Jaguars Release LB Marcus Rush
The Jaguars have released linebacker Marcus Rush, the team announced. 
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Rush, 26 in June, went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2015 and spent his first two years in the pros on San Francisco’s taxi squad. In December of last year, the Jaguars signed him off of the 49ers’ practice squad. Rush didn’t get a real opportunity to play in Jacksonville either, unfortunately, and he is still waiting to get a chance to show what he can do in live action. In the 2016 preseason, Rush led the league with six sacks in exhibition, so there’s reason to believe that he can be a contributor.
In other Jaguars news, the team hosted safety Aaron Williams on a visit last week, but there’s no deal just yet. Tight end Gary Barnidge, who has drawn the interest of multiple teams, may meet with the Jaguars in the coming days.
Jaguars Sign LB Marcus Rush Off 49ers’ PS
The Jaguars have signed linebacker Marcus Rush off the 49ers’ practice squad and placed offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi on injured reserve, the club announced today.
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Rush, 25, went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2015 and had spent the past two years on San Francisco’s taxi squad. He starred during the 2016 preseason, leading the NFL with six sacks during exhibition season. But that performance wasn’t enough for Rush to land a spot on the 49ers’ active roster, and (somewhat surprisingly), Rush didn’t earn a promotion this week even after San Francisco cleared roster space by placing several players on IR.
Poutasi, meanwhile, was selected by the Titans in the third round of the 2015 draft, but the new Tennessee regime waived him after only a single season. The 22-year-old spent the majority of the 2016 campaign on Jacksonville’s practice squad, but did end up starting one game after being promoted in mid-November.
49ers Acquire Rod Streater, Trim Roster To 53
12:25pm: Maiocco tweets that McCray is likely to be placed on waivers following the failed trade.
MONDAY, 9:40am: McCray reportedly failed his physical, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicates (via Twitter) that the deal is off. The safety was originally traded to the Seahawks for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2018.
The safety is set to go back to the 49ers for the time being. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes (via Twitter) that McCray is recovering from a torn ACL and is likely to be released.
SUNDAY, 5:30pm: The wideout announced that he’s officially been dealt to the 49ers, while CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco tweets that Streater presumably passed his physical.
SATURDAY, 4:14pm: The 49ers announced they they’ve acquired wide receiver Rod Streater from the Chiefs. Streater had spent his career in Oakland before signing with Kansas City, and now he’ll head back to the Bay Area with a chance to make an impact in a depleted WR corps.
San Francisco also announced that they’ve traded safety L.J. McCray to the Seahawks. The compensation involved in both deals has not been announced.
Cut:
- DL Garrison Smith (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area)
- DL B.J. McBryde (Twitter link via Maiocco)
- DT Demetrius Cherry (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee)
- LB Corey Lemonier (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com)
- WR Devon Cajuste (Twitter link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle)
- RB Kelvin Taylor (Twitter link via Schefter)
- TE Je’Ron Hamm (Twitter link via Branch)
- LB Shayne Skov (Twitter link via Branch)
- OT Colin Kelly (Twitter link via Maiocco)
- WR Dres Anderson
- OL Alex Balducci
- OL Fahn Cooper
- QB Jeff Driskel
- RB DuJuan Harris
- CB Prince Charles Iworah
- OL Norman Price
- LB Marcus Rush
- WR Bryce Treggs
- WR Ryan Whalen
- WR DeAndrew White
Lemonier was the 49ers’ third-round pick in 2013, but he never made much of an impact in San Francisco. In 42 games (two starts), Lemonier picked up 37 tackles and a sack.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC West
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC West teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Chris Hubert (Link via Aaron Wilson)
- QB Aaron Murray (Link via Adam Schefter)
- QB Zac Dysert (Link via Adam Schefter)
- CB Harlan Miller (Link via Rand Getlin)
- TE Ifeanyi Momah
- LB Shaq Riddick
- RB Elijhaa Penny
- TE Hakeem Valles
- T Givens Price
- WR Brittan Golden
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to practice squad
- T Isaiah Battle (Link via Vincent Bonsignore)
- CB Blake Countess (Link via Aaron Wilson)
- WR Paul McRoberts (Link via Jim Thomas)
- RB Aaron Green (Link via Thomas)
- RB Terrance Magee (Link via Thomas)
- LB Brandon Chubb (Link via Myles Simmons)
