49ers Aiming To Retain Both Josh Rosen, Nate Sudfeld?
Several days after acquiring the No. 3 overall pick from the Dolphins, the 49ers signed longtime Eagles third-stringer Nate Sudfeld. San Francisco added Sudfeld to a quarterback room that already included Jimmy Garoppolo and Josh Rosen, with a rookie passer on the way. The team will likely attempt to retain all four QBs going into Week 1.
Garoppolo and Trey Lance will be the 49ers’ first- and second-string QBs, with the order depending on how quickly the Division I-FCS product progresses, while Rosen and Sudfeld vie for the third-string position. But the 49ers should be expected, per The Athletic’s David Lombardi, to keep all four quarterbacks this season (subscription required). That should be the aim, at least.
The loser of the Rosen-Sudfeld competition should be expected to land on San Francisco’s practice squad, Lombardi adds, rather than the team jettisoning this lower-profile battle’s runner-up for good. This would require no team claiming the QB3 competition’s loser on waivers, however. Both have practice squad experience, with Sudfeld beginning his Eagles tenure on their taxi squad and Rosen plummeting to that level — with thet Buccaneers — after active-roster stints with the Cardinals and Dolphins.
Both players are set to make less than $1MM this season, with Rosen tied to a non-guaranteed $850K salary and Sudfeld set to make $990K. The 49ers guaranteed Sudfeld $252K. Neither player is signed beyond 2021. While Sudfeld resurfaced as a controversial contributor in Philadelphia’s Week 17 game last season, Rosen has not taken a snap since Week 9 of the 2019 season. The 49ers signed the ex-UCLA top prospect off the Bucs’ practice squad late last year.
With Garoppolo likely set to depart San Francisco after the 2021 season, this year’s Rosen-Sudfeld competition could determine the team’s 2022 Lance backup. The 49ers let former third-round pick C.J. Beathard walk in free agency and non-tendered RFA Nick Mullens. Garoppolo’s previous backups are now in Jacksonville and Philly, respectively.
Rosen spending the 2021 season under Kyle Shanahan would be interesting, given the low-quality situations the former No. 10 overall pick enjoyed in Arizona and Miami. Still just 24, Rosen profiles as an interesting developmental player — despite shaky in-game work to date. Sudfeld, 27, has a lower ceiling at this point, though he did serve as Nick Foles‘ backup during the 2017 and ’18 playoffs.
Poll: Who Is Bucs’ Top NFC Challenger?
While the Chiefs reside as the clear favorites in the AFC, multiple successful rebuilds have strengthened the conference and created considerable depth going into the 2021 season. In the NFC, depth is harder to find.
The Buccaneers operated aggressively this offseason, bringing back every starter and most of their top off-the-bench contributors to chase another championship, and late-June betting odds reflect this. Tampa Bay resides as the clear NFC favorite, per Las Vegas. The team did not enter 2020 on this pedestal, but the NFC landscape looks less imposing a year later.
The Saints exited the 2020 season in a new tier of salary cap hell, and although GM Mickey Loomis navigated it, their 2021 team may take a step back. Oddsmakers certainly believe this will be the case in the franchise’s first post-Drew Brees season. New Orleans has been the NFC’s most consistent team over the past four years, going 49-15 in that span, but its future Hall of Fame quarterback retired. Tampa Bay’s path back to the Super Bowl also may not involve another Canton-bound passer — Aaron Rodgers — which further muddles the equation.
January’s Matthew Stafford trade seems a good place to start. The Rams dealing two first-round picks and change for the longtime Lions passer provides Sean McVay with a quarterback upgrade, and the team perpetually unconcerned with first-round selections is operating like an all-in contender. Los Angeles, which Bovada gives the NFC’s second-best odds to advance to Super Bowl LVI, also re-signed top edge rusher Leonard Floyd. While the Rams’ penchant for big swings and big extensions led more key role players out of town in free agency, with safety John Johnson and defensive lineman Michael Brockers exiting, they return four starters from Pro Football Focus’ No. 3-ranked offensive line.
But the NFC West may be the NFL’s toughest division. No rebuilds are taking place here, separating it from most of the league’s divisions, and the 49ers rank alongside the Rams — per Bovada — in Super Bowl odds. San Francisco endured vicious injury fortune last season but has Super Bowl LIV starters — Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel — due back from injury. And the team kept Trent Williams — on an O-line-record contract. Kyle Shanahan‘s squad also moved the needle at quarterback, bringing in Trey Lance at a historic cost. Lance’s readiness may determine the 49ers’ outlook. Although Jimmy Garoppolo was effective (12th in QBR) when fully healthy in 2019, he missed 23 games over the past three seasons.
The Seahawks diffused Russell Wilson trade rumblings and added veteran guard Gabe Jackson. Their defense will be without Jarran Reed and probably K.J. Wright next season, however. Seattle has not advanced to an NFC championship game since Wilson’s rookie-contract years but still has the division’s most accomplished quarterback. The Cardinals brought in multiple impact starters, in future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt and Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson, in an effort to capitalize on Kyler Murray‘s rookie-deal window. But Murray struggled down the stretch last season, and Arizona will have two new cornerback regulars.
