49ers Would’ve Drafted Reuben Foster No. 3
The 49ers were willing to select Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster with the third overall pick if edge rushers Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas were already off the board, and likely would have done so had the Bears not traded a bevy of draft choices to move up to No. 2, as Peter King of TheMMQB.com reports in a typically excellent piece from inside the San Francisco draft room.
Much of the 49ers front office — with the exception of chief strategy office Paraag Marathe — believed Chicago wanted to trade up for Thomas, and were surprised when the Bears ultimately selected North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. San Francisco was comfortable with Foster at No. 3 despite an injured shoulder and off-field issues that included a diluted sample at the scouting combine, but still hoped to move back as far as No. 8 before drafting him. Instead, the Niners took 150 cents on the dollar (according to Chase Stuart of Football Perspective) in order to move down one spot.
After selecting Thomas third overall, the 49ers figured Foster would be gone by the middle of the first round, as general manager John Lynch pegged Cincinnati as a likely destination while head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t think Foster would get past Baltimore at No. 16. But as Foster continued to tumble throughout the first round, San Francisco began to discuss a trade with the division rival Seahawks. Ultimately, the 49ers dealt No. 34 and No. 111 for Seattle’s No. 31, and used that newly-acquired pick to add Foster, the third overall player on their board.
While getting Foster at the end of the first round can certainly be considered a coup, the Alabama ‘backer’s injury issues might not be in the rearview mirror. A source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Foster’s shoulder surgery “didn’t take,” while some clubs are reportedly worried Foster’s rookie campaign could be a lost cause due to health questions. While the 49ers found Foster’s medicals to be adequate, one source tells Schefter that Foster’s shoulder “could give out on any hit.” Indeed, some NFL teams “medically rejected” Foster due to concerns about his shoulder, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports.
Additionally, it’s not a great look for Lynch and the 49ers staff that they were willing to use the third overall pick on a player who ultimately fell to the end of Round 1. Clearly, picking Foster at No. 3 would have been a reach based on the end results of the draft, and it’s fair to question whether San Francisco’s personnel department had thoroughly evaluated Foster (and his potential for being drafted in the top half of the first round).
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/3/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The 49ers are the first team to sign a 2017 draft pick, as they’ve agreed to terms with fourth-round running back Joe Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Williams, a Utah product, will compete for playing time behind Carlos Hyde during his rookie season. He should be in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $3.029MM and a signing bonus of about $329K.
- The Jets have claimed offensive lineman Alex Balducci off waivers from San Francisco, per the league’s transaction wire. Balducci, 23, played defensive line at Oregon, but shifted to offense under his collegiate head coach Chip Kelly with the 49ers. In 2016, Balducci appeared in two games, but played on only six total snaps (three on offense, three on special teams).
- Defensive lineman Zach Moore was the third former 49er (joining Balducci and Mike Purcell, who landed with the Rams) to land with a new club today, as the Panthers claimed the 26-year-old off waivers today. Moore is a former sixth-round pick of the Patriots who’s bounced around during three seasons in the NFL, as he’s also spent time with the Vikings and Cowboys. He’ll add depth in Carolina, but seems unlikely to make a roster that is relatively deep at defensive end.
- The Chiefs have signed free agent cornerback De’Vante Bausby, the club announced today. Bausby, 23, was waived by Chicago on Monday. The former undrafted free agent bounced on and off the Bears’ active roster in 2016, ultimately starting four games for Chicago and posting 11 tackles while playing on roughly 10% of the team’s defensive snaps. Kansas City currently has seven cornerbacks on its roster, but didn’t select one in last week’s draft, so Bausby may have a shot to make the squad. He’ll likely need to pick up special teams duty, something he didn’t do last season.
