HEADLINES

Jonathan Martin

The 49ers’ Offensive Line Situation

May 26th, 2014 at 4:02pm CST by David Kipke

The reigning NFC runners-up have developed an elite offensive line over the past few years, as evidenced by the remarkably consistent success of Frank Gore, as well as the fact that the unit allowed the fourth fewest quarterback pressures in 2013. It’s worth considering how the unit will look heading forward into 2014 and beyond.

The 49ers finished 2013 with nine offensive lineman on their active roster. Although San Francisco chose not to re-sign returning starting center Jonathan Goodwin, the team added USC center Marcus Martin via the draft. While the rookie will likely provide quality depth at both center and guard, three-year veteran Daniel Kilgore figures to slide into Goodwin’s vacated starting role. In fact, Kilgore’s February three-year extension, which was covered by our own Luke Adams, would suggest that the 49ers perhaps have similar intentions to groom Martin for multiple seasons before bumping him up to a starting role when Kilgore’s contract expires.

Former first-rounder Jonathan Martin was another significant offseason acquisition for the 49ers, when the team sent the Dolphins a 2015 seventh-round draft pick for him. Although Martin does not figure to start away with elite tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis already on the roster, the Stanford product immediately becomes one of the league’s best backup tackles.

One interesting subplot to watch after next season will be the 49ers’ treatment of former All-Pro left guard Mike Iupati, who will become a free agent next March after establishing himself as one of the predominant guards in the NFL. Should the 49ers decide to cut ties with Iupati, one could reasonably expect Marcus Martin, Kilgore, or 2014 draft pick Brandon Thomas to fill his vacated spot. Meanwhile, Jonathan Martin has no experience at guard, but suggested he has heard that making a transition toward the interior of the line is easier than moving from guard to tackle. So while the team may lose an elite lineman next offseason, they have four high-upside, talented replacements waiting in the wings — or in Kilgore’s case, about six inches to Iupati’s right on Sundays.

It is undeniable that the 49ers have learned how to cultivate homegrown superstar lineman, a reality exemplified chiefly by perennial All-Pros Staley and Iupati. As good as the last few years have been on the San Francisco offensive line, the future looks just as bright.

Seahawks Hire Jeff Ireland As Draft Consultant

April 26th, 2014 at 11:35am CST by Matt Feminis

Former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland is assisting the Seahawks’ draft preparations, reports Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez, who says Ireland and the team could discuss a full-time role after the draft.

Ireland served as the Dolphins’ GM from 2008 until January when he was jettisoned — not coincidentally — amidst the team’s bullying scandal involving Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. Under Ireland’s leadership, the Dolphins managed a mediocre 35 wins over his his last five years at the helm, in part because of his poor drafting and inability to assemble a productive, cohesive offense. Notable busts on his record include Chad Henne, Phillip Merling and Pat White, while last year’s No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan has already hit the trade block. Several other players drafted in the first four rounds have also struggled to establish themselves.

Aside from constructing a lackluster roster, Ireland did not do the organization any favors from a public relations standpoint, either. In 2010, he infamously asked draft prospect Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute. In 2012, he swore at a fan. And most recently, it was revealed that Martin’s agent brought the bullying issue to Ireland’s attention, at which point the GM suggested Martin fight Incognito.

Ireland began his professional scouting career working for the National Scouting Combine before working for the Chiefs as an area scout, then climbing the ladder in Dallas, where he earned the respect of Bill Parcells, who handed Ireland the reins in Miami.

The Super Bowl champs hiring a controversial executive would be mildly surprising if not for the fact Ireland and Seahawks GM John Schneider are “buddies,” notes NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

Florida Notes: Bucs, Thurmond, Dolphins

March 14th, 2014 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Friday afternoon items on Florida’s NFL teams….

  • The Buccaneers aren’t in play for cornerback Walter Thurmond, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). We heard earlier today that Thurmond’s visit with the Redskins had been canceled as well, so it sounds as if he may be close to making a decision. He has reportedly visited the Jaguars, as well as the 49ers.
  • The new deals with the Buccaneers for quarterback Josh McCown and offensive tackle Anthony Collins include plenty of incentives, as Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com details.
  • Free agent right tackle Zach Strief declined an offer to visit the Dolphins, with no explanation given, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
  • Within the same piece, Jackson says the Dolphins hope to get a deal done with offensive lineman Shelley Smith today, and that owner Stephen Ross never met with Jonathan Martin before the team sent him to the Niners, despite repeatedly saying he would.

Extra Points: Smith, Munnerlyn, Neal

March 13th, 2014 at 10:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told reporters, including Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter), that he wanted a three-year deal with the Vikings rather than four years so that he could get another contract before he turns 30. He added (link) that it was very tough for him to say goodbye to the Panthers, but Carolina couldn’t afford to give him the same contract. More from around the NFL..

