Broncos To Sign DL D.J. Jones
The Broncos made last week’s biggest splash but went through a dormant Monday. They are making a move tonight, however, in signing former 49ers defensive lineman D.J. Jones.
Jones agreed to a three-year, $30MM deal with Denver, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Breaking through during his contract year, Jones will collect a nice payday. The Broncos are giving the interior D-lineman a fully guaranteed $20MM.
The sixth-year D-lineman will essentially take the place of Shelby Harris, whom the Broncos included in their Russell Wilson trade. Harris, a Bronco from 2017-21, was attached to a $9MM-per-year deal.
A former sixth-round pick, Jones displayed considerable promise during his contract year. The Ole Miss alum started 17 games for San Francisco, registered 10 tackles for loss and forced two fumbles. The 49ers used Jones as a 46-game starter over the past three seasons, during which time the inside defender recorded seven sacks and 21 TFLs. Jones added a sack, during the 49ers’ five-sack game against the Cowboys, in the playoffs earlier this year.
At 27, D.J. Jones is nearly four years younger than Harris. He will team with Dre’Mont Jones, who is going into a contract year, and nose tackle Mike Purcell on the Broncos’ D-line. D.J. Jones is the only projected starter acquired or extended during George Paton‘s GM tenure.
Jaguars To Sign TE Evan Engram
The Jaguars continue to add to their offense. Jacksonville is signing tight end Evan Engram, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Jaguars To Sign Christian Kirk]
It’s a one-year deal worth $9MM, and the contract could be worth up to $10MM with incentives. PFF’s Doug Kyed tweets that the deal contains $8.25MM in guaranteed money, which includes a $3MM signing bonus and $5.25MM base salary. The tight end has $800K worth of reception and receiving yard incentives.
A first-round pick by the Giants in 2018, Engram had an inconsistent five years in New York. After missing 13 combined games between 2018 and 2019, Engram earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020 after finishing with 63 receptions for 654 yards and one touchdown. However, his numbers took a step back in 2021, with the tight end finishing with 46 receptions for a career-low 408 receiving yards.
Still, those numbers would represent an upgrade at the position for the Jaguars. The team’s top receiving TE in 2021 was Dan Arnold, who finished with 28 receptions for 324 yards. Engram will join a tight ends depth chart that already includes Arnold, James O’Shaughnessy, Chris Manhertz, and Luke Farrell.
However, there’s a chance Engram doesn’t even line up as TE for his new squad. There were recent reports that teams were looking into Engram as a wide receiver, with the player’s combination of speed, agility, and size making him a potential matchup nightmare. We’ll see if that ends up being the case in Jacksonville. According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post (on Twitter), the Colts, 49ers, and Bills were among the teams to express interest in Engram before he landed in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars have been busy adding to their offense this afternoon. After agreeing to a deal with offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, the organization inked receiver Christian Kirk to a lucrative deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/22
Here are today’s minor roster moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Assigned from waivers: RB Darrynton Evans
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-Signed: LB Joe Bachie
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: WR Robert Foster
- Waived: CB Reggie Robinson and RB Ito Smith
Houston Texans
- Re-Signed: QB Jeff Driskel and OL Carson Green
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-Signed: OT Jackson Barton
New York Giants
- Waived: TE Kaden Smith
- Re-Signed: WR David Sills
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-Signed: S Miles Killebrew
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-Signed: LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Raheem Mostert Expected To Recover For 2022
There is positive news on the injury front for Raheem Mostert. As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the veteran is “making a full recovery” and should be available by the start of the 2022 season (Twitter link). 
Mostert, soon to be 30, suffered a serious knee injury in September. Chipped cartilage limited him to a single game in 2021, his sixth campaign spent in San Francisco. Before that, he had established himself as a full-time, starting-caliber tailback following special team stints on four different teams. In 24 games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the former UDFA totalled 1,629 scrimmage yards and 13 total touchdowns. He averaged 5.6, then 5.0 yards per carry in those campaigns.
The encouraging update came from test results courtesy of Dr. Dan Cooper, who “said that in six years of doing this procedure on NFL players, this is the best recovery he’s seen and there’s no reason to believe Raheem won’t be fully healthy and ready to go”, as relayed by his agent. The timing couldn’t be better, as Mostert is set to be a free agent.
The 49ers have been in talks with the veteran in the hope of keeping him. His play prior to this latest injury made the three-year, $8.65MM deal he was on seem like a relative bargain. However, the team ranked seventh in the league in rushing yards, averaging over 127 per game in his absence. That, coupled with the injury, could cool his market. Further complicating matters is the fact that San Francisco is currently more than $6MM over the cap with less than a week to go before free agency.