- DL Morgan Fox (Link via Simmons)
- DB Michael Jordan (Link via Simmons)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Marcus Rush (Link via Rand Getlin)
- LB Shayne Skov (Link via Eric Branch)
- WR Dres Anderson
- OL Fahn Cooper
- RB Kelvin Taylor
- OL Alex Balducci
- TE Je’Ron Hamm
- CB Prince Charles Iworah
- OL Norman Price
- WR Chris Harper
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed:
- DL Garrison Smith (Link via David Canter)
- Waived:
- DL Justin Hamilton (Link via Bob Condotta)
- Signed to practice squad:
- DT Tylor Harris (Link via Aaron Wilson)
- TE Marcus Lucas (Link via Joe Person)
- G Robert Myers (Link via Wilson)
- LB Jordan Tripp (Link via Wilson)
- WR Kasen Williams (Link via Wilson)
- WR Kenny Lawler (Link via Sheil Kapadia)
- LB Kache Palacio (Link via Sheil Kapadia)
- OL Will Pericak (Link via Sheil Kapadia)
- WR Rodney Smith (Link via Sheil Kapadia)
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/6/16
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the league. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2016 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ 90-man rosters:
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
- Cobi Hamilton, WR (team announcement)
- Tyler Larsen, G
- Matthew Masifilo, C
- Larry Webster, DE
- Eric Crume, DT
- Travell Dixon, CB
Cleveland Browns
- Erle Ladson, OL (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Patrick Miller, OT (Twitter link via Wilson)
New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers
- Marcus Rush, LB (Twitter link via Wilson)
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC West
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC West teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Brandon Bostick (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky)
- CB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Darren Urban)
- DL Lawrence Okoye (Twitter link via Doug Kyed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to practice squad (link via Matt Maiocco):
- WR DiAndre Campbell
- CB Marcus Cromartie
- RB Kendall Gaskins
- DT Kaleb Ramsey
- OLB Marcus Rush
- NT Garrison Smith
- QB Dylan Thompson
- OG Andrew Tiller (Twitter link via Matt Barrows)
- S Jermaine Whitehead (Twitter link via Barrows)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE RaShaun Allen (Twitter link via Bob Condotta)
- CB Justin Coleman (Twitter link via Mike Kaye)
- OL Will Pericak (Twitter link via Condotta)
- LB Eric Pinkins (Twitter link via Condotta)
- T Terry Poole (Twitter link via Condotta)
- CB Kevin Short (Twitter link via Terez Paylor)
- WR Kevin Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
- RB Rod Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
- WR Kasen Williams (Twitter link via Rob Rang)
St. Louis Rams
- Signed to practice squad:
- T Isaiah Battle (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport)
- RB Malcolm Brown (link)
- S Christian Bryant (link)
- TE Justice Cunningham (Twitter link via Jim Thomas)
- S Jacob Hagen (link)
- FB Zach Laskey (link)
- DE Matt Longacre (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- CB Trovon Reed (link)
- DT Louis Trinca-Pasat (Twitter link via Thomas)
- DT Doug Worthington (link)
49ers Put Kendall Hunter On IR, Set Roster
Linebacker Ahmad Brooks, facing a sexual battery charge, remains on the 49ers’ roster following the team’s cuts today. As Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets, general manager Trent Baalke issued a statement saying that the club is continuing to let the legal process under the league’s personal conduct policy. According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link), the NFL has announced it has no basis for placing Brooks on the commissioner’s exempt list for now.
After announcing six cuts yesterday and then acquiring center Nick Easton from the Ravens today, the 49ers required 17 roster moves to get down to 53 players. The most notable among those 17 transactions might have been the decision to place running back Kendall Hunter on injured reserve for the second straight year. Here are the rest of the Niners’ moves, via a press release:
Cut:
- WR DiAndre Campbell
- CB Marcus Cromartie
- G/C Dillon Farrell
- RB Kendall Gaskins
- TE Xavier Grimble
- CB Leon McFadden
- LB Nick Moody
- DT Kaleb Ramsey
- OL Justin Renfrow
- DL Marcus Rush
- NT Garrison Smith
- QB Dylan Thompson
- G Andrew Tiller
- S Jermaine Whitehead
Placed on injured reserve:
- TE Rory Anderson
- RB Kendall Hunter
Reserve/suspended:
- WR Jerome Simpson
Additionally, the 49ers made a move with a player who had been removed from their active roster already, reaching an injury settlement with linebacker Desmond Bishop, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). Bishop, who had been on San Francisco’s injured reserve list, is now a free agent and is healthy enough to contribute right away if he finds a new team.