  • Steve Smith‘s visit with the Ravens is going well so far, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Steelers were eyeing Mike Neal in free agency before he re-signed with Green Bay, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The linebacker got a two-year, $8MM deal from the Packers with a $2.5MM signing bonus.
  • Charlie Whitehurst had the same offer from the Chargers before he picked the Titans, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN. The quarterback inked a two-year deal with a $4MM base with another $4MM in incentives and $2MM guaranteed.
  • New 49ers addition Jonathan Martin told reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), that he never considered retirement.
  • Former Bucs left tackle Donald Penn is flying to Oakland tonight to visit the Raiders, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Penn has been heavily linked to the Raiders since his release.
  • The 49ers don’t have much salary cap space and it’s hard to see them signing both a cornerback and a wide receiver, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
  • Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter) expects the market for Saints free agent center Brian de la Puente to heat up now that the first wave of free agency has come and gone.
  • Henry Melton‘s possible legal trouble won’t prevent the Bears from re-signing him, but they could use it as ammunition as they try to knock his price down, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.

49ers Acquire Jonathan Martin From Dolphins

March 13th, 2014 at 6:41pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 6:43pm: The 49ers have announced that Martin has passed his physical and has officially joined the team (via Twitter).

TUESDAY, 10:09pm: The Dolphins will get a seventh-round pick from the 49ers in 2015 if he’s on San Francisco’s opening day 53-man roster, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.

9:09pm: The 49ers are trading a conditional pick to the Dolphins for offensive tackle Jonathan Martin, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN (on Twitter).

From Miami’s perspective, the deal gives both the Dolphins organization and Martin a fresh start. For the 49ers, they acquire a 2012 second-round selection on a low-risk trade.

Still just 24, Martin started all 16 games in 2012 for the Dolphins at right tackle and did the same at left tackle for seven games in 2013 before leaving the team. Martin went from an unknown in the world outside of football to a front page mainstay for months thanks to the Richie Incognito scandal. It was presumed from the get-go that the club would move on from both Martin and Incognito in an effort to revamp their locker room. With Incognito in NFL limbo and Martin on his way to San Francisco, the Dolphins have all but turned the page on an ugly chapter in their franchise’s history.

The trade reunites Martin with his former coach at Stanford, Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh spoke highly of Martin’s character in the now infamous Wells Report.

Martin will come to San Francisco in support of offensive tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. The deal marks the second swap by the 49ers today. Earlier, they acquired Blaine Gabbert from the Jaguars for a low draft pick.

Extra Points: Hawkins, Graham, Martin, Byrd

March 11th, 2014 at 10:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Wilson of National Football Post has the goods on Andrew Hawkins‘ $13.1MM offer sheet with the Browns. The deal would give the wide receiver a $3MM signing bonus and a 2014 base salary of $1.8MM guaranteed for skill and injury. In 2015, he has a $2.3MM base that is guaranteed for injury only. He has non-guaranteed bases of $2.5MM in ’16 and $2.6MM in ’17. More from around the NFL..

  • One team other than the Ravens to keep an eye on for cornerback Corey Graham is the Dolphins, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. There’s an opening now that Nolan Carroll is unsigned and Dimitri Patterson has been cut.
  • The Dolphins will carry about $959K in dead money after the Jonathan Martin trade, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
  • If DeMarcus Ware is still on the market after the initial wave of interest, the Packers could get involved, but that’s unlikely, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN. It sounds like the Broncos are the frontrunner for his services.
  • The Bills‘ best offer to Jairus Byrd was a yearly average of about $7.5MM, tweets Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.
  • The Colts had conversations with the Dolphins about Martin and the Vikings also showed interest, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
  • Tracy Porter is visiting the Giants tonight, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter).

Extra Points: Benton, Dolphins, Amendola

March 1st, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Peter Sowards

The Dolphins have promoted John Benton to offensive line coach and named Jack Bicknell Jr. the team’s assistant offensive line coach, the team announced today.

Benton was originally hired by the Dolphins on January 29. He replaces Jim Turner, who was fired earlier this month for his involvement in the Richie Incognito–Jonathan Martin bullying scandal.

Bicknell spent the 2013 season as the Steelers‘ offensive line coach. Before that, he had NFL stops with the Chiefs and Giants, and 24 seasons coaching at the collegiate level.

Here are some more bits and pieces from a relatively slow Saturday night…

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Martin, Clowney

February 28th, 2014 at 9:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

While some teams received some extra cap relief as the new salary cap number was released, there are some teams that are not benefiting from the extra room just yet. The Jaguars are estimated to now have just over $56MM in cap space this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com. Every team could use a little extra cap space, but the Jaguars are still worried about hitting the minimum 89% cash spending requirement, writes Alfie Crow of BigCatCountry. Crow does explain that they do not have to hit that mark in 2014, but instead must reach the mark over a four-year period.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:

  • The Jaguars have plenty of options if they want to spend their money, either up to the brink of the cap or even just to approach the 89% mark. Nate Davis of USA Today advises that the team’s general manager Dave Caldwell start by courting a big name wideout such as Hakeem Nicks, and handing out a big payday to Browns center Alex Mack in order to replace the retiring Brad Meester.
  • Jonathan Martin will most likely be looking for a new team in the near future, and although he has many friends in the Colts’ locker room, Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team is not in need of a tackle. Pro Football Rumors recognized this unfortunate reality as well, earlier this month.
  • The Titans hold the 11th pick in the NFL Draft, and while the team has many holes to fill, Nicholas Pitakos of TitanSized.com explored the possibility of the team moving up to draft Jadeveon Clowney out of South Carolina. While he sees Clowney as a once in a lifetime prospect, and he is scared of him ending up in the AFC South with either the Texans or Jaguars, Pitakos sees the price just being too costly for the Titans to move up.

