NFL Workouts: 7/25/22
As players are moved to the PUP and NFI lists and rosters are starting to take shape for the start of training camps, many players are searching for opportunities to make a team.
Here’s the list of players who have received workouts or taken visits today and this past weekend:
Atlanta Falcons
- CB DeMarkus Acy, CB Cortez Davis, CB Troy Pride
Baltimore Ravens
- RB Wayne Gallman, RB Corey Clement (signed), QB Vad Lee
Buffalo Bills
- CB Luq Barcoo, CB Donte Deayon, TE Stephen Carlson, TE Austin Fort, TE Gene Scott, S Marqui Christian, G Jamil Demby, G Jordan Simmons (signed), T Drew Himmelman, DE Damontre Moore, C Cole Toner
Carolina Panthers
- NT Danny Shelton (story)
Chicago Bears
- OL Michael Schofield (signed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB T.J. Brunson, LB Tegray Scales (signed), DT Domenique Davis (signed), DE Raymond Johnson (signed), DE Chris Odom, TE MyCole Pruitt
Green Bay Packers
- QB Nate Stanley, WR Jonathan Adams, WR Osirus Mitchell (signed), WR Ryan Wisniewski, C Ty Clary, G Denzel Okafor, CB Donte Vaughn, S Dallin Leavitt (signed)
Houston Texans
- RB Austin Walter, RB Artavis Pierce, RB Max Borghi, RB Cyrus Habibi-Likio
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst, WR Ishmael Hyman, WR Tyson Morris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QB Kyle Sloter (signed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- T Evin Ksiezarczyk (signed), David Steinmetz (signed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- S Steven Parker, S Jarrod Wilson, DE Abdullah Anderson, TE Ryan Becker, TE Cole Hikutini, TE Ethan Wolf
New England
- WR Derrick Dillon, WR Terry Godwin, WR Andrew Jamiel, WR Cinque Sweeting, TE La’Michael Pettway
New York Giants
- T Kendall Lamm, TE Eric Ebron, S Andrew Adams (signed), S Jack Koerner, T Caleb Benenoch, T Kamaal Seymour, DT Darrion Daniels, TE Kahale Warring, WR Marcus Kemp, DE Nicholas Williams
New York Jets
- WR Pharoh Cooper, WR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, G Isaiah Williams (signed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- RB JaQuan Hardy, TE Connor Davis, TE Jaeden Graham, TE Farrod Greene, RB Trey Ragas, WR Lance Lenoir, C Cameron Tom
San Francisco 49ers
- DE T.J. Carter, DT Tomasi Laulile, DT Robert Nkemdiche
Seattle Seahawks
- K Brandon Aubrey, DT Jared Brinkman, DT Antonio Valentino, TE Jake Hausmann, TE Rodell Rahmaan, DE Adam Rodriguez
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- TE Kyle Rudolph (signed)
Tennessee Titans
- S Jalen Elliott, CB Joshua Kalu (signed)
No Extension Imminent Between 49ers, Deebo Samuel
While there was an important update on one 49er who has been in the headlines all offseason yesterday, the situation regarding another of the team’s key priorities is murkier. With training camp approaching, much remains to be determined as it pertains to Deebo Samuel. 
An NFL.com report details that there is “nothing imminent” with respect to an extension being finalized by San Francisco and the All-Pro receiver. That runs counter to the sense that a lucrative long-term deal could be hammered out in the build-up to camp, a possibility brought up last month. Nevertheless, the two camps “have had talks” about an extension, per the report.
Bridging the gap between Samuel’s original asking price and the team’s best offer to date has, naturally, been seen as a key milestone in helping repair relations between the two sides after the 26-year-old’s April trade request. However, it is still “unclear as to how close the parties are to a new contract.” Samuel boosted his market value in 2021 with 1,770 scrimmage yards as he became the undisputed focal point of the 49ers’ offense late in the regular season and into the playoffs.
