Willie Snead

49ers Rumors: Lance, McKivitz, Snead, Staff

There’s been a swirl of rumors recently amongst 49ers quarterback Trey Lance as San Francisco does its usual quarterback shuffle. Some reports have the former No. 3 overall pick getting traded, while others have him staying pat.

The team reportedly views last year’s Irrelevant rookie Brock Purdy as their optimal starter, but Purdy isn’t expected to be healthy until much closer to the start of the season. In the meantime, the 49ers’ back up plan lies with Lance and free agent addition Sam Darnold, who many are now pegging as the team’s Week 1 starter come September.

Part of that has to do with Lance’s own injury situation, but according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN, general manager John Lynch told the media last weekend that Lance has been fully cleared to participate. Wagoner also reported that the team, who has experienced an inordinate amount of quarterback injuries, is looking to add a fourth passer via undrafted free agency. As of yet, no such signing has been reported, but the team did bring on veteran backup Brandon Allen days ago.

Here are a few other rumors surrounding last year’s NFC West champions:

  • With starting tackle Mike McGlinchey departing in free agency for Denver, many thought San Francisco would address the departure through the draft. Seven rounds later, and no rookie offensive linemen were drafted by the 49ers. They did sign three undrafted rookies in Shepherd’s Joey Fisher, Washington’s Corey Luciano, and Hawai’i’s Ilm Manning, but they are expected to go with a currently rostered veteran, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Branch saw San Francisco’s inaction in the draft as a vote of confidence in fourth-year tackle Colton McKivitz. McKivitz has been a reserve and spent some time on injured reserve in his first three years, only starting five games, but the Niners have faith in him, as evidenced by their re-signing him to a two-year deal in early-March.
  • The 49ers re-signed veteran wide receiver Willie Snead for another year, and it appears his new deal will be the league’s veteran minimum, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. He’ll have a base salary of $1.17MM, $275K of it guaranteed, to go along with a $25K signing bonus. He’ll also receive a Week 1 bonus of $127.5K if he’s still rostered by then.
  • It looks like the 49ers were able to prevent former safeties coach Daniel Bullocks from following his mentor, DeMeco Ryans, to Houston. According to Josh Alper of NBC Sports, Bullocks has been named San Francisco’s new defensive backs coach. Additionally, Nick Sorensen, a defensive assistant last year, has been promoted to defensive passing game specialist for 2023. Lastly, to round out the defensive staff, Andrew Hayes-Stoker, a defensive quality control coach last year, has been promoted to assistant defensive backs coach and Cameron Brown has been hired to fill the newly open quality control position.

49ers To Re-Sign WR Willie Snead

Willie Snead resided as a depth player for the 49ers last season. The team will keep the veteran pass catcher around in 2023, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reporting (via Twitter) Snead is back on San Francisco’s roster as of Wednesday morning.

The former Saints and Ravens slot receiver agreed to terms on a one-year deal. This reunion agreement comes just after the 49ers added veteran wideout Chris Conley.

San Francisco’s 53-man roster may not have room for both Snead and Conley, considering the team employs Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, 2022 third-round pick Danny Gray and return man Ray-Ray McCloud. But the 49ers will give Snead another opportunity to mix in as an insurance option.

Although Snead has multiple 800-plus-yard receiving seasons on his resume, those came in his first two seasons — back in 2016 and ’17 — in New Orleans. The veteran slot target also totaled 651 receiving yards with Ravens during their Joe Flacco-to-Lamar Jackson 2018 transition year. Snead, 30, spent three years in Baltimore but has bounced around since. After Snead spent the 2021 season with the Raiders and Panthers, the 49ers signed the former UDFA success story.

Snead played in four 49ers games last season, logging 30 offensive snaps and 38 on special teams. Barring an injury to one of the 49ers’ top weapons, it should be expected Snead will compete for a similar role this year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/22

Today’s minor moves heading into the NFL’s largest slate of Saturday games of the season:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

  • Promoted from practice squad: G Kyle Hinton

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

49ers Elevate CB Janoris Jenkins, Place DL Hassan Ridgeway On IR

Janoris Jenkins will be in line to make his 49ers debut Thursday night. Not long after signing with San Francisco’s practice squad, the veteran cornerback is now on their active roster and in position to start his 11th season.

The 49ers made Jenkins one of their gameday elevations ahead of their Week 15 matchup against the Seahawks. The team also elevated Willie Snead and signed defensive tackle Akeem Spence to their 53-man roster. While Snead and Jenkins are gameday elevations, Spence moving up from the practice squad required a roster move. The 49ers placed D-lineman Hassan Ridgeway on IR.

A.k.a. “Jackrabbit,” Jenkins has not played since being a starter in the Titans’ divisional-round game against the Bengals last season. The Titans released the journeyman in March, and not much interest appeared to come Jenkins’ way this offseason. But San Francisco, which has dealt with multiple key injuries at the cornerback spot, added him on a P-squad pact in late November.

At 34, Jenkins is the league’s oldest active corner. He has been a full-time starter for the Rams, Giants, Saints and Titans. The former second-round pick has 27 career interceptions and eight pick-sixes, ranking in a tie for eighth in NFL history in the latter category. After being charged with six touchdowns and a 100.2 passer rating allowed while in coverage last year, Jenkins did not see the Titans follow through with the second year of his two-year contract.

The 49ers have lost Emmanuel Moseley and Jason Verrett for the season and are also down rookie Samuel Womack, who sustained a concussion against the Buccaneers.

Ridgeway suffered a strained pec and is set to miss six to eight weeks. The team had used the former Colts and Eagles defensive tackle as a replacement for Arik Armstead, who has since returned to action. Ridgeway, who made seven starts this season, went down while playing a reserve role in Week 13. The 49ers’ No. 1-ranked defense will be shorthanded at D-tackle. Not only are Ridgeway and Javon Kinlaw out, but starter Kevin Givens is down with an MCL sprain. Givens remains on San Francisco’s active roster but is set to miss time. With the 49ers prioritizing Kinlaw and Elijah Mitchell returns from IR, Ridgeway’s season might be over. Then again, Kinlaw has not returned to practice and cannot be considered a lock to return from IR given his knee trouble. Pro Football Focus ranked Ridgeway just outside the top 60 (out of 125 qualifiers) among interior D-linemen this season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/2/22

Here are today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/22

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

  • Released: QB Reid Sinnett

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/22

Today’s minor transactions:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/29/22

Here are the minor moves leading into Sunday’s slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/15/22

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/5/22

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: OT Sebastian Gutierrez

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders