Latest On Patriots’ First-Round Trade Talks: Commanders, CBs, Jones, Jets, Steelers
The Patriots’ decision to trade their first-round pick (No. 14 overall) to the Steelers produced some fallout, with the Jets believed to have been targeting Broderick Jones at No. 15. The Commanders factor into this interesting decision as well, having also discussed a trade-up with the Pats.
Washington GM Martin Mayhew spoke with Patriots scouting director Eliot Wolf during the run-up to New England’s No. 14 selection. The terms discussed (via a video showing Commanders draft-night proceedings; h/t MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels) point to Washington not wanting to give up its third-round pick (No. 97) in a deal to climb two spots.
Mayhew indicated the team might be willing to send its fourth-rounder (No. 118) to the Patriots for No. 14, and a second phone conversation revealed the Pats were willing to throw in a sixth-rounder to acquire the Commanders’ third. But after the Packers chose Lukas Van Ness at No. 13, the Commanders stood down. Ron Rivera and Commanders exec Marty Hurney referenced the likelihood of either Emmanuel Forbes or Christian Gonzalez remaining on the board at No. 16 as a reason not to complete a trade with the Pats. As it turned out, both Forbes and Gonzalez were available.
Forbes, who returned six interceptions for touchdowns during a prolific career at Mississippi State, did not end up being docked for his size (6-foot, 166). Despite ESPN’s Scouts Inc. slotting Gonzalez as this draft’s eighth-best prospect and ranking Forbes 21st, Washington preferred the smaller player to the Oregon prospect. The Pats chose Gonzalez at No. 17.
The Commanders’ decision not to complete a trade to ensure they ended up with Forbes led to the Patriots sending their pick to the Steelers, who took Jones. The Pats ended up with a fourth-round pick (No. 120) two spots below the one they may well have been able to obtain from the Commanders, but the much-rumored bonus of denying the Jets a first-round tackle likely sweetened the deal for Bill Belichick and Co.
“I’m not going to delve into the relationship between New England and the Jets; let’s just say I’m glad we found a partner,” Mike Tomlin said during a Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link). “I’ll put it this way: there wasn’t a lot of hesitation on New England’s end.”
Both Tomlin and GM Omar Khan confirmed the view inside the Steelers’ war room pointed to a Jets plan to take Jones. While the Jets have denied indicated they were comfortable with Will McDonald at No. 13 — their draft slot before the Aaron Rodgers trade — or 15, the belief around the league was a Jets preference for Jones. The Steelers are expected to give Jones a shot to unseat two-year left tackle incumbent Dan Moore.
“We were speculating there. We knew with the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers and so forth, [the Jets] might be fishing in those waters,” Tomlin said. “And so we did what we thought we needed to do to get the player and the position that we coveted. … There was a run on the position, starting with, I think [Bears selection] Darnell Wright at about 10 where they were coming off pretty clean. We just had that as a position of priority and we had Broderick as an individual of priority.”
The Commanders chose corners in Rounds 1 and 2, selecting Illinois’ Jartavius Martin at No. 47. The team moved on from a William Jackson miscalculation last season and will expect Forbes and Martin to make significant impacts alongside Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste. Despite Fuller’s past as a slot corner, the Commanders are planning to leave him on the outside in their zone-based system, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Ron Rivera said OTAs have featured Forbes and St-Juste being used both inside and outside. Rivera noted the team liked what St-Juste, a 2021 third-rounder, brought as a slot defender last season.
As for the Patriots, Gonzalez marks the first pure corner Belichick has chosen in Round 1 since he took the reins in 2000. The team expected the Commanders to choose Forbes, leaving them Gonzalez, whom the Pats — despite their three-spot trade-down maneuver — universally held in high regard.
“Teams have to wait a little bit here in the first round before they get their picks in. We didn’t know, but we had a pretty good feeling as to how Washington was going to play it out,” Pats player personnel director Mike Groh said (via Daniels). “So that sped things along for us. Again, it’s nice when you’ve got a consensus on a player. So from the coaching staff, to the scouts, we’re fairly unified grade wise on Christian. That just sped the process along.”