As a result, he is widely expected to join the ever-growing club of receivers signing deals averaging at least $20MM per season – a sizeable jump in compensation from the $4MM the South Carolina product is set to earn in 2022, the final year of his rookie contract. The 49ers could scarcely afford much in the way of a raise for him this season in their current cap situation, though that will change dramatically once Jimmy Garoppolo is no longer on the books. San Francisco also has fellow 2019 draftee Nick Bosa eligible for an extension, though those negotiations have taken a backseat to Samuel talks.
With much unsettled regarding his contract status, it remains to be seen if Samuel will attend training camp next week. He skipped voluntary OTAs, but was present for mandatory minicamp. The fact that he didn’t participate in any on-field work, however, leaves a ‘hold-in’ along the same lines as a distinct possibility. While the Garoppolo situation seems set to remain in a holding pattern for the near future, then, the Samuel one will be worth watching in the coming days.
Jimmy Garoppolo Given Permission To Seek Trade
Wednesday has seen a noteworthy, though entirely unsurprising, development in the case of the league’s final starting quarterback in need of a new home. The 49ers have officially given Jimmy Garoppolo permission to seek a trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
It has been known since last April that San Francisco would hand the No. 1 role to first-rounder Trey Lance no later than his second season in the NFL. A deal sending Garoppolo elsewhere has thus been seen as inevitable throughout a 2022 offseason filled with several major moves at the position. His health has been chief among the reasons a market hasn’t developed, though.
On that point, Schefter adds that Garoppolo has been cleared to return to practice. That news comes one day after the 30-year-old received an encouraging update on his surgically-repaired throwing shoulder. The 49ers will still “exercise caution” for the foreseeable future, though, and Garoppolo wasn’t expected (as recently as yesterday) to be back on the field until next month.
CBS’ Jonathan Jones tweets that there are teams who have “poked around” regarding the former second-rounder’s availability. Not surprisingly, though, none have seriously considered making a move until they know he has recovered in full. With nearly all of the QB moves having long been made, the list of potential suitors is rather short this late in the offseason. The division rival Seahawks have long been connected to at least entertaining the possibility of adding him, but signing him as a free agent after being released would be far more financially feasible.
Garoppolo has one year remaining on his contract, with a non-guaranteed salary of just over $24MM. Seattle wouldn’t be able to absorb his deal without re-working it, something which isn’t true of the Browns. Potentially in need of a veteran for at least part of the 2022 season, Cleveland has ample cap space to bring in Garoppolo, though their interest has been considered tepid at best to date.
Ultimately, today’s news moves the QB one step closer to the inevitable outcome of joining a new team for the second time in his career. How his market develops in the coming weeks will be worth monitoring as the season approaches.
49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo “Progressing Well” From Shoulder Surgery
Jimmy Garoppolo continues to take positive steps forward as he recovers from his shoulder surgery. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the quarterback recently got a thumbs up from Dr. Neal ElAttrache during a checkup, and it seems like the veteran is “progressing well.”
[RELATED: Browns Unlikely To Pursue Jimmy Garoppolo?]
Per Rapoport, the 49ers are thrilled with where Garoppolo is from a physical standpoint. The expectation continues to be that the QB will be able to make his return to the field in mid-August, and Rapoport hints that the player’s return could quickly lead to a trade out of San Francisco.
We heard recently that Garoppolo had resumed throwing, and Rapoport provided some details on his rehab process. The QB’s focus isn’t on “making one deep” pass attempt; instead, Garoppolo is focused on “making many [passes] in a row” as he attempts to build up for actual game action. Per Rapoport, the belief is that the player’s cuff will end up stronger than it was before the injury. Garoppolo originally injured his shoulder during the team’s Divisional Round win over the Cowboys. The surgery ultimately kept him out of mandatory minicamp.
It sounds like the 49ers are not counting on Garoppolo to be ready for the start of training camp. That means 2021 third-overall pick Trey Lance won’t have to look over his shoulder as he guides the first-team offense through the early parts of camp. It sounds like Garoppolo won’t even get a legitimate look from the 49ers before he’s shipped out via trade, but at the very least, the veteran’s current status eliminates any semblance of a QB competition.
