49ers Pursued DT Ndamukong Suh
After failing to find a home through the first 10 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh made his season debut today with the Eagles, who signed him earlier this week. The 35-year-old was in an unfamiliar position as he sat in free agency well into November, but Suh found a home with a Super Bowl contender and made his debut today against the Colts. 
While reports made the rounds linking Suh to teams like the Raiders and Browns, the only other option confirmed by Suh is the 49ers, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. Suh communicated by phone that his decision came down to Philadelphia or San Francisco. The obvious reason for Suh’s attraction is the presence of defensive line coach Kris Kocurek on the 49ers coaching staff. Kocurek was present throughout Suh’s All-Pro career tenure in Detroit, providing Suh with a familiar face in the Bay Area.
There was likely mutual interest, as well, as the 49ers deal with a litany of injuries along the defensive line. Javon Kinlaw and Maurice Hurst remain on injured reserve while Arik Armstead and Kalia Davis have both missed time with recent injuries. Bringing in Suh would’ve provided some much-needed depth as Kevin Givens and Hassan Ridgeway anchor the middle of the line amidst all the absences.
One team we know didn’t reach out is the Cowboys. Owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones told the media that the team “didn’t have contact” with Suh because they “like where (they) are with (their) big boys in the middle,” according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Jones is referring to a stash of tackles that includes Johnathan Hankins, Osa Odighizuwa, Quinton Bohanna, Carlos Watkins, and Neville Gallimore. That collection was enough to convince Jones to stay his hand in regard to Suh.
The reason Suh chose the Eagles seems extremely clear. The Eagles come into Week 11 atop the NFC, despite their shocking loss to the Commanders on Monday, and are considered favorites in the conference that has seen a remarkably weird year. Suh has twins. He won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and has decided that he needs a ring for each twin.
He went so far as to take an extremely team-friendly deal in Philadelphia, as his main goal is just to win another Super Bowl. In addition to sacrificing money in the contract, Suh will appear off the bench for the first time in his career. Through the first 12 seasons of his career, not only did Suh show an iron-man resiliency, only missing two games while playing in 191, he also started all 191 games that he appeared in. With Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave fairly secure in their starting jobs on the line, Suh remains behind them on the depth chart.
That may change as Suh gets more comfortable with his new team, but the Eagles were a bit unsure today on his role considering the short amount of time he had to learn the defense, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. Despite any hesitancies they held in playing him this week, Suh found a way to make an impact today with three tackles, a half-sack, and a quarterback hit in limited time off the bench.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/15/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Michael Dogbe
- Released: OL Sage Doxtater, LB Blake Lynch
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Devon Key
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB T.J. Carrie
- Released: S Kenny Robinson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Isaac Rochell
- Released: WR Cyril Grayson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Antonio Callaway, C Brock Hoffman
- Released: DE Mika Tafua
- Placed on IR: C Alec Lindstrom
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Victor Bolden Jr.
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB AJ Parker
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DE Tim Ward
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Alex Bachman, S Will Redmond
- Released: WR Michael Young
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
- Released: TE Darrell Daniels
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Malcolm Brown
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
New England Patriots
- Released: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
New Orleans Saints
- Released: RB Derrick Gore, RB Jordan Howard
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Vernon Butler, OL Devery Hamilton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Auden Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: LB Hamilcar Rashed
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Jacob Eason, WR Dazz Newsome
- Released: QB Kurt Benkert
- Placed on IR: WR Tajae Sharpe
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: WR Kevin Kassis
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Davontae Harris, K Josh Lambo, DB Greg Mabin, LB Andre Smith
- Released: DB Shyheim Carter, OL Eric Smith
Eight Teams Attempted To Claim Jerry Tillery; DL Headed To Raiders
Jerry Tillery did not work out with the Chargers, but a fourth of the league wanted to greenlight a contract-year audition. Eight teams attempted to claim the fourth-year defensive lineman, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Raiders won out.
In addition to Las Vegas, which now holds the No. 2 spot in the waiver order, the Lions, Panthers, Colts, 49ers, Jets, Giants and Chiefs submitted claims for the former first-round pick. Considering Tillery’s history, the interest is not too surprising. His midseason Bolts exit does make the claim volume notable, however.
Tillery, who follows defensive lineman John Cominsky in drawing eight waiver claims this year, is signed for the remainder of the season. The Chargers passed on Tillery’s fifth-year option in May and moved him out of the picture for good late last week. This number of interested teams does open the door to a potential market in free agency come March.
This marks yet another D-line addition for the Raiders, who restocked their front during the Dave Ziegler–Josh McDaniels regime’s first offseason. Bilal Nichols, Andrew Billings and rookies Matthew Butler and Neil Farrell comprise Las Vegas’ top interior D-line options. The Raiders had re-signed Jon Gruden-era pickup Johnathan Hankins but ended up trading him to the Cowboys before the deadline.