2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:
- Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
- New York Jets: $24.79MM
- Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
- Houston Texans: $16.81MM
- Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
- New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
- New England Patriots: $14.12MM
- Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
- Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
- Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
- Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
- Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
- New York Giants: $3.82MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K
The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.
The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.
Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.
Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.
Vikings Likely To Move On From Dalvin Cook
More than three months have passed since Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stopped short of guaranteeing Dalvin Cook would be back with the team for a seventh season. The Pro Bowl running back remains on Minnesota’s roster, but it does not look like that will be the case for too much longer.
As they did with Za’Darius Smith, the Vikings are hoping to collect an asset for Cook. Smith stood in limbo alongside Cook for several weeks, but the Vikings ended that uncertain period by dealing the edge rusher to the Browns in a pick-swap deal that brought back only 2024 and 2025 fifth-round picks. A Cook trade package likely would not bring too much back to Minnesota, if the short-lived Austin Ekeler trade market is any indication, but the Vikings still look to be pursuing that effort.
Be it via trade or release, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert notes the Vikings are likely set to close the book on what has been a successful Cook partnership. Minnesota agreed to terms with longtime backup Alexander Mattison in March. While the fifth-year running back’s deal is quite modest — two years, $7MM, even less than the Broncos are paying Samaje Perine — the Vikes guaranteed the long-running RB2 $6.35MM. With a Justin Jefferson contract in the cards, potentially by Week 1, Minnesota authorizing this guarantee for Mattison and keeping Cook’s $12.6MM-per-year extension on the books might be a bridge too far. After his signing, Mattison said he did so with an “understanding how it’s all laid out and how it’s all going to work out.”
That said, Seifert adds the Vikings have been in talks with Cook on a pay cut ahead of his age-28 season. This would also seemingly be contingent on a role reduction. Adofo-Mensah said in April the Vikings could “in theory” run back the Cook-Mattison pair, but they have not previously formed much of a committee. Mattison has generally served as a fill-in for Cook when he misses time. The former third-round pick has not offered the ceiling Cook provides, but he has also served as one of the game’s best backups. Mattison, 25 in June, is also three years younger than Cook and has 474 career touches. Cook, who is coming off shoulder surgery, has accumulated 1,503 in six seasons as Minnesota’s starter.
As we are now past June 1, it will cost the Vikings less to move on. They can trade Cook and pick up $11MM or release him and gain $9MM. The trade scenario, however, will be tough to complete due to Cook’s $10.4MM base salary. That figure sits as the third-highest among backs this year. Another team would likely ask the Vikings to pick up some of Cook’s salary. This scenario fetched the Broncos (Von Miller) and Bears (Robert Quinn) better draft capital in deals, but it is unknown how willing Adofo-Mensah is to follow this path. Another team could also acquire Cook and restructure his through-2025 contract, but absent a robust trade market, a suitor could bet on the Vikes cutting him. The team holds just more than $9.7MM in cap space.
The Dolphins are the only team to be connected to Cook via trade, and while they picked up the most money on a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, Miami still drafted Devon Achane in Round 3 after re-signing Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Myles Gaskin. Still, Cook is a South Florida native who would upgrade the Dolphins’ 2023 backfield.
As for the Vikings, they used a seventh-round pick on running back DeWayne McBride and still roster 2022 fifth-rounder Ty Chandler and 2021 fourth-rounder Kene Nwangwu. Cook could soon be an interesting domino as aspiring contenders assemble their rosters. While the door is not entirely closed on Cook staying in Minnesota, a divorce is likely coming.
Brady: ‘I’m Certain I’m Not Playing Again’
With Tom Brady agreeing to buy a piece of the Raiders and the team’s new quarterback — Jimmy Garoppolo — recovering from another surgery, understandable speculation regarding another Brady unretirement has emerged. The all-time great is again attempting to dispel notions he is coming back.