Still, a Garoppolo trade is easier said than done, especially with the majority of his potential suitors now out of the picture. The Browns and Seahawks have most recently been connected to the 30-year-old, but if those squads have legitimate interest, they’d likely wait out their chances and see if Garoppolo ends up hitting free agency. The player’s shoulder somewhat complicates a potential release, but no matter the end result, his return to practice will mark the beginning of the end for Garoppolo in San Francisco.
NFC West Rumors: Wagner, Walker, Eskridge, Lenoir
Seattle made headlines earlier this year when they made the decision to release career-Seahawk Bobby Wagner. The 32-year-old linebacker may have seen the writing on the wall after the team traded away quarterback Russell Wilson, but, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, Wagner didn’t want to leave Seattle.
The Seahawks released their star linebacker in order to avoid his $20.35MM cap hit in the 2022 NFL season. Wagner understood that but, reportedly, wanted to stick around. The sting of having to leave his home of the last ten years was softened a bit by two factors: the unfortunate way that the franchise handled the news and the eventual conclusion that he would return to his old home of California.
Wagner claimed he heard the news from “so many other people” and had to reach out to head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider to confirm. Carroll and Schneider have since admitted that they regret the way the news was handled.
On returning home, Wagner said, “I didn’t want to leave Seattle. But if I was going to leave Seattle, home was the next-best thing for me and so being able to be home, like I’m at peace with the situation.”
Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a couple out of Wagner’s former home in Washington:
- Seattle utilized a second-round pick to bring in one of the draft’s top running back prospects, Kenneth Walker III, and they don’t intend to let that use of draft capital sit on the bench. For a number of reasons, Walker figures to factor heavily into the Seahawks’ running backs rotation in 2022, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson. With Wilson’s departure, and the lack of a star quarterback to step in for him, Seattle will likely rely a little more heavily on the run game. If incumbent starter Chris Carson‘s health keeps him from returning to the field (or even the roster), the team will have to lean on Rashaad Penny. Penny has missed time with injury, too, though, and, whether Penny “misses more times and/or…the Seahawks manage his touches to prevent overwork,” Walker should benefit from increased opportunities to contribute.
- The Seahawks are set to return their top-three receivers from last year in Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Freddie Swain. According to Henderson, though, second-year receiver D’Wayne Eskridge could be the X-factor in Seattle’s receivers room next season. The former second-round pick has had a slow start to his career due to a number of injuries. His rookie season was marred by a toe injury and concussion, and Carroll has opined about time he missed this offseason with hamstring issues. If Eskridge can get healthy and show the talent that made him a second-round pick, he can combine with Lockett and Metcalf to provide a strong receiving corps for quarterbacks Drew Lock and Geno Smith.
- We’ve talked a couple of times now about the 49ers’ position battle at nickel cornerback. Multiple sources have pinned Darqueze Dennard against rookie fifth-round pick Samuel Womack for the starting job with the possibility that starting outside corner Emmanuel Moseley may slide inside on nickel-formations if Dennard or Womack fail to seize the role. Someone we haven’t mentioned, though, who can’t be ruled out, is last year’s fifth-round pick Deommodore Lenoir, according to Cam Inman of The Mercury News. When he was drafted, many viewed Lenoir as the “heir apparent” to K’Waun Williams, who left for Denver in free agency this offseason, creating the vacant nickel position up for grabs now. Currently, Dennard, Womack, or Moseley are still the favorites to win the job, but Lenoir still has the potential to swoop in and take the crown he was drafted to grow into.
Browns Unlikely To Pursue Jimmy Garoppolo?
Deshaun Watson‘s initial suspension length is unlikely to surface until at least next week, and even that announcement might not happen until the Browns break for training camp. But the likely appeal process should be expected to drag into August, complicating matters for the team that surrendered three first-round picks and change for the former Texans Pro Bowler.
The prospect of Jimmy Garoppolo serving as an emergency option for Cleveland, in the event the NFL does suspend Watson for a full season or close to it, has come up in recent weeks. But the team is comfortable with Jacoby Brissett guiding the offense in Watson’s absence, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who said during an appearance on KNBR’s Tolbert & Copes (h/t 49erswebzone.com) he is not sure the Browns will emerge in the Garoppolo mix.