- The Colts announced today that they’ve waived guard Isiah Cage. Cage, 23, signed with Indianapolis last spring after going undrafted out of Division III Wisconsin Eau-Claire. Less than a month after inking a deal with the Colts, Cage suffered was waived/injured and reverted to the club’s injured reserve list, where he spent the entirety of his rookie campaign. This time around, Cage will become a free agent if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
- The Seahawks have re-signed fullback/tight end Brandon Cottom, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Cottom, 24, originally signed with Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He’s spent time on the Seahawks’ active roster and practice squad, but landed on injured reserve in 2016 after tearing his Achilles.
- The Rams announced that they’ve waived defensive back Jerome Couplin, long snapper Andrew East, running back Brandon Wegher, and tight end Bryce Williams. Couplin and Wegher both have NFL experience, but neither has appeared in a game since 2015.
- The Vikings have waived safety Cedric Thompson, tweets Courtney Fallon NFL.com. Thompson, a fifth-round pick in 2015, has bounced between Miami, New England, and Minnesota, but has yet to appear in an NFL game.
Gary Barnidge May Visit Panthers, Jaguars
If tight end Gary Barnidge leaves his visit with the Bills without a contract, he figures to take several more trips. Barnidge is halting his free agent tour to attend the Kentucky Derby on Sunday, but may meet with the Panthers and Jaguars in the near future, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Were Barnidge to sign with Carolina, he’d return to the club where he spent the first four years of his NFL career. Barnidge, 31, was a bit player during his stint with the Panthers, as he only totaled 18 receptions during his time with the team. The Panthers were linked to a number of tight ends during the draft, but ultimately stood pat with Greg Olsen, Ed Dickson, and Chris Manhertz.
Jacksonville, too, neglected to draft a tight end last week even after trading Julius Thomas to the Dolphins earlier this offseason. At present, the Jaguars’ tight end depth chart is comprised of Marcedes Lewis, Mychal Rivera, Ben Koyack, Neal Sterling, and Alex Ellis. Barnidge would likely become Jacksonville’s No. 1 tight end upon signing.
Bardnidge broke out during the 2015 campaign when he hauled in 79 receptions for 1,043 and nine touchdowns for the Browns. His numbers dipped last season, but he still managed 55 receptions, 14th among NFL tight ends.
Two Teams Interested In Darrelle Revis
Two unidentified clubs are interested in free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, neither team is willing to pay Revis more than the $6MM he’s earning from the Jets, per Cole. Because Revis’ deal with New York contained offset language, that means Revis would have to agree to play for no extra cash aside from what he’s already raking in from Gang Green.
It’s unclear if Revis would be willing to play for what would essentially be free, but neither club that’s expressed interest in Revis believes it will be able to lure Revis into signing a contract. Indeed, both clubs first simply want to see what kind of physical shape Revis is in, as well as determine if he’s motivated to play in 2017. Revis, 31, hasn’t drawn any concrete interest since being released by the Jets earlier this year, although he’s reportedly indicated it would be a “dream come true” to play for his hometown Steelers.
Revis, 31, ranks as PFR’s No. 1 free agent corner at the moment, and while he’s certainly not the shutdown corner he was in days gone by, Revis is still a viable starting option. He graded out as the league’s No. 64 corner in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, which would place him right at the tail end of acceptable play. However, one general manager recently told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News he wouldn’t go after the veteran cornerback even if he agreed to play “for free.”
Speculatively, clubs that could still use a cornerback following the completion of free agency and the draft include the Cardinals, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Lions, Redskins, Eagles, Texans, and Colts.
Broncos Re-Sign DL Billy Winn
The Broncos have agreed to re-sign defensive lineman Billy Winn, the club announced today.
Denver signed Winn last summer to serve as depth along its defensive line following the loss of Vance Walker to an ACL injury, and Winn provided just that. The 28-year-old appeared in all 16 games (two starts) and played on roughly 30% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps. In that time, Winn 19 tackles and one fumble recovery while grading as the league’s No. 97 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
The Broncos have steadily added to their defensive line over the past few months, as they signed free agents Domata Peko, Zach Kerr, Kasim Edebali, and Bobby Richardson while expending a second-round draft pick on Florida State’s DeMarcus Walker. Last year’s second-round pick, defensive end Adam Gotsis, is also expected to play a larger role in 2017. As such, Winn could have a tougher time earning a spot on Denver’s final roster than he did in 2016.