During a recent interview with SI Now’s Robin Lundberg, the former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback confirmed he is retired. Brady has announced retirements in each of the past two years. While he backtracked on his initial NFL exit in March 2022, the 23-year veteran has remained retired this year and insists he is done.
“I’m certain I’m not playing again,” Brady said (video link). “I’ve tried to make that clear. I hate to continue to profess that, because I’ve already told people that lots of times. But I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job at FOX next year. I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead with the Raiders.”
Brady, 45, added he is in the process of finalizing the Raiders agreement. Part-owner of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, Brady is set to serve in a similar capacity with Mark Davis‘ flagship franchise. NFL owners must approve Brady’s ownership stake by a three-fourths majority. While that majority vote exists for Brady’s ownership stake, a unanimous vote would be required for him to serve simultaneously as an owner/player.
This topic came up during the period in which Brady was connected to serving as a Dolphins owner/player. The NFL came down hard on Miami for its tampering effort involving Brady and Sean Payton, docking the franchise first- and third-round picks and suspending owner Stephen Ross. A year later, the QB icon is planning to enter the ownership ranks with another team.
A comeback with the Raiders certainly would make sense, were Brady interested in a Brett Favre-esque second unretirement. Brady spent many seasons working with current Raiders HC Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator, with GM Dave Ziegler also in New England during part of Brady’s 20-year tenure. Garoppolo, Brady’s backup from 2014 until an October 2017 trade exit, underwent surgery on his fractured foot in March.
The latest Garoppolo surgery came to light just last week, and the Raiders reworked his three-year contract to protect themselves against their preferred QB1’s foot injury keeping him off the field. The Raiders also may be in need of another backup option, with ex-Brady backup Brian Hoyer — ahead of his age-38 season — and fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell in place behind Garoppolo. Before Brady announced his retirement for a second time, the Raiders looked into the ex-McDaniels charge as a free agent. That door appears closed.
Brady said earlier this year he would not begin his FOX analyst job until 2024, keeping Greg Olsen in that chair for the time being. In 2022, FOX gave Brady a 10-year, $375MM deal to work as its No. 1 NFL analyst. Given his star power and the Raiders’ situation, this might not be the last time the seven-time Super Bowl winner needs to insist he will remain retired. But Brady is moving forward in ownership and broadcasting roles.
Bills Sign WR Marcell Ateman
Marcell Ateman‘s Thursday workout with the Bills will lead to a deal. The former Raiders wide receiver — and recent XFL pass catcher — agreed to terms with the Bills on Thursday.
The former NFL backup will join the Bills on a one-year deal. Both Ateman and wideout Preston Williams auditioned for the Bills today. Although Williams has been in the NFL since 2019, the Bills are going with Ateman, who last played in a regular-season game during the 2021 season and last caught a pass in 2019.
Ateman played for the St. Louis BattleHawks in the XFL this season. He will join spring teammates Hakeem Butler and Darrius Shepherd in securing an NFL opportunity. Butler signed with the Steelers last month; Shepherd caught on with the Chargers today. While Butler and Shepherd each finished in the top five in XFL receiving yards, Ateman totaled 259 and did not score a touchdown. The 6-foot-4 receiver caught 19 passes during his Missouri stay, though he did amass 99 yards (on 11 targets) during a game against the Seattle Sea Dragons.
In the NFL, Ateman has played only for the Raiders in the regular season. The Oklahoma State alum trekked to Oakland as a 2018 seventh-round pick. Between the 2018 and ’19 seasons, Ateman totaled 20 receptions for 270 yards and a touchdown. Ateman spent part of training camp with the Cardinals last year, but the Bills sending Cody Ford to Arizona via trade led to the receiver’s exit.
