Kassim Osgood

49ers Sign Desmond Bishop; Osgood To IR

11:54am: As expected, Osgood has been placed on IR as the corresponding transaction, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 49ers have now confirmed both moves.

10:34am: With their depth at inside linebacker thinning out due to injuries, the 49ers have signed a veteran free agent to help fortify the position, adding linebacker Desmond Bishop, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Bishop, who was cut earlier in the month by the division-rival Cardinals, had tried out for the Niners last week.

The Cardinals signed Bishop to a contract back in August, released him prior to Week 1, then circled back around to him in October. The 30-year-old didn’t see much action on the field for Arizona, however, and didn’t record a tackle all season for the club.

Bishop spent the first six years of his NFL career in Green Bay, emerging as one of the team’s starting linebackers in 2010 and 2011. The former sixth-round pick racked up more than 100 tackles in each of those seasons, totaling eight sacks, 10 passes defended, and four forced fumbles in those two combined years. However, injuries have since derailed his career. Bishop suffered a ruptured hamstring in 2012 while with the Vikings, and in 2013, his season was cut short after four games thanks to an ACL tear.

The 49ers have yet to announce a corresponding move to accommodate the addition of Bishop, but special-teamer Kassim Osgood underwent surgery on his finger today and will miss the rest of the season, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). The team could move Osgood to IR to open up a roster spot.

Injury Updates: Monday

With just two weeks left in the NFL regular season, injuries that may not have been long-term problems earlier in the year could now end a player’s season. We’ll keep tabs right here on the latest updates on the ailments that could prompt roster moves or significantly alter a team’s plans:

  • While several players will be placed on injured reserve lists this week, ending their seasons, one player will come off IR — Bills running back C.J. Spiller is expected to be activated from IR-DTR, though it’s not clear how much of a role he’ll have for Buffalo in Week 16, or if he’ll even play (Twitter link).
  • A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall suffered a mid-foot sprain, and Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that Marshall is expected to miss a week or two with the injury. While Marshall should return this season, fellow Denver linebacker Danny Trevathan won’t, according to Klis, who says Trevathan dislocated his left kneecap and will have to undergo surgery.
  • Lions right tackle LaAdrian Waddle partially tore his ACL yesterday and will miss the rest of the season, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • Eagles outside linebacker Trent Cole has a broken hand, and his status for the rest of the season is uncertain, a source tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
  • Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said today on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery on a broken bone in his hand (Twitter link via SiriusXM NFL Radio). Providing specifics on the injury, Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com notes (via Twitter) that Emmitt Smith once missed a game after undergoing a similar surgery. It sounds as if Murray will be questionable for Week 16, but shouldn’t miss much – if any – time.
  • Key 49ers special teamer Kassim Osgood also broke a bone in his hand and likely won’t play in the club’s final two games, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
  • Chargers linebacker Donald Butler dislocated his left elbow and is a candidate for IR, according to head coach Mike McCoy, who says the club is exploring its options (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune).

49ers Re-Sign Osgood, Cut Josh Johnson

As expected, the 49ers have once again re-signed wideout and special-teamer Kassim Osgood to their 53-man roster, according to the league’s transactions wire. To make room for Osgood, the club cut third-string quarterback Josh Johnson.

Osgood has signed four different contracts with the Niners since March, including two since the season got underway. Earlier this week, the 34-year-old was released once again to clear a spot for safety Bubba Ventrone, another special teams ace, but head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated that he expected Osgood to be re-signed quickly.

Johnson, who was behind Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert on the quarterback depth chart, has been shuffled on and off the Niners’ roster multiple times this year as well. Most recently, he was cut on September 20 and re-signed three days later. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make his way back onto San Francisco’s 53-man roster sometime in the near future, though as long as the club’s top two signal-callers stay healthy, there shouldn’t be much urgency.

NFC Notes: Peterson, Osgood, Fairley, Rams

A day after Adrian Peterson‘s trial date for his child abuse charges was set for December 1, the Vikings running back is potentially facing another arrest today, according to Isiah Carey of FOX 26 Houston. Carey reports that Montgomery County prosecutors filed paperwork to have Peterson rearrested after he admitted to smoking “a little weed,” in violation of his bond conditions. There won’t be any action immediately since the judge presiding over Peterson’s case is facing a recusal hearing, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow, but the Montgomery County DA has asked the judge to set aside Peterson’s $15K bond.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Kassim Osgood was cut this week by the 49ers just days after head coach Jim Harbaugh called him the team’s best special teams player, and Harbaugh said today that he hopes to get Osgood back on the 53-man roster “imminently,” according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link).
  • The Lions say they declined Nick Fairley‘s fifth-year option for 2015 to motivate him to have a big contract year, and so far that approach seems to be working, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Of course, it’s fair to wonder if Fairley would have been more productive and more consistent anyway, and question whether the Lions should have given up the flexibility to bring him back in 2015 at an affordable one-year price.
  • As he nears free agency, Falcons running back Antone Smith is increasing his value every time he touches the ball, says ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure.
  • Passing along news that Rams owner Stan Kroenke figures to be granted an extra year to transfer ownership of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and NBA’s Denver Nuggets, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post suggests there’s speculation that Kroenke will push for a permanent exemption from the NFL’s cross-ownership rule if he tries to move the Rams to Los Angeles. Currently, league rules prohibit ownership of teams in other sports that are in different markets than the owner’s NFL franchise.

49ers Sign Bubba Ventrone

WEDNESDAY, 11:13am: The Niners have cut wideout and special-teamer Kassim Osgood to make room for Ventrone, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. It’s the third time in the last six weeks that Osgood has been released by San Francisco, but it may not be long before he returns to the team.