One defender who won’t be competing for a roster spot in 2017 is Bobby Richardson, whom the Broncos announced was waived today. Richardson, 24, started 11 games as a Saints rookie in 2015, but hasn’t seen an NFL field since. He had just signed with Denver in February.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Raiders, Lynch, Patriots
The Bengals selected Washington wide receiver John Ross with the ninth overall pick last Thursday, but some clubs didn’t view Ross as a worthwhile long-term investment, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. “We looked at him as a one-contract player,” one front office told La Canfora. “Our doctors had serious reservations about his longevity at this level.” Ross tore his ACL and missed the 2015 collegiate campaign, and also underwent labrum surgery after the combine. If healthy, Ross and his 4.22-second speed should add a new dynamic to Cincinnati’s offense.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- The Raiders‘ deal with running back Marshawn Lynch is worth $9MM over two years, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). In 2017, Lynch will earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.35MM plus a $1MM roster bonus due May 3 (which makes it effectively guaranteed). Lynch can also bring in $500K in per-game roster bonuses and $150K via a workout bonus. In 2018, Lynch’s cap number will be $6MM — including a $4MM base salary — but because none of that money is guaranteed (and because Oakland didn’t use a signing bonus), the Raiders can cut Lynch after 2017 with no dead money accelerating onto their cap.
- Even if new Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley is handed felony charges after an alleged sexual assault, he can’t be suspended by the NFL, league spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Because the incident and accusations occurred prior to Conley entering the league, the NFL cannot discipline him, although the episode come into play down the line. If Conley were to violate the NFL’s conduct policy going forward, he could be treated as a “repeat offender,” according to Florio.
- Mike Gillislee‘s two-year pact with the Patriots was front-loaded in order to convince the Bills not to match, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. Gillislee will earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.5MM in 2017, and will also rake $2MM via a roster bonus and $500K in per-game roster bonuses. In 2018, he’ll see a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.9MM with another $500K available in per-gamers. No signing bonus was used in the deal.
Cardinals Extended VP Terry McDonough
The Cardinals and vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough recently agreed to a four-year extension, as McDonough tells Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). McDonough presumably inked a new deal with Arizona following his dalliance with the 49ers this offseason.
McDonough was one of 11 candidates known to have interviewed for the vacant 49ers general manager position in January, and was thought to be one of the final contenders for the position, along with Vikings executive George Paton. Both McDonough and Murphy completed two interviews with San Francisco, but the open GM job instead went to John Lynch, who had no experience in personnel.
Though McDonough is now locked up in the desert for the long term, his extension shouldn’t prevent him from pursuing general manager posts in the future. McDonough doesn’t have final say on personnel matters with the Cardinals — that belongs to GM Steve Keim — so Arizona can’t block him from interviewing for promotions. And given the Cards’ effusive praise of McDonough during the last hiring cycle, they likely wouldn’t have any interest in stopping him from advancing, anyway.
McDonough has worked in Arizona since the 2013 campaign. Prior to that, McDonough spent a decade with the Jaguars, and also worked for the Browns/Ravens franchise before and after its transition to Baltimore.
Ravens Likely To Add More Free Agents
The Ravens wrapped up a productive draft on Saturday, finishing the process with new additions such as cornerback Marlon Humphrey, edge rushers Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, and interior defender Chris Wormley. Baltimore isn’t finished tweaking its roster, however, as general manager Ozzie Newsome the club’s makeup can still change over the next few months.
“You know there are going to be players that are going to be released after the draft,” Newsome said, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com. “There are going to be players that are going to be released in training camp. We are not done. The draft is a big part of it, and we are not done with the 53-man squad that we are going to play with when we open up against Cincinnati.”