Regardless of where he suits up in 2022, Mostert is on track to be fully recovered and continue his surprising mid-career emergence as an impact player.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: WR Jake Kumerow
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: LB Rashod Berry, C Ryan McCollum
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Brandon Murphy
New York Jets
- Re-signed: S Will Parks
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: DL Kevin Givens, RB JaMycal Hasty, DL Maurice Hurst, OL Colton McKivitz
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: LS Morgan Cox
- Released: RB Darrynton Evans
49ers Re-Sign QB Nate Sudfeld
While much of the focus in San Francisco is on the status of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers have locked up another signal-caller for the 2022 season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the 49ers have re-signed Nate Sudfeld.
It’s a one-year deal worth up to $3MM, with $2MM in guaranteed money. Per Schefter, Sudfeld had interest from two other teams, with those organizations believing the 28-year-old has “starter potential in the league.”
Sudfeld was a sixth-round pick by Washington in 2016, and after getting waived, he caught on with the Eagles in 2017. He’d go on to spend four seasons in Philly, seeing time in four games. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles during his first season with the organization.
The quarterback caught on with the 49ers last offseason, and he ended up spending the 2021 season alternating between the active roster and practice squad. With Garoppolo and third-overall pick Trey Lance on the roster, Sudfeld didn’t see the field for his new team, but he’ll likely be the primary backup to Lance during the 2022 campaign.
49ers, Rams, Cards Interested In Bobby Wagner
It sounds like Bobby Wagner won’t be out of work for long. The 49ers, Rams, and Cardinals are interested in the longtime Seahawks linebacker, according to sources who spoke with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Seahawks Trade Wilson To Broncos]
Those NFC West teams are already familiar with what Wagner brings to the table, especially since they’ve each faced him twice per regular season. Of course, they still have to consider the finances. In the case of the star-studded Rams, there’s no room to give Wagner the type of deal he was playing under before. They won’t approach his old $16MM/year contract, but Jourdan Rodrigue of TheAthletic.com hears that they are willing to go into the $4MM-$5MM range. That may or may not work for Wagner, who would also have to cede snaps to youngster Ernest Jones.
Wagner, 32 in June, spent his entire career in Seattle, up until yesterday’s release. The 2012 second-round pick was a pillar of the Seahawks’ D from the jump, starting 15 games as a rookie and 150 games to date. His tenure also saw 16 playoff starts, including the post-2013 campaign which ended in a Super Bowl.
All together, Wagner leaves the Seahawks as an eight-time All Pro and the franchise’s’ all-time leader in total tackles. Now, the Seahawks could be on the verge of seeing him at least twice in 2022.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/22
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OLB Duke Ejiofor
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: LB Julian Stanford
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
Minnesota Vikings
- Re-signed: DT T.Y. McGill
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Matt Gono
New York Jets
- Re-Signed: OL Conor McDermott
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: OL Jake Brendel
Tennessee Titans
- Re-Signed: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, DT Teair Tart, QB Logan Woodside
49ers Fielding Calls On QB Jimmy Garoppolo
With Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Carson Wentz now off the board, a number of QB-needy teams are switching their focus to Jimmy Garoppolo. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the market for Garoppolo has “heated up pretty quickly,” and the 49ers have already fielded several trade calls on the veteran quarterback.
However, trade talks are somewhat complicated by Garoppolo’s recent shoulder surgery. While the quarterback has expressed full confidence in returning to the field in time for training camp, he only went under the knife this week. As a result, teams are seeking full clarity on his current outlook before pulling the trigger on a deal.
When it comes to suitors, Rapoport mentions that the Colts are certainly “in the mix” for Garoppolo. After dealing Wentz to Washington earlier today, the Colts are believed to have “significant interest” in the 49ers signal caller.
The writing was on the wall for Garoppolo in San Francisco when the organization gave up a haul to draft Trey Lance with the third-overall pick. Despite an uncertain future, the veteran still went 9-6 in his 15 starts this past season (plus a pair of postseason victories). We heard recently that the 49ers were seeking a Day 2 choice for the 30-year-old. Garoppolo’s contract includes a $24.2MM salary in 2022.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/8/22
Here are the latest NFL minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Waived: WR DaeSean Hamilton; Hamilton’s contract tolled from 2021
Houston Texans
- Signed: C Jimmy Morrissey
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Tony Brown
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: S Kavon Frazier
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Ethan Greenidge
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: G Keaton Sutherland