TUESDAY, 6:23pm: The 49ers have signed safety Bubba Ventrone, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Ventrone was cut by San Francisco on August 30th as a part of their downsizing to a 53-man roster.

The Villanova product appeared in 16 games for the 49ers last season, primarily on special teams. Across seven NFL seasons, Ventrone has 61 career tackles, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. At 5’10” and 200 pounds, Ventrone isn’t the biggest guy on the field, but he has been widely praised for his toughness and work ethic. The 49ers’ punt-coverage team is giving up an average of 14.8 yards on punt returns, so someone like Ventrone is sorely needed in SF.

NFC Notes: Redskins, Lions, 49ers, Boykin

Following Jordan Reed‘s injury on Sunday, the Redskins auditioned a few tight ends today, including Michael Higgins, Kevin Brock, and Tony Scheffler, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Scheffler is the most interesting name in the group — the last we heard from him, he was announcing his retirement after sustaining three concussions in the last four years. Apparently he hasn’t decided to move entirely away from the NFL quite yet though.

  • The Lions were already on the lookout for secondary help, having worked out Champ Bailey and other veteran defensive backs last week. Now, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes, the team will have to deal with a season-ending ACL injury for cornerback Bill Bentley, meaning some sort of roster addition appears likely.
  • Having recently rejoined the 49ers, special-teams ace Kassim Osgood tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) that he hopes to play in the NFL at least another three years — that would give him 15 total seasons in the league, at age 37.
  • 49ers CEO Jed York reiterated today that he and head coach Jim Harbaugh will sit down and discuss Harbaugh’s contract, which runs through next year, at the end of the 2014 season, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
  • In a look at Brandon Boykin, who is playing the nickel role in Philadelphia, Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com examines the cornerback’s contract situation. Boykin is eligible for a new deal at year’s end, and McManus points out that it will be interesting to see if the 24-year-old is content with re-signing in the same role with the Eagles or wants the opportunity to be a starting outside corner elsewhere.
  • Michael Rand of the Star Tribune thinks it makes sense for the Rams to work out a trade with the Vikings for Christian Ponder.

49ers Re-Sign Kassim Osgood

For the third time this calendar year, the 49ers have signed wide receiver and special-teamer Kassim Osgood to a contract, per Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Osgood was just released by the team on Saturday, so it didn’t take long for him to make it back onto the roster.

Osgood, 34, was released by San Francisco during the team’s cutdown to 53 players, re-signed days later, and then cut again before the team’s first game. Because he wasn’t on the club’s Week 1 roster, Osgood’s full-season salary won’t be guaranteed, which gives the Niners some added flexibility, as I explained over the weekend.

In his first year with the Niners, Osgood appeared in only 45 offensive snaps and snagged just one reception during the regular season. However, he was a key contributor in kick and punt coverage, compiling an impressive 13 special teams tackles.

The Niners won’t need to make a corresponding cut, since the team waived LaMichael James earlier today.

Sunday Roundup: Harbaugh, Gordon, Manuel

After Michigan’s embarrassing loss to Notre Dame on Saturday evening, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wondered if Michigan fans would begin to dream of 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s return to Ann Arbor to coach his alma mater. We detailed Harbaugh’s contract situation last month, and as Florio writes, “with no new contract in place and no plan to try to work one out until after the season, Michigan could opt to chase Harbaugh.”

In a series of tweets, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that some 49ers sources believe that Harbaugh is already losing his locker room as the club’s veterans are wondering if their coach is really “all in.” Rapoport adds that some veterans were annoyed that Harbaugh took the team to Baltimore for a few days to hold joint practices with his brother, John, head coach of the Ravens. Between those rumblings and the fact that an extension was not reached in the offseason, Rapoport wonders if this will be Jim Harbaugh’s final season in San Francisco.

Now for some more notes from around the league as the season gets underway in full force:

  • Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the 49ers will re-sign special teams standout Kassim Osgood tomorrow. Joel Corry notes (via Twitter) that the team did the same thing with Osgood last season (release him at the end of camp only to re-sign him after Week 1) and will get termination pay relief again.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer writes that, under the terms of the new drug policy being discussed by the league and the player’s union, Josh Gordon could be reinstated and back on the field for the Browns as early as next week, though he might still be suspended two games in November for his pending DWI charge.
  • ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that there are some within the Bills organization who are skeptical of EJ Manuel‘s ability to succeed, and the team is not afraid to make a switch to Kyle Orton.

 

49ers Release Kassim Osgood

The 49ers have released special teams ace Kassim Osgood, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).

They used the roster space in order to take Alex Boone off the exempt list following his holdout and return him to the active roster.

Osgood made a name for himself with the Chargers, making three Pro Bowls as a special teams player. He also spent time with the Jaguars and Lions, though he never developed into a receiving threat.

49ers To Re-Sign Kassim Osgood

Wide receiver and special teams ace Kassim Osgood will rejoin the 49ers today, according to head coach Jim Harbaugh. Appearing on KNBR in San Francisco this morning, Harbaugh indicated that Osgood would take the active roster spot by Glenn Dorsey, who will be placed on the injured reserve list with the designation to return (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee).

Osgood, 34, was released by San Francisco during the team’s cutdown to 53 players on the weekend. In his first year with the Niners, Osgood appeared in only 45 offensive snaps and snagged just one reception during the regular season. However, he was a key contributor in kick and punt coverage, compiling an impressive 13 special teams tackles.

Osgood’s previous one-year, minimum-salary contract with the team featured a $20K first-game roster bonus, so it’ll be interesting to see if the team includes that same provision in his new deal.