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.
Jets Offered No. 10 Overall For Deebo Samuel
Connected to veteran receivers throughout the offseason, the Jets ended up using the No. 10 overall pick to address the position. Garrett Wilson will be tasked with elevating Zach Wilson, but the Jets did make an offer for Deebo Samuel.
The 49ers turned down the Jets’ proposal — the No. 10 overall pick and a fifth-rounder for Samuel and San Francisco’s second-rounder (No. 61) — according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, who adds the Lions made an offer as well. Detroit’s offer was viewed as “light” for the All-Pro wideout. It does not sound like the 49ers seriously engaged with the Jets or Lions, via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link).
The Jets were viewed as the frontrunners for Samuel, though the Lions and Packers pursued him as well. Samuel’s trade request surfaced April 20, though the 49ers learned about it well before then. Multiple teams were believed to have offered first-round picks for Samuel. The Lions might have included their No. 32 overall choice in their respective package. Detroit ended up using its No. 32 pick to trade up for Jameson Williams.
Gang Green did not include a first-rounder in its Tyreek Hill offer but did put both its second-round picks and a third in that proposal — one the Chiefs were prepared to accept. Hill’s preference for Miami led to a second-place Jets finish there. The Jets were also linked to using the No. 10 overall pick in a D.K. Metcalf proposal. Given the second-round pick that would have come back to the Jets in the Samuel offer, the 49ers exited the talks to lead the AFC East team to focus on draft options at receiver.
Like a Hill trade, a Samuel swap would have required the Jets to work out a monster extension. Garrett Wilson, though an unproven commodity at the pro level, can be controlled through 2026 on a rookie deal. Still, the events of Thursday night will make matters more difficult for the 49ers. Samuel’s trade request came when all his 2019 receiver classmates were tied to their rookie contracts. A.J. Brown has since agreed to a four-year, $100MM deal.
The 49ers’ initial Samuel offer was believed to be for less than $19MM annually. While Samuel is reportedly now against being used as a running back and may or may not have issues with living in California, the 49ers will certainly need to up their offer now that Brown is tied to his new contract.
Multiple Teams Offering 49ers First-Round Picks For Deebo Samuel; Jets Still In Play
The 49ers are still aiming to salvage their Deebo Samuel partnership, but with the draft hours away, teams are seeing what it will take to pry the All-Pro playmaker from the NFC West franchise.
Multiple teams have sent the 49ers offers, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reporting (video link) the proposals have included a first-round pick and change. San Francisco, however, has not budged just yet. Samuel requested a trade eight days ago.
It is possible the 49ers are waiting to see what teams’ final offers will be once the draft starts, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes a successful Samuel trade would also mean a new contract being negotiated and the fourth-year receiver taking a physical. Time is running out on these fronts.
The Jets remain the team most closely connected to Samuel, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes the book is not yet closed on such a swap (Twitter link). It could depend on how the draft board looks when the Jets’ No. 10 pick rolls around, Cimini adds. Due to their Trey Lance trade-up last year, the 49ers do not have a first-round pick. But the draft board suddenly looks relevant to San Francisco, given the Samuel drama.
Green Bay and Detroit have been mentioned as Samuel suitors, but a trade to New York has been the most-discussed scenario. The Jets were believed to be “all in” on acquiring the fourth-year wideout. The team was prepared to give Tyreek Hill a market-resetting extension, but the speed merchant chose Miami. The Jets would also be willing to trade No. 10 overall for D.K. Metcalf, though the Seahawks are not believed to be interested. One of the draft’s top storylines appears to be whether the 49ers are interested in the 10th pick as the centerpiece of a Samuel trade package.