[RELATED: How Will 49ers’ Garoppolo Saga End?]
Not long after acquiring Watson, the Browns traded Case Keenum — their backup of two years — and signed Brissett to a one-year, $4.65MM deal. Cleveland also gave up one of the top trade packages in NFL history for Watson. In addition to the first-rounders being dealt, the Browns gave the Texans a third-rounder (in 2023) and two fourths (in 2022 and ’24). The team’s draft capital may be an issue regarding a Garoppolo pursuit, Fowler adds. Baker Mayfield went for only a 2024 fifth-rounder, and the 49ers are in a somewhat similar salary spot with Garoppolo — attached to a $24.2MM base salary that becomes guaranteed in Week 1 — so draft capital being a hang-up is interesting here.
Brissett, 29, has 37 career starts under his belt; five of those came with the Dolphins last season. The former third-round pick averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt in Miami, though he fared better during the second of his years as the Colts’ primary starter. Garoppolo would certainly be a more inspiring option than Brissett, but the Browns may stand down.
Garoppolo, 30, has resumed throwing. The 49ers could stash him on the active/PUP list to start camp, if they want to both give the veteran QB more recovery time and/or sideline him as they negotiate a trade, but Kyle Shanahan said in June the 49ers would likely have their trade chip at practice instead of stashed on the PUP list. The 49ers excused Garoppolo from minicamp, but he was not ready to throw at that point.
The Seahawks loom as a Garoppolo option but are more likely to wait out a potential release. The Texans have been loosely linked to Garoppolo this offseason, with Nick Caserio having been in New England throughout the ex-Tom Brady backup’s stay there. But Fowler adds it would be a bit of a surprise if Garoppolo ended up in Houston, given the team’s interest in developing Davis Mills.
After the Mayfield trade, Cleveland gained more than $8MM in cap space. The team’s $48.5MM is $25MM north of any other team’s cap room, providing options in the event Watson is shut down for the season. (The 49ers’ $4.9MM in space ranks 30th on that list.) Watson being shelved for all of 2022 would cause his five-year contract to toll, making it a 2023-27 pact. The Browns structured the $230MM guaranteed deal to minimize Watson’s penalties in a suspension — one the team did not expect to be a full-season ban when it made the trade. Watson’s $1MM base salary would move to 2023, pushing the run of $50MM-plus cap figures to 2024 and beyond.
49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo Resumes Throwing
Jimmy Garoppolo‘s March shoulder surgery is likely the reason he remains with the 49ers. Despite almost every team having addressed its quarterback position, the 49ers will still try to collect an asset for their longtime starter. A change in Garoppolo’s status will help on that front.
The rehabbing QB has resumed throwing, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. In fact, Garoppolo began throwing two or three weeks ago, per Barrows (subscription required). Garoppolo, 30, has rehabbed in the Los Angeles area; the 49ers excused him from their minicamp last month.
[RELATED: Teams Expecting July Garoppolo Trade?]
Signaling no setbacks have occurred, this news moves the 49ers’ planned separation from Garoppolo closer to reality. Still, Garoppolo’s trade value suffered because of the surgery — one that occurred nearly two months after Baker Mayfield‘s. While the former Browns QB underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, Garoppolo’s right shoulder issue further complicated his status.
Several teams filled their QB needs via trade, including the Panthers, who took a Garoppolo landing spot off the table last week by acquiring Baker Mayfield. Barring an injury, it is difficult to locate an obvious Garoppolo suitor. Prior to the surgery, the 49ers were holding out hope for a Day 2 pick in exchange for Garoppolo, who has gone 37-16 as their starter since 2017. While they received two second-round picks for Alex Smith nine years ago, no injuries clouded that move. And the 2013 offseason brought more of a seller’s market than this offseason presented at quarterback.
