangest career arcs for any top prospect in NFL history. After Lance dominated as a dual-threat talent for a Division I-FCS dynasty in 2019, as a redshirt freshman, the COVID-19 pandemic nixed FCS football in 2020. Lance was limited to one game as a sophomore, and he declared for the draft. That monster 2019 showing still made him a top prospect, like fellow ex-Bison Carson Wentz was five years prior, but Lance went to a 49ers team that may not have been all in on him. Rumors swirled about Shanahan preferring Mac Jones.

Lance, 23, has not come close to justifying the 49ers’ nine-spot trade-up, which cost them two first-round picks. He has attempted 102 passes as a pro, starting only four games and finishing just three. The Week 2 start against the Seahawks last season, leading to Lance’s ankle fracture, may be his last cameo as a 49er. After years of injury issues at QB, the 49ers are in better shape now. Purdy is no longer under any restrictions, and Darnold is healthy. That said, Darnold has missed games due to injury in each of his five seasons. This included a high ankle sprain last year, though he has certainly been healthier than Jimmy Garoppolo as a pro.

It should be expected the 49ers will attempt to move their third-stringer; May pickup Brandon Allen remains on San Francisco’s roster as well. Considering what the 49ers gave up to acquire Lance, moving him will cement a major draft blunder for an otherwise successful operation.

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