Ateman, 28, should not be considered a safe bet to stick with the Bills. Despite moving on from Isaiah McKenzie and Jamison Crowder this offseason, Buffalo added Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield and fifth-round pick Justin Shorter. That trio joins Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and second-year cog Khalil Shakir.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/1/23
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DT Brandin Bryant
- Waived: WR Braydon Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Darrius Shepherd
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Montreal Braswell, CB Benjie Franklin
- Waived: RB Chris Smith, NT LaTrell Bumphus
Shepherd has not played in an NFL game since 2020, when he finished a two-season stint with the Packers. Shepherd did go to training camp with the Broncos last year, and he spent time on Denver’s practice squad. This year, the North Dakota State product finished as a top-five receiver in the XFL. Playing for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Shepherd hauled in 48 passes for 519 yards and six touchdowns. Both the BattleHawks’ top two wideouts — Shepherd and Hakeem Butler — have received NFL opportunities. Only Butler’s eight receiving TDs topped Shepherd’s total. The Steelers added Butler last month.
Cowboys Discussed Riley Patterson With Jaguars, Still Looking For Kicker
In the months since Brett Maher‘s postseason accuracy crisis, the Cowboys have not made a major addition at kicker. Tristan Vizcaino resides as the only one on Dallas’ offseason roster.
At least one team kept the Cowboys in mind as it shopped its kicker. The Jaguars contacted the Cowboys when trying to unload Riley Patterson, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes. This came on a day in which the Jags signed longtime Bronco Brandon McManus, but after announcing they had cut Patterson, the AFC South team found a taker in the Lions. A low-level pick swap ensued to send Patterson back to Detroit.
The Cowboys did not show interest in McManus, according to Archer, who adds the team remains on the hunt at this position. Mike McCarthy mentioned XFL or USFL options. NFL teams are free to sign XFLers; several players who starred in the rebooted league are now on NFL rosters. The second USFL incarnation’s second season runs through July 1. The Cowboys found an All-Pro return man (KaVontae Turpin) from the USFL last year, though they may be eyeing more experience at kicker.
Maher, who worked out for the Broncos last week, remains available. Post-draft, the Cowboys did not shut down — Maher’s five playoff PAT misses aside — another agreement with their two-stint specialist. Maher, who holds the NFL record for most 60-plus-yard field goals (four), went 29-for-32 on field goals last year. That included 9 of 11 makes from beyond 50 yards. But Maher’s postseason issues hampered Dallas down the stretch.
Special teams coordinator John Fassel brought up free agents Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Ryan Succop. The 49ers chose Jake Moody in Round 3 to replace Gould, while Archer indicates the Cowboys were not interested in drafting a kicker in the third or fourth rounds like the 49ers and Patriots (Chad Ryland, Round 4) did. Gould, 40, has been an NFL kicker for 18 seasons. Crosby logged 16 with the Packers, who drafted Anders Carlson in the sixth round. Succop spent the past three seasons with the Bucs, stopping Tampa Bay’s near-decade-long kicker carousel.
This marks the second straight offseason in which the Cowboys are looking around at kicker. Their 2022 competition imploded during training camp. Both Jonathan Garibay and Lirim Hajrullahu ended up being waived in August, with Maher returning after a camp tryout. Vizcaino, 26, has kicked in 10 games for four different teams — the 49ers, Chargers, Cardinals and Patriots — from 2020-22. The Washington alum is 11-for-12 on field goals but was just 10 of 15 on PATs during his lone extended run — with the 2021 Chargers, who cut him after signing Dustin Hopkins.
DeAndre Hopkins Seeking OBJ-Level Deal; Bills GM Contacts Free Agent WR
The NFL’s marquee free agent of the moment, DeAndre Hopkins has consistently mentioned the Bills and Chiefs as appealing destinations. But the free agent wide receiver may not be prepared to take a steep discount to play with Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen.
Hopkins is seeking a contract in the neighborhood of the deal Odell Beckham Jr. received from the Ravens, Tim Graham of The Athletic notes (subscription required). In one of this offseason’s most surprising accords, Beckham received a fully guaranteed one-year, $15MM deal from Baltimore in April. Incentives can bump the earnings to $18MM. Beckham securing this money despite missing the 2022 season and having suffered two ACL tears since October 2020 surely has Hopkins believing he is worth more.
