NFC West Rumors: Samuel, Lynch, Cross, Mack, Rams
49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel helped push the narrative that his relationship with San Francisco was deteriorating in early April when he unfollowed the 49ers and removed all references to the team from his social media. Well, according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports, Samuel has signaled that things may be trending in a better direction lately.
Smith points out that Samuel refollowed the 49ers on Instagram and liked a post that showed general manager John Lynch saying that the issues between the two parties can be worked out.
Samuel is headed into the final year of his rookie contract and is looking for a nice, new payday. Smith makes a good point that new deals to Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and Stefon Diggs are going to make a new deal for Samuel fairly costly for the 49ers.
Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with another note from the Bay Area:
- Jake Hutchinson, the 49ers beat writer for KNBR, released some quotes from an interview with Lynch. Lynch commented on the progress of the team’s efforts to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, saying, “I felt we were close in some discussions, and then the decision was made to have surgery and it brought things to a screeching halt.” Lynch continued, “We either want to have Jimmy playing for us, which we’re alright with, or we want him to get the value.”
- During a press conference with Seahawks general manager and executive vice president John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll after the Draft, ESPN’s Brady Henderson released a video containing some of their thoughts on the No. 9 overall pick, Mississippi State tackle Charles Cross. In it, the two specify that they see Cross on the blindside, playing left tackle. They don’t have concerns about him transitioning from Mike Leach‘s spread offense at Mississippi State due to Cross’s athleticism. They also felt very fortunate to have had Cross fall to them at 9, noting that there were opportunities to move up or down.
- Matt Barrows of The Athletic wrote an article going over the results of the 49ers’ 2022 Draft. He notes that the two Day 3-additions of UTSA tackle Spencer Burford and Fordham tackle Nick Zakelj both played tackle in college, but project as NFL guards, similar to past draft picks Colton McKivitz and Jaylon Moore. While slightly problematic that none of these linemen specialize at guard or tackle, it’s extremely problematic that none of them have experience at center. With current center Alex Mack sitting at 36 and contemplating retirement, it’s important that San Francisco begins to look at options beyond Mack to play center.
- In a rundown of the Rams’ 2022 Draft, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic unveiled an interesting rumor about how highly Los Angeles valued their third-round draft pick, Wisconsin guard Logan Bruss. With plenty of time before their selection arrived, the Rams knew Bruss was the player they wanted to target at No. 104 overall. Upon the suggestion of now-retired left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who was in the Rams’ draft room, Los Angeles made a few efforts to move up to select Bruss earlier. Unfortunately for them, the teams they called declined. Fortunately for them, though, Bruss found his way to Southern California despite their inability to move up.
Contract Details: Jarrett, Akins, Green, Verrett, Smith, Trubisky
Here are some details on deals recently reached around the NFL:
- Grady Jarrett, DT (Falcons): Three-year, $50.47MM. The contract, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, includes a guaranteed amount of $34.47MM consisting of a $16.5MM signing bonus and the full amounts of the 2022 and 2023 base salaries worth $1.47MM and $16.5MM, respectively. The deal includes roster bonuses of $1MM each due on the fifth day of the 2024 league year and the 2025 league year. Jarrett’s base salary for the 2024 and 2025 seasons will see an increase of $500,000 each if he makes the Pro Bowl in the 2023 or 2024 seasons, respectively.
- Jordan Akins, TE (Giants): One-year, $1.09MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, is composed of a base salary of $1.04MM with a signing bonus $50,000. Under the veteran salary benefit, Akins will only have a salary cap hit of $945,000.
- Rasheem Green, DE (Texans): One-year, $3.25MM. The contract, according to Wilson, includes a guaranteed amount of $1MM consisting of a $500,000 signing bonus and $500,000 of the base salary worth $1.5MM total. Green will receive a $500,000 workout bonus and a per game active bonus of $44,177 for a potential season total of $750,000.
- Jason Verrett, CB (49ers): One-year, $1.04MM. Verrett’s deal has an injury waiver which leaves none of the money guaranteed for the 30-year old who has spent his fair share of time on the injured reserve during his career. Under the veteran salary benefit, Verrett will only have a salary cap hit of $895,000.
- Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks): Refiled one-year, $3.5MM. Original details posted here. The deal, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $500,000 and a base salary of $1.26MM. The contract lists a roster bonus of $1.69MM and a workout bonus of $50,000. Additionally there is a Week 1 roster bonus of $585,000 due to Smith on September 15. Smith will receive a per game bonus of $30,000 whether active or inactive with that bonus increasing to $65,000 if Smith is active for a low season total of $510,000 and a potential season total of $1.12MM if Smith spends the entire season on the active roster. We mentioned Smith’s $3.5MM worth of potential incentives in the first post, but Wilson details that those incentives will be based on playtime, playoffs, passing yards, and whether or not Smith is voted to the Pro Bowl.
- Mitchell Trubisky, QB (Steelers): Incentive details for two-year, $14.29MM contract. Original details posted here. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the incentives are as follows: in 2022, Trubisky is due $1MM if he hits 60% of the team’s playtime, $1.5MM if he hits 70%, $2MM if he hits 80%, $2.5MM if he hits 70% and the Steelers make the playoffs, and $4MM if he hits 80% and the team makes the playoffs. He’ll earn an additional $250,000 if he makes the Pro Bowl. If Trubisky hits the 60% mark of playtime in 2022, he’ll earn a roster bonus in March of 2023 worth $1MM. That roster bonus elevates to $4MM if he triggers the 70% bonus from 2022. The same playtime, playoff, and Pro Bowl incentives will be in place for the 2023 season, as well, just without the following year roster bonus.
Panthers Still Open To Veteran QB Addition
Although the Panthers came away with a Day 2 quarterback in this draft (Matt Corral), third-round picks do not necessarily block teams from further investments at this position. The team will continue to look into the likes of Jimmy Garoppolo, Baker Mayfield and now Nick Foles, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes.
GM Scott Fitterer said post-draft the team would go with its current group — one headlined by Sam Darnold and Corral — but Garoppolo or Mayfield would provide an upgrade. The Panthers and Browns had discussed Mayfield ahead of last week’s second round but could not determine how to divvy up the since-replaced QB’s fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM). Darnold is already attached to that sum, which would make Carolina eating all of Mayfield’s option price a non-starter. As such, Mayfield is in limbo.
This marks the second Garoppolo connection to form in the past few days, with the Texans also believed to have the longtime 49ers starter on their radar. Houston did not draft a quarterback last week. Few Garoppolo connections emerged this offseason, with the 49ers’ high asking price limiting teams’ interest. The eight-year veteran’s shoulder surgery provided a roadblock as well.
Foles, 33, languished on the Bears’ bench for most of last season. The former Super Bowl MVP also lost his starting job in both 2019 (to Gardner Minshew in Jacksonville) and ’20 (to Mitchell Trubisky, after having taken it from the incumbent earlier that year). Last season, Andy Dalton and Justin Fields ran Chicago’s offense in all but one game — a Foles-directed win in Seattle — and the Bears finally cut bait after the draft.
Corral became a Panther after the team traded into the third round, giving up its 2023 third-rounder to do so, but the team might have had its eye on a different QB. The Panthers had a deal on the table to trade back into Round 2, when Corral, Malik Willis and Desmond Ridder were on the board amid their Friday-night freefalls.
“I had the card in my hand, and [owner David Tepper] looks at me and says, ‘What do you want to do?’” Fitterer said, via Breer. “And we both just kind of took a moment, and we looked at the board, and we decided the right thing to do was to be patient. Let’s not overpay. Let’s be smart about this. Let’s not dig ourselves in a hole for next year. Let’s inch back on trading with these quarterbacks.”
The Falcons and Titans took Ridder and Willis, respectively, and Breer adds the Panthers would have been fine going with Sam Howell instead of Corral. They decided on the Ole Miss product, and the in-state product fell all the way to Washington atop Round 5.
2023 NFL Fifth-Year Option Results
Monday marked the deadline for NFL clubs to officially pick up their options on 2019 first-rounders. Fifth-year option seasons are no longer just guaranteed for injury — they’re now fully guaranteed, which makes these decisions a little tougher for teams.