The Seahawks have done their due diligence on Garoppolo, but after holding out on a Mayfield trade, the 49ers’ NFC West rivals may again stick to their guns and wait for the other long-rumored trade candidate to hit free agency. The 49ers are going to let Garoppolo’s camp discuss his now-onerous contract with other teams, but the prospect of the ninth-year passer’s $24.2MM salary becoming guaranteed in Week 1 hovers over this drawn-out trade saga.
Jimmy Garoppolo On Seahawks’ Radar
The Seahawks held off on trading for Baker Mayfield, and despite increased scrutiny, the Drew Lock-vs.-Geno Smith competition continues to look like the team’s post-Russell Wilson plan. But the other QB that looms on the trade block is at least on Seattle’s radar.
Jimmy Garoppolo has generated internal discussions among Seahawks brass, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who adds the team has gone through film of how the four-plus-year 49ers starter would fit (video link). While the Seahawks did not blink as the Panthers finalized their Mayfield trade, a Garoppolo-to-Seattle scenario appears in play.
Although it would be rather reckless if the Seahawks didn’t give Garoppolo a thorough look, given their quarterback situation, Pete Carroll said earlier this offseason he did not expect his team to make a second quarterback trade. Carroll’s QB-related words were not exactly indicative of the team’s plans with Wilson, but the Seahawks have stuck to their guns regarding the search for his successor. Mayfield-Seattle connections were repeatedly shot down, and the NFC West team is now a few weeks away from its Smith-Lock contest going into training camp.
Intra-divisional trades are rare, and not many quarterbacks have been exchanged by division rivals — Drew Bledsoe (2002) and Donovan McNabb (2010) being modern-era exceptions — but Fowler points to the Seahawks potentially waiting out the 49ers on their Garoppolo call. Unless an injury wrecks a team’s QB situation, the 49ers do not have many options with Garoppolo. His $24.2MM salary becomes guaranteed by Week 1, and although a Monday-morning report indicated the expectation is the 49ers will find a trade partner this month, teams may be willing to test San Francisco’s patience. Considering the Seahawks’ patience on the Mayfield front, it is not too difficult to see them standing pat with the Lock-Smith setup and waiting for Garoppolo to hit free agency.
That plan would not give the 30-year-old passer much time to digest the Seahawks’ playbook, and it would open the door to a stealth suitor swooping in. The Browns, who added more than $8MM to their league-leading cap-space figure with their Mayfield trade, could be in play if the imminent Deshaun Watson suspension does cover all of 2022. (Per results in the latest PFR poll, the Garoppolo-to-Cleveland scenario is quite live.) Garoppolo (two top-15 QBR marks in the past three years) would likely be an upgrade on what Seattle has, providing a chance for him to build up his 2023 free agency stock.
The 49ers will let Garoppolo’s camp negotiate his contract with other teams, but going from $24.2MM to where teams would want the QB’s 2022 compensation to land might be a long bridge. Holding more than $16MM in cap space (compared to the 49ers’ $4.9MM), the Seahawks sit in the top 10 for available funds. But they surely will not be interested in paying Garoppolo nearly as much as he is currently set to make.
The ninth-year veteran has not endured a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery. He remains on track to resuming throwing this month.
Jimmy Garoppolo Expected To Be Traded In July?
With Baker Mayfield finally being moved to the Panthers, the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo domino looms. Carolina completing its long-rumored deal with Cleveland removes a Garoppolo destination from the equation, giving San Francisco an interesting task in the weeks to come.
This process could well end with the 49ers releasing Garoppolo, but Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes the expectation around the league is for a trade to be completed by the end of July. Garoppolo remains on schedule to resume throwing soon, according to his agent, who became the latest to refute a weekend connection between the ninth-year quarterback and the Buccaneers (Twitter links).
[RELATED: How will 49ers’ Garoppolo saga conclude?]
Facing the prospect of carrying a $26.95MM Garoppolo cap hit (the NFL’s seventh-highest 2022 cap figure), the 49ers will need to have that number off their books before it translates to a vested-veteran guarantee in Week 1. Any Garoppolo trade talks will involve lowering that number, as teams can use Garoppolo’s upcoming guarantee date against the 49ers. San Francisco will let Garoppolo negotiate his contract with other teams to facilitate a trade. Garoppolo making it to free agency would give the veteran more options, but the longer this goes, the more difficult it will be for the 30-year-old QB to maximize his opportunity with a team.