Freeman On Clowney, Texans, Harbaugh

February 26th, 2014 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

The latest edition of Mike Freeman’s Ten-Point Stance column at Bleacher Report features several notes from the scouting combine, including the latest on which direction the Texans may be leaning with the first overall pick. Let’s dive in and round up a few of the highlights from Freeman’s piece….

  • While he cautions that smokescreens or flat out lies are common at this time of year, Freeman reports that a number of sources say the Texans are now favoring Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 pick. “We’ve never really seen anything like Clowney,” said one Texans official. “There’s the chance he could redefine the position the way Reggie White or Bruce Smith did.”
  • The view around the league suggests the Texans are starting to “slowly fall in lust” with Clowney, says Freeman. Still, in addition to Freeman’s own concerns that the latest rumblings could be a smokescreen, it’s worth pointing out that he reported nearly the same thing about Houston and Johnny Manziel just a week ago. It’s probably fair to assume that Manziel and Clowney aren’t the only players the Texans will reportedly covet before May 8.
  • Several team officials believe the apparent rift between 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and the team’s front office is reminiscent of Bill Parcells‘ situation in New England. Parcells ended up making his way to the Jets, where he assumed greater control of personnel decisions, and it looks like Harbaugh will eventually want a similar position, either in San Francisco or elsewhere, writes Freeman.
  • Despite reports to the contrary, the Dolphins aren’t interested in bringing back Jonathan Martin, and are simply trying to create the impression that they are, says Freeman. Even though it appears neither the team nor Martin wants a reunion, it could be in the best interest of both sides to present that as a realistic possibility in order to create some trade value for the young lineman. A trade, rather than a release, would ensure that the Dolphins get something for Martin, and would mean the 24-year-old gets his full rookie-contract salary rather than having to settle for the league minimum as a free agent.
  • Freeman keeps hearing that not many teams will trade up in this year’s draft, since the class is believed to be incredibly deep. In other words, if a team misses out on one target, there will usually be two or three viable alternatives. However, Freeman isn’t convinced that this will reduce draft-day trades, noting that it could make clubs more inclined to trade down, meaning the cost to move up wouldn’t necessarily be as steep as usual.

Martin Not Interested In Return To Dolphins

February 25th, 2014 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

12:35pm: According to La Canfora (all Twitter links), Martin’s agent Rick Smith has released a statement saying La Canfora’s initial report isn’t true. “We have no idea where you got this information,” Smith said. “But it wasn’t even close.”

Despite Smith’s strong denial, it’s worth noting that Abramson published a separate report on Martin not wanting to return to the Dolphins (linked below), so it’s hard to believe there’s no truth to that aspect of the story. Perhaps Smith is shooting down some of the specific details reported by La Canfora about the meeting.

12:07pm: The Dolphins have publicly suggested that Jonathan Martin‘s time in Miami doesn’t necessarily have to come to an end this offseason, and while that was viewed as a tactic to attempt to boost his trade value, the team conveyed a similar sentiment at the combine, sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. According to La Canfora, Dolphins CEO Dawn Aponte, GM Dennis Hickey, and head coach Joe Philbin met with Martin’s agents in Indianapolis and expressed interest in retaining the offensive lineman. However, La Canfora continues, Martin’s reps informed the Miami decision-makers that their client isn’t interested in returning to the organization.

Hickey, who La Canfora says did most of the talking on the Dolphins’ side during the meeting, expressed a desire to bring Martin back into the fold. According to the CBS scribe though, Philbin was “staring daggers” across the room during the meeting, and blames Martin’s agents for the situation reaching this point — the head coach felt that the tackle’s discomfort could have been addressed more privately, and handled differently.

Richie Incognito and John Jerry are eligible for free agency this offseason and neither player will return to Miami, which eliminates a pair of the linemen implicated in the Ted Wells report. Still, center Mike Pouncey, who was also identified as one of Martin’s harassers in the report, remains under contract and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere for 2014. Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post was also told that Martin doesn’t want to return to the Dolphins, and Abramson’s source pointed to Pouncey’s presence as one reason why it wouldn’t work.

“How do you take him back?” the source said. “Do you get rid of Pouncey? All these guys talked s**** about him. I don’t even know how it’s possible.”

For his part, Martin has continually expressed a desire to continue his playing career. With his trade value at an all-time low and no interest in reporting to the Dolphins, the 24-year-old appears likely to be cut, which would give him a chance to join another NFL franchise. Nonetheless, Abramson notes that Miami owner Stephen Ross still intends to meet with Martin this week.

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