Nineteen players had their options exercised, a tick up from 14 last year. Here’s the full rundown:
1. QB Kyler Murray, Cardinals – Exercised ($29.7MM)
2. DE Nick Bosa, 49ers: Exercised ($17.9MM)
3. DE Quinnen Williams, Jets: Exercised ($11.5MM)
4. DE Clelin Ferrell, Raiders: Declined ($11.5MM)
5. LB Devin White, Buccaneers: Exercised ($11.7MM)
6. QB Daniel Jones, Giants: Declined ($22.4MM)
7. DE Josh Allen, Jaguars: Exercised ($11.5MM)
8. TE T.J. Hockenson, Lions: Exercised ($9.4MM)
9. DT Ed Oliver, Bills: Exercised ($10.8MM)
10. LB Devin Bush, Steelers: Declined ($10.9MM)
11. OT Jonah Williams, Bengals: Exercised ($12.6MM)
12. LB Rashan Gary, Packers: Exercised ($10.9MM)
13. DT Christian Wilkins, Dolphins: Exercised ($10.8MM)
14. G Chris Lindstrom, Falcons: Exercised ($13.2MM)
15. QB Dwayne Haskins:
16. DE Brian Burns, Panthers: Exercised ($16MM)
17. DT Dexter Lawrence, Giants: Exercised ($10.8MM)
18. C Garrett Bradbury, Vikings: Declined ($13.2MM)
19. DT Jeffery Simmons, Titans: Exercised ($10.8MM)
20. TE Noah Fant, Seahawks: Exercised ($6.9MM; originally drafted by Broncos)
21. S Darnell Savage, Packers: Exercised ($7.9MM)
22. OT Andre Dillard, Eagles: Declined ($12.6MM)
23. OT Tytus Howard, Texans: Exercised ($13.2MM)
24. RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders: Declined ($8MM)
25. WR Marquise Brown, Cardinals: ($13.4MM; originally drafted by Ravens)
26. DE Montez Sweat, Commanders: Exercised ($11.5MM)
27. S Johnathan Abram, Raiders: Declined ($7.9MM)
28. DE Jerry Tillery, Chargers: Declined ($11.5MM)
29. DE L.J. Collier, Seahawks: Declined ($11.5MM)
30. CB Deandre Baker — N/A (released by Giants)
31. OT Kaleb McGary, Falcons: Declined ($13.2MM)
32. WR N’Keal Harry, Patriots: Declined ($12.4MM)
49ers Sign 14 Undrafted Free Agents
The 49ers were busy following the draft, agreeing to terms with 14 undrafted free agents:
- Kevin Atkins, DL (Fresno State)
- Jeremiah Gemmel, LB (North Carolina)
- Tayler Hawkins, S (San Diego State)
- Qwuantrezz Knight, CB (UCLA)
- Taysir Mack, WR (Pittsburgh)
- Tay Martin, WR (Oklahoma State)
- Jordan Mason, RB (Georgia Tech)
- Marcelino McCrary-Ball, LB (Indiana)
- Segun Olubi, LB (San Diego State)
- Leon O’Neal Jr., S (Texas A&M)
- Jason Poe, OL (Mercer)
- Sam Schlueter, OL (Minnesota)
- Garrett Walston, TE (North Carolina)
- Dohnovan West, OL (Arizona State)
Dohnovan West was one of the highest-paid UDFAs in the league, earning $100K guaranteed (per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com on Twitter). The offensive lineman was a standout during his time at Arizona State, and some pundits predicted that he’d be selected just outside of the top-100. Instead, the player went undrafted, and now he’ll have a chance to compete for a spot in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, the 49ers gave Leon O’Neal $60K guaranteed (per Wilson on Twitter) and Jeremiah Gemmel $90K guaranteed (per Wilson on Twitter).
49ers Re-Sign CB Jason Verrett
For the third straight year, the 49ers are signing veteran cornerback Jason Verrett. The team also confirmed that, once again, he is inking a one-year deal. 
Verrett, 30, was a first-round pick of the Chargers in 2014. He flashed potential throughout his time with the team, including a Pro Bowl 2015 campaign. That year, he posted 47 tackles, three interceptions and 12 pass deflections. Injuries have become a major issue during his NFL tenure, however, including a torn Achilles which cost him the entire 2018 season.
That led him to San Francisco on his first one-year flier. An ankle injury limited him to a single game, though. The 49ers took another chance on him one year later, and saw he much more success that time around. In 13 games, the TCU product made a career-high 60 tackles, adding a pair of interceptions along the way. That was rewarded with another one-year deal from the team, as San Francisco looked to keep as much of its secondary intact given the departure of Richard Sherman.