Chosen 28th overall out of Notre Dame in 2019, Tillery has 29 starts under his belt. He has tallied 10.5 career sacks and 12 tackles for loss in three-plus seasons. Tillery notched 14 quarterback hits during the 2020 and ’21 seasons. The new Bolts regime did not view him as much of a fit, signing Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson in free agency and not picking up his 2023 option. Despite Johnson going down for the season, the Chargers followed through on ending Tillery’s tenure. With the Fighting Irish in 2018, Tillery recorded eight sacks to move onto the first-round radar.
Pro Football Focus rates Tillery just inside the top 50 among interior D-linemen this season; that mark is well north of the reviews the site gave from 2019-21. Tillery, 26, also finished his Chargers career having suffered a back injury while weightlifting. The Raiders and the septet of teams that did not end up landing him, however, were clearly unconcerned by that development. While the Raiders season has skidded off track, Tillery’s Silver and Black audition will be interesting.
Odell Beckham Jr. Hopes To Sign By End Of November; 49ers In Mix
OBJ watch remains in full effect. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. is hoping to sign with a club by the end of November, and it appears there are five legitimate suitors: the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys, Giants, and 49ers.
While the first four teams on that list have been mentioned as potential landing spots before, the 49ers are a new entrant in this year’s Beckham sweepstakes. The Niners were reportedly on OBJ’s shortlist of preferred destinations when he was cut by the Browns last November, but they had not been a part of the 2022 rumors. The 5-4 club currently occupies the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoff picture and made a bold move to acquire former Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey prior to the trade deadline. Beckham would further bolster a talented skill-position group that includes McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle.
Recent reporting indicates that the Cowboys have emerged as the frontrunners here, and neither Schefter nor Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports have said anything to contradict that. Indeed, Jones confirms that Beckham is looking to join a high-profile contender that plays in a warm-weather city, and the Cowboys meet all of those criteria. On the other hand, a cold-weather climate is not necessarily a dealbreaker, so Super Bowl favorites like the Bills remain in play. There is also the possibility that a dark horse candidate swoops in at the last minute, while disappointing would-be contenders like the Rams and Packers seem to have fallen out of the race.
Although Schefter reports that Dr. Neal ElAttrache is prepared to clear Beckham for all activities, one of Jones’ sources says the wideout might not be ready for game action until Week 14 or 15. Another executive told Jones that all of the rumors surrounding Beckham are “creating the illusion of a market,” and while it is fair to be skeptical of what Beckham can offer for the remainder of the 2022 season, the reports of widespread interest in his services appear legitimate.
In fact, Schefter’s sources say that Beckham could land a payout in line with those of Bucs WR Chris Godwin and Chargers receiver Mike Williams (albeit on a prorated basis). Godwin and Williams enjoy a $20MM AAV, and assuming the market for Beckham is as robust as it appears, he could earn a $5MM salary for the final quarter of the season. Beckham continues to push for a multi-year pact, and if a team is willing to honor that request, it would be better-equipped to absorb such a salary, which would otherwise be difficult to do at this point in the season.
Regardless of what he makes for the rest of the 2022 campaign, Beckham may need to accept a contract comprised primarily of non-guaranteed money in the future in order to secure a multi-year contract, as Jones observes.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/22
Here are the minor roster moves in anticipation for Sunday’s slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: S Charles Washington
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Rashaad Coward
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: OLB Gerri Green, CB Harrison Hand
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: T Quinn Bailey, DE Jonathan Harris
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/PUP: FB Jason Cabinda
- Signed to active roster: TE Shane Zylstra
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Stanley Berryhill, LB Jarrad Davis
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: K Ramiz Ahmed, LB Ladarius Hamilton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted from practice squad: S Ugochukwu Amadi
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Kyle Peko
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: RB Larry Rountree
- Promoted from practice squad: K Cameron Dicker, T Foster Sarell
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: S Verone McKinley III
- Promoted from practice squad: T Kion Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Nick Muse
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: G Josh Andrews
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jordan Howard, CB Bryce Thompson
New York Giants
- Activated of reserve/PUP: T Matt Peart
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Lawrence Cager, DL Henry Mondeaux
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DT T.Y. McGill
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Vi Jones
- Placed on IR: FB/OLB Cullen Gillaspia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Ulysees Gilbert, CB Ryan Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Larrell Murchison, WR C.J. Board
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/22
Here are today’s few minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB AJ Parker
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: CB Jason Verrett (story)
49ers To Activate Elijah Mitchell, Azeez Al-Shaair, Colton McKivitz, Jordan Willis
NOVEMBER 11: The 49ers will be the first team to push up against the NFL’s new IR activation ceiling. They plan to activate Mitchell, Al-Shaair, McKivitz and defensive end Jordan Willis from IR, Kyle Shanahan said Friday, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco (on Twitter).