With that offer, the then-receiver-needy Ravens outflanked the Jets by what is believed to be a wide margin for Beckham. New York was proposing an incentive-laden deal. Beckham did well to collect that money before teams made draft investments. Funding is tighter post-draft, and June is not a great time for free agents to cash in. That said, six teams will be picking up cap room Friday due to post-June 1 cuts. The Bills and Chiefs are not among them, however.
The Bills negotiated with the Cardinals on Hopkins, and Graham adds GM Brandon Beane spoke directly with the available wideout — whom Arizona shopped for months — before he signed with Klutch Sports. With the Bills holding just $1.4MM in cap space, multiple executives informed Graham that Hopkins is a long shot to end up in Buffalo. The Chiefs hold even less cap room, sitting on barely $600K.
Given how many times Hopkins has mentioned the Bills this offseason, the three-time reigning AFC East champs should not exactly be considered out of the running. But a league exec that communicated with Hopkins’ camp does not expect the former All-Pro’s interest in playing with Mahomes or Allen to supersede interest in being fairly compensated. As the Chiefs and Bills negotiated with the Cardinals, Beckham’s contract hijacked those respective talks. The Bills have been connected to Hopkins since March.
Previous reports have pegged the Bills and Chiefs as the Hopkins favorites, but each would need to move some money around to land the veteran wideout. While it is still unlikely Hopkins will fetch a $15MM guarantee — due to the Cardinals cutting the 10-year vet late in the offseason and injuries plaguing him over the past two years — the Clemson alum will soon need to decide how important his fourth contract will be compared to a desire to play with a top-tier quarterback.
The Browns have loomed as a stealth Hopkins suitor, with Deshaun Watson having discussed his former Texans teammate with Cleveland brass. Watson has said he would love to have Hopkins on the Browns, and Cleveland will soon hold nearly $16MM in cap space. The Browns traded for Elijah Moore and have three recent third-round picks (Cedric Tillman, David Bell, Anthony Schwartz) supplementing Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
The Chiefs and Bills have clearer needs at the position. Kansas City lost its top 2022 wideout — JuJu Smith-Schuster — due to a stronger New England offer and also let Mecole Hardman walk. The Chiefs’ belief in Kadarius Toney as a potential No. 1 wideout overlooks a concerning injury history. The Bills did not add a wideout until Round 5 (Justin Shorter) in the draft, though they did sign slot player Deonte Harty, and have Gabriel Davis in a contract year. Buffalo is still planning to use first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid frequently in the slot.
Hopkins, 31 next week, has collected more than $111MM since entering the NFL as a 2013 first-round pick. He signed a five-year, $81MM Texans deal in 2017, and the Cardinals tacked two years (and $42.75MM guaranteed) onto that deal via a $54.5MM extension in 2020. While Hopkins should not be begrudged for seeking fair compensation, it would be interesting to see if he passes on a Bills or Chiefs partnership if one or both teams have lower-cost offers on the table. But Buffalo and Kansas City’s cap situations do, then, keep the door open for other interested teams.
Commanders Contract Matters On Hold Amid Likely Ownership Change
The timeline for Dan Snyder‘s long-reported sale — to Josh Harris — has overshadowed everything else pertaining to the Commanders this offseason, and that likely will continue into the foreseeable future.
Snyder and Harris have reached an exclusive sale agreement, doing so in early May. Issues surrounding the league’s debt limit and the number of investors in Harris’ ownership group are expected to produce an extended timetable before the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner takes over. Although Roger Goodell expects Harris’ purchase to be ratified, the NFL’s finance committee is still reviewing the $6.05 billion agreement.
As that matter persists, Snyder may still have some big-picture decisions to make. Though, it sounds like the Commanders’ football-side decision-makers would prefer to avoid that. The team is pausing contractual matters for the time being.
“We’ll have to work through some things before we can do any of that stuff,” Ron Rivera said (via Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero) regarding contract issues. “We’re in a good position right now. I don’t think we really need to make those type of moves. If something does come up, I’ll probably reach out to the current owner and see what we’re capable of doing still.”