Unfortunately, Verrett’s third season in the Bay Area went much like the first. He suffered a torn ACL during Week 1, leaving him with, essentially, yet another lost season. As a result, this latest deal likely won’t have the $5.5MM maximum value of his last one, though it wouldn’t come as a surprise for it to once again be incentive-laden. At a minimum, he will be able to provide experience to the 49ers’ secondary as they look to make another deep playoff run.
Saints To Pursue Tyrann Mathieu
The Saints did not select a safety during the 2022 draft, and as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, they are expected to make an “aggressive push” to sign free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu. The club met with Mathieu — a New Orleans native and former LSU Tiger — in early April but elected to wait until after the draft to explore a contract in earnest.
New Orleans has already added Marcus Maye and Daniel Sorensen in free agency, but given Sorensen’s coverage limitations and Maye’s season-ending Achilles tear in 2021, there is still room for a player of Mathieu’s caliber. That is especially true in light of Marcus Williams‘ free agent defection to Baltimore and Malcolm Jenkins‘ retirement.
Mathieu, who will turn 30 later this month, has suited up for the Cardinals, Texans, and Chiefs in his NFL career. Each of his three years in Kansas City ended with Pro Bowl or First Team All-Pro honors, and he racked up 213 tackles, 13 interceptions, 27 passes defensed, and two defensive TDs during that time. He was instrumental to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV outfit and their 2021 AFC Championship.
Despite those contributions, the Chiefs decided against offering him a contract this offseason. That decision and Mathieu’s extended stay on the open market qualify as something of a surprise, though we do not know what type of money he is seeking. It’s also possible that he is not being valued as highly as his raw totals would suggest; in the 2020-21 campaigns, Pro Football Focus graded him as an average to slightly-above average defender, and an ever-increasing reliance on advanced metrics could be suppressing his market.
Nonetheless, his pedigree in terms of traditional statistical achievements, not to mention his positional versatility and leadership qualities, would seem to make him a valuable addition to any number of clubs. In addition to the Saints, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News believes the 49ers — who also came out of the draft without filling their safety need — could be in play (Twitter link). The Rams and Steelers were also said to be interested, though Pittsburgh’s recent safety additions would seem to foreclose the possibility of a Mathieu signing.
The Eagles may also loom as a potential landing spot. Mathieu met with Philadelphia shortly after his visit with the Saints.
Brock Purdy Is 2022’s Mr. Irrelevant
The last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft has been announced and the 49ers have selected Brock Purdy. Quarterback. Iowa State. The 22-year-old has officially earned the moniker of Mr. Irrelevant for this year’s draft after being selected by San Francisco with the 262nd overall pick. 
In 2018, after then-senior Cyclones quarterback Kyle Kempt suffered an early season injury and his replacement, Zeb Noland, proved ineffective over the next few games, Purdy was elevated into the starting role as a true freshman in a Week 5 game at Oklahoma State and led Iowa State to their first Power 5 win of the season. He went on to start every game for the rest of the year, taking the Cyclones from 1-3, when he took over, to 8-5 by the end of the season, amassing a record of 7-2 as a freshman starter.
Purdy went on to start the next three years for the Cyclones, as well. Under Purdy, Iowa State never suffered a losing season and finished the 2020 season ranked 9th in the Final AP Poll, the only time they’ve ended the season ranked in the Final AP Poll since the 2000 season and their highest final ranking ever. Purdy leaves Iowa State as the Cyclones’ all-time and single season record holder for passing yards, passing touchdowns, total offense, and total touchdowns.
With incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo long-rumored to be on the way out, Purdy would be coming into the Bay Area to compete for the backup job behind 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance. His competition for the position would be Nate Sudfeld, who signed with the 49ers in March. Despite being in the league since 2016, Sudfeld only has 37 pass attempts in his career.
It will be interesting to see if Purdy can justify the 49ers signing him to a four-year rookie contract, as opposed to merely signing him as an undrafted free agent. Purdy should have every opportunity to beat out Sudfeld and earn his roster spot this preseason.
49ers Not Close To Trading Deebo Samuel
Offers came in for Deebo Samuel, whose trade request occurred 10 days ago. But the 49ers held firm and were not believed to have seriously engaged. That approach differed from the Titans’, with A.J. Brown now an Eagle due to contract considerations.