With San Francisco having already used three of its injury activations — including one on Jason Verrett, who has since suffered another Achilles tear — the team will have one remaining beyond Week 10. Friday’s decision stands to affect how San Francisco manages its IR list going forward, as starting defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw is also on IR. Kinlaw is slated to return at some point this season, Shanahan said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, on Twitter).
While the IR ramifications of Friday’s move will be interesting to monitor down the road, the team will have a host of key contributors back following its bye week.
NOVEMBER 7: Injuries and a rather notable trade defined the first half of the 49ers’ season, but the contending team will have some reinforcements available soon.
The 49ers designated running back Elijah Mitchell, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and backup tackle Colton McKivitz for return from IR on Monday. Each member of this trio is in the final stages of rehab from an MCL sprain. Of the three, Al-Shaair may be closest to returning. The fourth-year linebacker categorized himself as a bit ahead of schedule and expects to play against the Chargers on Sunday night, via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (on Twitter).
San Francisco has already used three of its injury activations this season, so some more complex navigation may begin to come into play here. Under the NFL’s new IR-return system, teams are allotted eight activations per season. It is safe to assume Mitchell and Al-Shaair will be back, with the former set to complement Christian McCaffrey and the latter the team’s No. 3 linebacker behind Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers activate McKivitz, who is the swingman behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey, or gives him the full three-week timetable partially to gauge how its injury situation looks later in November.
Mitchell began the season as San Francisco’s starting back but did not make it through Week 1. The 49ers found a talented player in last year’s sixth round, moving Mitchell past third-rounder Trey Sermon on their depth chart from the jump. The Louisiana product totaled 963 rushing yards in just 11 games as a rookie but has battled extensive injury trouble as a pro. Shoulder, rib, finger and knee injuries led to Mitchell missing six games last season.
After trading Jeff Wilson to the Dolphins, however, the 49ers are thinner at running back. Mitchell returning would help the cause. Third-round rookie Tyrion Davis-Price, who was not placed on IR following his high ankle sprain, should be expected to factor into the newly McCaffrey-headlined backfield equation soon as well.
Al-Shaair is in a contract year and saw the 49ers lock down Greenlaw. With Warner signed long term, Al-Shaair could be auditioning for other team’s during this season’s second half. He started 13 games last season but has been out since Week 3 this year. McKivitz started one game in place of Williams this year but went down with his knee injury. The former fifth-round pick is signed through 2023.
Arik Armstead Rehabbing Hairline Fracture
The 49ers figure to return from their Week 9 bye much healthier. They designated three players — Elijah Mitchell, Colton McKivitz, Azeez Al-Shaair — to return from IR and saw a few others return to practice this week. Arik Armstead was not in either group.
Armstead, who has not played since Week 4, remains sidelined. Kyle Shanahan specified what the veteran defensive lineman is battling for the first time this week, indicating Armstead is working his way back from a stress reaction and hairline fracture in his left fibula, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes.
While not on the same level as a broken leg, this hairline fracture has defined Armstead’s eighth NFL season. The 49ers having not placed the former first-round pick on IR provides some indication the team expects him back, but Armstead has already missed four straight games because of this injury. Armstead, 29, also dealt with a foot injury this season. His absence has hurt the 49ers, who have shown elite defensive capabilities when they are relatively close to full strength.
San Francisco has been shorthanded at every defensive position over the course of this season. The team has been hardest at defensive tackle. Both Week 1 starters — Armstead and Javon Kinlaw — have missed much of this campaign. Still, San Francisco enters Week 10 ranked atop the league in total defense. During games Armstead has played, the 49ers are allowing 2.8 yards per carry. In games he has missed, the total ballooned to 3.8, per Branch.
Injuries plagued Armstead during the early part of his career. He missed eight games in 2016 and 10 in 2017. But the former No. 17 overall pick suited up for every 49ers contest from 2018-21. The 49ers re-signed Armstead to a five-year, $85MM deal on the same day — March 16, 2020 — they agreed to trade DeForest Buckner to the Colts. The elder Oregon alum has rewarded the 49ers’ faith, being a key part of their Nick Bosa-led defensive lines over the past four seasons. Pro Football Focus ranked Armstead as a top-20 interior D-lineman from 2019-21.
Kinlaw is on IR. Swelling and soreness in the former first-rounder’s surgically repaired did not recede as quickly as the team anticipated, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). The third-year D-tackle has been out since Week 3. The 49ers have used three of their injury activations already. Activating Mitchell, Al-Shaair, McKivitz and defensive end Jordan Willis, who returned to practice on Wednesday, would limit the team’s flexibility down the stretch. It would surprise to see all four activated, but each being back at practice puts that scenario in play. Those activations, as teams can only move eight players off IR this season, could affect Kinlaw’s chances of playing again this season. It will be interesting to see how the 49ers proceed here.