Fewer contract issues exist compared to last summer for the team. The 2022 offseason featured negotiations with Terry McLaurin and Daron Payne. McLaurin signed his extension last June, while Payne ended up receiving the franchise tag this year. But the Commanders became the first (and only) team to lock down a tagged player this year, giving the standout defensive tackle a four-year, $90MM extension in March.
“It’s been put out there that everything’s kind of in a holding pattern until we get everything done and put into place,” Rivera said. “I do know that there is a plan. We’ve had a plan. We went through what the plan was in February, March, April. We’ve adjusted it because we got Daron taken care of.
“And so now, we have a plan to focus on the next few guys that we feel we’ve got to be able to go after. But once the ownership change happens, we’ll be able to sit down with the powers that be and explain to them what we see and hopefully they’ll agree with it, and we’ll be able to go forward.”
Beyond signing draft picks, the Commanders do not have a McLaurin- or Payne-level contract decision to address. The team stood down at quarterback, going with an oft-questioned plan of a Sam Howell–Jacoby Brissett competition, and did not pick up Chase Young‘s fifth-year option, pointing to a “prove it” season for the former Defensive Rookie of the Year. This ownership transfer delay could affect the team’s proceedings with Montez Sweat, who is going into his fifth-year option season. The Commanders would have the franchise tag available for Sweat in 2024, but Young’s status — as he prepares for a full season, after seeing his 2021 ACL tear nearly knock him out for all of 2022 — stands to play a role on that front as well. Harris will likely be in place as owner when a potential Young-or-Sweat decision emerges.
Although the NFL’s spring meetings went off without a vote on Harris’ Commanders purchase, a meeting can be called specifically for a vote. That remains expected before the season begins. For the time being, Rivera, GM Martin Mayhew and Co. are somewhat restricted in how they navigate financial matters.
Brock Purdy Resumes Throwing, Remains Frontrunner To Start
Brock Purdy did end up beating early post-surgery projections. The second-year quarterback’s previously reported plan to throw this week is a go, and John Lynch said no setbacks emerged after the session.
The 49ers will still be, understandably, proceeding cautiously with last year’s third-stringer-turned-starter. But Lynch said during a Sirius XM Radio appearance the team is “incredibly encouraged” by Purdy’s early recovery stages.
[RELATED: Trey Lance Not Considering Trade Request]
Last year’s Mr. Irrelevant underwent UCL surgery March 10, following a slight delay due to swelling, and his recovery timetable could run up against the 49ers’ regular-season opener. Should Purdy continue to progress and make it back in time, Lynch said he remains the “leader in the clubhouse” to start. Lynch, as expected, praised Trey Lance — who has taken the bulk of the 49ers’ first-team reps during OTAs thus far — and labeled the Purdy-Lance-Sam Darnold setup an open competition.
“Is it a flash in the pan or is it the real deal?” Lynch said, regarding Purdy (h/t The Athletic’s David Lombardi). “As we’ve gone back and studied it, he played at a high, high level. Not only played within the system, he made a lot of plays outside the system by extending plays. He showed tremendous playmaking ability. He showed tremendous ability to run the system efficiently, effectively, push the ball downfield — he just had an incredible first year.”
In not chasing an upgrade and letting Jimmy Garoppolo walk in free agency, the 49ers effectively showed that confidence in Purdy building on his stunning rookie-year form. The team did add Darnold but did so after Lance underwent a second ankle surgery. Darnold has also taken first-team reps during OTAs, per the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman, and represents a wild card of sorts given the advantages the Kyle Shanahan-orchestrated offense has on the Jets and Panthers’ attacks Darnold helmed during his first five seasons.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Darnold’s talent level begins to show during Purdy’s recovery, as he and Lance are currently slated to back up a former No. 262 overall pick. Purdy’s form once he receives full clearance will obviously bring attention, given the healthy options the 49ers now have at quarterback. For now, however, the 2018 and ’21 No. 3 draftees are in line for reserve roles — though, it will be difficult to envision either being a third-stringer in the event the 49ers keep all three come September.