Brown’s $25MM-per-year deal will affect the 49ers’ partnership with Samuel, but the latter remains a 49er. With this week serving as a loose deadline for a trade, per ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner, Samuel may not be on the move anytime soon.
“You’ll consider anything. You’ve got a responsibility to help your organization the most you can, but there’s no player like Deebo,” Shanahan said, via Wagoner. “It’s hard to see how that helps your organization. So, you try to look into all the aspects of it and what people are willing to do and nothing was even remotely close that we thought it would be fair for the Niners.”
The Jets were believed to have offered their No. 10 overall pick for Samuel, but that offer would have also included the 49ers’ No. 61 overall choice going to New York. It does not look like the Lions offered No. 2 overall, with Detroit’s proposal being referred to as “light” on Friday. Aaron Rodgers also discussed the matter during his latest Pat McAfee Show cameo, acknowledging the 49ers trading a player like this to the Packers was unlikely.
Although the sides can still huddle up to resolve this matter, Shanahan said he was “a little disappointed” and “surprised” by this saga’s developments. Nevertheless, Samuel is still under contract through 2022. The 49ers have budgeted an extension, and although their initial offer (believed to be under $19MM per year) irked Samuel’s camp, plenty of time remains for a negotiation to be finalized. The 49ers did not re-up George Kittle until midway through training camp ahead of his contract year.
“You can work out anything,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see. Hopefully when this is all said and done, we’ll get the best thing for the Niners and the best thing for Deebo and hopefully that’s the same thing because we’d love to keep going how we’ve been. But we know that’s in front of us right now.”
Texans Considering Round 2 QBs; Baker Mayfield, Jimmy Garoppolo On Radar?
Although Lovie Smith voiced support for Davis Mills early in the offseason, GM Nick Caserio was noncommittal about the second-year QB’s starter status going forward. Everything Houston has thus far done points to Mills receiving another opportunity, but the team may make a late entrance to the quarterback market.
The Texans considered the prospect of trading back into Round 1 for Malik Willis, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Houston, which also liked Kenny Pickett, holds the fifth pick in Friday’s second round (No. 37 overall). Willis’ fall opens the door to a potential investment for a Texans team that can certainly afford to give a rookie quarterback a redshirt season, given where the Caserio-led franchise is on its rebuild track.
This draft producing the first one-QB first round since 2013 opens the door to teams making lower-cost investments tonight. Ole Miss’ Matt Corral, who is on the Saints’ radar, and Desmond Ridder qualify as potential second-round picks. North Carolina’s Sam Howell may well go off the board tonight as well. The Buccaneers, Vikings, Titans and Giants pick in front of the Texans in Round 2. There are some QB landmine spots here for Houston, which runs the risk of missing out on its preferred second-day passer by standing pat.
Should the Texans not take a quarterback tonight, two veterans are available in trades. The team is likely to explore a Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo addition, Howe adds. This would seem contingent on Houston not drafting Willis or another QB in Round 2. While the Texans are still fine with running Mills back out there in 2022 and did not consider drafting a passer with either of their first-round picks Thursday, per Howe, the team is not committed just yet.
The Panthers and Seahawks have been connected to Mayfield, with the former a bit more closely linked. Garoppolo’s market has yet to take shape, with the longtime 49ers starter still rehabbing from surgery on his throwing shoulder. The Texans were not interested in Mayfield when they traded Deshaun Watson to the Browns, but Howe adds the expectation of Cleveland needing to eat some of the QB’s fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM) has changed the equation. The 49ers’ asking price for Garoppolo remains too high for the Texans, however, though Caserio’s time with the ex-Tom Brady backup in New England does create a logical connection here — Garoppolo’s desire to end up with a contender notwithstanding.
Another wrinkle here is the 49ers’ willingness to keep Garoppolo through training camp. That could put the former Super Bowl starter in position to need another team’s QB injury to prompt a trade. Absent a reasonable offer, the 49ers are willing to carry Garoppolo’s salary ($26.9MM cap number) to camp, per Howe. This would hinder their ability to extend Deebo Samuel or Nick Bosa, but Garoppolo doubles as an insurance policy in case Trey Lance is not ready to take over.