While the Ravens upgraded several layers of their defense through the draft and free agency — they added safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Carr during the latter — Baltimore could still use help at wide receiver. Surprisingly, the club didn’t use any of its seven draft picks on a pass-catcher, and is now projected to start the 2017 campaign with Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman as its top two wideouts. Perriman, a former first-round pick, missed his entire rookie season in 2015 and managed only 33 receptions last year.
Baltimore still has nearly $6MM in available cap space, so it could afford to bring in another receiver in the coming weeks. Head coach John Harbaugh recently said he’d “obviously” be open to reunion with veteran Anquan Boldin, while Victor Cruz, Michael Floyd, and Andrew Hawkins are also available. May 11 could be a key date to watch, as any unrestricted free agent signed after that day won’t affect the 2018 compensatory pick formula.
Fifth-Year Option Decisions For 2018
The deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2014 is May 3, but all 32 NFL clubs have made their decisions with a day left on the clock. 23 of 32 players had their options exercised, five saw the options declined, and three weren’t eligible given that they’d already been released by their original clubs.
Of course, just because a player has his option exercised or declined, that doesn’t necessarily dictate his future earnings. These fifth-year options are only guaranteed for injury only for now, so assuming a player stays healthy, his team could still release him by March 2018 without being on the hook for any ’18 salary, even if his option was exercised today. Conversely, a player who had his option declined could have a bounce-back year and do well on the open market next March.
As we wait to see how the latest round of option decisions looks a year from now, let’s recap the action. Here’s a full breakdown of the fifth-year option decisions for 2018:
Exercised:
- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, $13.846MM (Texans): Exercised
- Blake Bortles, QB, (Jaguars), $19.053MM: Exercised
- Khalil Mack, DE (Raiders), $13.846MM: Exercised
- Jake Matthews, T (Falcons), $12.496MM: Exercised
- Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers), $13.258MM: Exercised
- Anthony Barr, LB (Vikings), $12.306MM: Exercised
- Eric Ebron, TE (Lions), $5.194MM: Exercised
- Taylor Lewan, T (Titans), $9.341MM: Exercised
- Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants), $8.459MM: Exercised
- Aaron Donald, DT (Rams), $6.892MM: Exercised
- Ryan Shazier, LB (Steelers), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Zack Martin, G (Cowboys), $9.341MM: Exercised
- C.J. Mosley, LB (Ravens), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Ja’Wuan James, T (Dolphins), $9.341MM: Exercised
- Brandin Cooks, WR (Patriots), $8.459MM: Exercised
- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S (Packers), $5.597MM: Exercised
- Dee Ford, LB (Chiefs), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Darqueze Dennard, CB (Bengals), $8.526MM: Exercised
- Jason Verrett, CB (Chargers), $8.526MM: Exercised
- Deone Bucannon, LB (Cardinals), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Kelvin Benjamin, WR (Panthers), $8.459MM: Exercised
- Jimmie Ward, CB (49ers), $8.526MM: Exercised
- Bradley Roby, CB (Broncos), $8.526MM: Exercised
Not exercised:
- Greg Robinson, OL (Rams), $12.496MM: Declined
- Sammy Watkins, WR (Bills), $13.258MM: Declined
- Justin Gilbert, CB (Browns): Not applicable due to release
- Kyle Fuller, CB, (Bears), $8.526MM: Declined
- Calvin Pryor, S (Jets), $5.597MM: Declined
- Johnny Manziel, QB (Browns): Not applicable due to release
- Marcus Smith, DE (Eagles), $8.625MM: Declined
- Dominique Easley, DT (Rams): Not applicable due to release
- Teddy Bridgewater, QB (Vikings), $12.198MM: Declined
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Brian Dixon
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: LB Cavellis Luckett
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: CB Tyler Patmon
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: K Brett Maher
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB Ian Wells (failed physical)
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers: WR Devin Street
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: DT Aziz Shittu, WR Dom Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: RB Brandon Brown-Dukes, RB Gus Johnson, WR Canaan Severin, CB Al-Hajj Shabazz
Washington Redskins
- Waived LB Steven Daniels,WR Reggie Diggs, LB Rufus Johnson, OL Quinton Schooley