The 49ers released Dee Ford after he ran into chronic injury trouble. Kinlaw, who underwent reconstructive knee surgery during the 2021 season, has seen a lingering injury alter his career path as well. With Kinlaw acknowledging knee pain would be an issue again this season, his 2022 absence stands to have a bigger impact on his career compared to Armstead’s. The 49ers have used Kevin Givens and Hassan Ridgeway as their primary DTs this year. Kinlaw will be eligible to return to practice next week, though it is uncertain the South Carolina alum will be ready.
49ers CB Jason Verrett Tears Achilles
In the final stages of rehabbing his 2021 injury — an ACL tear — Jason Verrett has run into another major health issue. The 49ers announced the veteran cornerback suffered an Achilles tear in practice Wednesday.
This marks the latest in a long line of Verrett injuries. The former first-round pick has shown considerable talent when available. Unfortunately, he has rarely been available over the course of his nine-year career.
The 49ers used one of their eight injury activations on Verrett, moving him off the PUP list and onto their 53-man roster earlier this season. Verrett had not made his 2022 debut for the team; that was set to come soon. Verrett’s latest injury brings more availability trouble to what has been an injury-prone defense; the 49ers already lost starting cornerback Emmanuel Moseley for the season.
Verrett, 31, has signed four one-year deals with the 49ers. While the TCU alum’s body has betrayed him as a pro, San Francisco continued to view the former San Diego investment as a fit. During a 2020 season in which many 49ers suffered serious injuries, Verrett stayed largely healthy and thrived amid a lost campaign for the team. That led to a nice payday — one year, $5.5MM — in 2021, but the ACL tear shut Verrett down in Week 1 of last season.
During his career, Verrett has suffered two ACL tears and two Achilles tears. His previous Achilles setback came during the Chargers’ 2018 training camp. These maladies have led to Verrett spending the bulk of his NFL career in rehab settings. He has played more than six games in a season just twice — in 2015 and 2020. Those seasons produced a Pro Bowl (2015) and a top-15 Pro Football Focus ranking (2020). But injury absences have overshadowed those talent glimpses. By the end of this season, Verrett’s games-played to games-missed ratio will be 40-to-106.
It is somewhat remarkable Verrett has managed to stick around this long, all things considered. The Chargers picked up the former No. 25 overall pick’s fifth-year option in 2018, and the 49ers have continued to hold out hope he could play a key role. They re-signed Verrett to a league-minimum accord this offseason and were slow-playing his return. San Francisco kept Verrett on its PUP list to start the season, but after Moseley went down, the prospect of Verrett re-entering the team’s starting lineup was on the table.
Without Verrett and Moseley, the 49ers will need to continue their injury-related adjustments. They have made them at defensive tackle (Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw), linebacker (Azeez Al-Shaair) and at safety (Jimmie Ward). San Francisco has used Deommodore Lenoir increasingly and has dabbled with Ward, whose early-career stretch featured switches between safety and corner, back in the slot. The team also has rookie Samuel Womack and 2021 third-rounder Ambry Thomas as options behind Lenoir and Charvarius Ward.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/22
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed (from Saints): G Wyatt Davis
- Placed on IR: G Will Hernandez (story)
- Designated for return: S Charles Washington
Chicago Bears
- Designated for return: LB Matthew Adams
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: DE Tarell Basham
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: RB Craig Reynolds
- Signed off Broncos’ practice squad: WR Trinity Benson
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: OLB Rashan Gary (story)
- Designated for return: OLB Tipa Galeai
Indianapolis Colts
- Designated for return: WR Ashton Dulin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: S Isaiah Pola-Mao
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: DL Austin Johnson (story)
- Signed from practice squad: DL Breiden Fehoko
Minnesota Vikings
- Designated for return: TE Ben Ellefson
San Francisco 49ers
- Designated for return: DE Jordan Willis
Adams, Dulin, Ellefson, Galeai, Washington and Willis each have until Nov. 30 to be activated from IR. Should they not be activated, they would revert to season-ending IR. The Colts and Vikings are in solid shape regarding activations, having only used one apiece. The Bears, Cardinals, 49ers and Packers have used three such moves apiece. Teams are allotted eight injury activations this season.
The Cowboys dangled Basham in trades before last week’s deadline, but no takers emerged. While the team cut the other D-lineman they were hoping to deal — Trysten Hill, who has since been claimed by the Cardinals — they ended up using one of their injury activations on Basham. A former Colts third-round pick, Basham notched 3.5 sacks during his first Cowboys season last year. He played in one game this season (Week 1) before going down with a quadriceps injury. The Cowboys, who have Tyron Smith and James Washington on their IR-return radar, have used two injury activations this season.