The end-of-July date is interesting. A better deal may emerge in August, with the prospect of teams’ QB depth charts being affected by injuries being more likely then than it will be in July. Garoppolo’s right shoulder surgery has delayed San Francisco’s goal of unloading its former starter. Waiting on a potential injury to change a team’s QB outlook would seemingly benefit the 49ers, as it did the Eagles six years ago. Teddy Bridgewater‘s severe knee injury prompted the Vikings to trade first- and fourth-round picks for Sam Bradford, whose Philadelphia exit cleared the way for Carson Wentz. Garoppolo’s Bay Area departure will begin the latest North Dakota State-produced prospect’s QB1 run.
Bradford’s contract was easier for the Vikings to absorb, with the Eagles having already paid their 2015 trade acquisition an $11MM offseason roster bonus. The Vikings were only responsible for $7MM of Bradford’s salary in 2016. While a team seeing its starter go down during camp could create desperation, the 49ers likely will still be asked to pay some of Garoppolo’s salary. Absent an injury, the Garoppolo market is cold.
Trey Lance is on track to take the reins for the 49ers. The Division I-FCS product cannot be viewed as a sure thing, after an atypical college career and some rookie-year scuffling, but the price the 49ers paid to acquire him points to a starter ascent. Lance struggling in camp could lead to the 49ers keeping the Garoppolo door open, on a price tag that is not $26.95MM, but the team remains hopeful it will find a way to move Garoppolo off its roster ahead of that point.
Buccaneers Not Interested In Jimmy Garoppolo
On Friday, Grant Cohn of SI.com published an article suggesting that the Buccaneers want to trade for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and install him as Tom Brady‘s successor. The report stemmed from a conversation that Dan Sileo, a former NFL defensive tackle and current sports radio host, had with renowned agent Don Yee.
Yee represents both Garoppolo and Brady, who shared a quarterback room in New England for three-plus seasons after the Patriots drafted Garoppolo in 2014. However, while a Brady-Garoppolo reunion would certainly be an interesting story, there are a number of issues that would make such a trade difficult. Although Brady is entering his age-45 campaign and briefly retired this offseason, he is still playing at a high level, and Tampa may want him back in 2023 if the legendary signal-caller wants to continue his career. Plus, Garoppolo, who comes with a laundry list of injury problems and whose throwing shoulder surgery in March already complicated the Niners’ trade talks with other clubs, is due a $24.2MM salary this year. Although the 49ers are willing to let their 30-year-old passer negotiate a new contract with interested teams, the money that Garoppolo will want and the uncertainty of Brady’s future would make it difficult for Garoppolo and the Bucs to find middle ground.
Of course, all of those obstacles would only come into play if the Buccaneers truly wanted Garoppolo. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times throws cold water on that notion, saying, “Not a chance” (Twitter link). Stroud cites an unnamed Buccaneers coach who said, “[i]f (Garoppolo) could throw a deep ball, he would’ve won two Super Bowls already.”
The 49ers doubtlessly welcome any reports of outside interest in Garoppolo — reports that Yee might be trying to drum up — as the club does not have many potential trade partners at the moment. The Panthers took themselves out of the running when they traded for Baker Mayfield earlier this week, and if Mayfield’s prior team, the Browns, receive good news vis-a-vis Deshaun Watson‘s expected suspension, then Cleveland likely would not be in the market for Garoppolo either. Without the Browns in the picture, the 49ers may be forced to wait for another club to suffer injury or underperformance during training camp or the preseason to consummate a trade, or they may end up with no choice but to release Garoppolo before Week 1, when his salary becomes guaranteed.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe offers a few potential landing spots other than Cleveland, but those are all imperfect, speculative fits. The list includes teams with established starters like the Raiders (Derek Carr) and clubs that have young quarterbacks that they want to continue evaluating, like the Texans (Davis Mills) and the Giants (Daniel Jones).