49ers Sign Nine Undrafted Free Agents
The 49ers have announced their undrafted free agent class for 2015, and the group is very heavy on wideouts. Five of the nine UDFAs whose signings were confirmed today in a press release are receivers, per the team. Here’s the full list:
- Dres Anderson, WR, Utah ($50K guaranteed, per Brian McIntyre)
- Issac Blakeney, WR, Duke
- DiAndre Campbell, WR, Washington
- Darius Davis, WR, Henderson State
- Patrick Miller, OL, Auburn
- Marcus Rush, DL, Michigan State
- Dylan Thompson, QB, South Carolina ($5K bonus, plus $15K guaranteed salary, per Aaron Wilson)
- DeAndrew White, WR, Alabama ($32K guaranteed, per McIntyre)
- Jermaine Whitehead, S, Auburn
Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Saints, Mannion
Earlier this week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that a three-way trade between the Browns, the Eagles, and a team in the top five could be mutually beneficial, with Cleveland landing Sam Bradford, Philadelphia getting Marcus Mariota, and the third team stockpiling extra draft picks.
The piece sounded like informed speculation, but Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net hears that both the Eagles and Chargers have explored the possibility of moving up for Mariota through the Browns, and have had conversations about the idea. A league source tells Pauline that if the Titans decide to deal that No. 2 overall pick, Cleveland is in the best spot, since the Browns hold two top-20 picks, and could either move up for Mariota themselves or get involved in another team’s deal.
Here’s more from Pauline, with the draft just one week away:
- According to Pauline, the Saints (the other team with two first-round picks), will consider trading up if they feel like they have a chance to land pass rusher Vic Beasley, whose potential DC Rob Ryan loves.
- Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, who recently worked out for the Rams and Cowboys, ranks as the third-best quarterback available on more than a dozen teams’ boards, per Pauline.
- Pauline hears that the Seahawks would “love to grab” wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham if he’s available at No. 63, but the team expects him to come off the board in the first round, or within the first 15 picks of round two.
- Michigan State’s Marcus Rush will be drafted earlier than originally predicted, having “blown teams away” during the interview process, says Pauline, adding that the defensive end could be a fifth-round pick.
- Speaking of Michigan State players, a number of teams view former Spartans outside linebacker Taiwan Jones as a potential “gem,” and grade him as a third-round pick, according to Pauline.
- The Raiders, Chiefs, and Patriots are expressing interest in Villanova offensive lineman Vince Kowalski, who could be a late-round gamble or an undrafted free agent, tweets Pauline.
Draft Visits: Perriman, DGB, Clemmings, Jones
Here are the latest updates on a few draft prospects taking some visits and working out for teams this week:
- Breshad Perriman, WR (UCF): Visiting the Titans today, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Second overall is too high for Perriman, but 33rd overall is likely too late to nab him, so Tennessee could be doing its due diligence in the event of a trade.
- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Missouri): Visiting the Chiefs today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- T.J. Clemmings, OT (Pittsburgh): Visiting the Saints, Falcons, and Rams this week, and has met with 19 teams since his Pro Day, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Byron Jones, CB (UConn): Visiting the Dolphins, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jones was previously identified as a player on Miami’s radar.
- Anthony Harris, S (Virginia); Marcus Rush, DE (Michigan State): Both players are visiting the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Kyle Emanuel, DE (North Dakota); Eric Rowe, CB (Utah); Doran Grant, CB (Ohio State): All three players visited the Steelers today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
- Daryl Williams, OL (Oklahoma); Tyrus Thompson, OL (Oklahoma); Adam Shead, OL (Oklahoma): All three players worked out for Panthers offensive line coach John Matsko today, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Williams and Thompson previously worked out for Cowboys offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
- Jesse Davis, OL (Idaho): Has a private workout with the Seahawks later this week, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