Rodgers’ commitment to being done in Green Bay represents the NFC’s biggest domino. The reigning MVP has not budged, and this standoff is expected to drag on to training camp. The Packers trading Rodgers, or the superstar passer being out of the picture while the team retains his rights, will probably take them off the board as a Super Bowl threat. Given the Packers’ 26-6 performance over the past two seasons, Rodgers’ status looms large in this year’s Super Bowl equation.
What sleeper teams realistically factor in here? The Cowboys extended Dak Prescott and hired a new defensive coordinator (Dan Quinn), but they have won one playoff game during their now-wealthy starter’s tenure and allowed a franchise-record 473 points in 2020. Washington boasts one of the league’s best defenses but opted against trading up for a quarterback in Round 1. Ryan Fitzpatrick will turn 39 this year and has never made a playoff start. The Bears did trade up for a passer, and the Vikings retooled their defense. The Giants made multiple splashy receiver additions but have big questions up front. Do any of these teams qualify as legit Bucs obstacles?
Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your NFC assessments in the comments section.
Ten First-Round Picks Remain Unsigned
This year, NFL teams have been quick to tackle their rookie paperwork. Still, there are a decent number of unsigned draft picks remaining, including ten of this year’s first-rounders: 
- QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 1 overall)
- QB Zach Wilson, New York Jets (No. 2 overall)
- QB Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers (No. 3 overall)
- TE Kyle Pitts , Atlanta Falcons (No. 4 overall)
- OT Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers (No. 13 overall)
- OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, New York Jets (No. 14 overall)
- QB Mac Jones, New England Patriots (No. 15 overall)
- RB Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 25 overall)
- CB Greg Newsome II, Cleveland Browns (No. 26 overall)
- DE Joe Tryon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 32 overall)
In a sense, this is a sign that things are back to normal in football following the pandemic. For example, by June 12th of 2019, 22 first-round picks had put pen to paper, with 222 rookies inked on the whole. However, around this time last year, there were just two first-round picks officially in the fold – Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown.
Offset language and similar minutia could be holding these ten deals up, but there’s no reason to panic. In all likelihood, these rookie contracts will be squared away before the start of training camp this summer.
49ers Make Front Office Changes
The 49ers may be a team to watch for GM hires in the near future. In addition to top John Lynch lieutenant Adam Peters, the team has moved other staffers to jobs from which teams often poach GMs.
Going into his fifth year with the 49ers, Ran Carthon will rise to the position of director of player personnel. The former Florida Gators fullback has spent nearly a decade as a pro personnel director, doing so with the Rams from 2012-16 and in his first four-plus years with the 49ers.
This was Peters’ post during his first three-plus years with the 49ers; he rose to assistant GM in February. R.J. Gillen, a seventh-year 49ers staffer, will succeed Carthon as the 49ers’ director of pro personnel.
Ethan Waugh will become San Francisco’s VP of player personnel. Having spent nearly 20 years with the franchise, Waugh has climbed from the assistant level to the scouting tier to college scouting director to this high-level executive post. Peters received multiple interviews for the Panthers’ GM job that went to Scott Fitterer. It would not surprise if one of the other 49ers high-ranking execs joined him on the GM interview circuit soon.
The 49ers are also promoting Salli Clavelle to an area scout post. A three-year 49ers staffer, Clavelle previously served as a pro personnel analyst. In 2019, Clavelle was the only woman to hold a full-time NFL scouting position. Additionally, the 49ers hired Jessi Seumalo as a scouting assistant. The younger sister of Eagles starting guard Isaac Seumalo, Jessi was part of Washington State and Utah’s recruiting operations over the past three years. Clavelle and Seumalo join the likes of Kelly Kleine (Broncos), Catherine Raiche (Eagles) and others in what has been a banner offseason for women advancing in the NFL front office and scouting ranks.
49ers DE Jordan Willis Suspended Six Games
49ers defensive end Jordan Willis has been suspended for the first six games of the 2021 season, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Willis was banned for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The suspension would basically sideline the defensive lineman through the end of October. However, Willis will be allowed to participate in all offseason practices and preseason contests.
The former third-round pick was already going to be hard pressed to make the 49ers roster. Willis was acquired by the 49ers last season, and he was re-signed by the organization earlier this year. However, the team also added Zach Kerr and Maurice Hurst this offseason, pushing Willis down the depth chart.
In 50 career games split between the Bengals, Jets, and 49ers, the 26-year-old has collected 65 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He collected 13 tackles and five QB hits in seven games for San Francisco last season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/14/21
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Reverted to IR: CB Stephen Guidry
Houston Texans
- Signed: LS Mitchell Fraboni
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: OL Wyatt Miller
San Francisco 49ers
- Reverted to IR: OL Justin Skule
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Will Sunderland
49ers Sanctioned By League For Camp Infraction
The 49ers have drawn the ire of the league office. The NFL docked San Francisco the “last week of their rookie development program for a violation of offseason work rules,” sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Pelissero reports that the team’s infraction took place during their rookie minicamp. As for what that infraction was, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports tweets the punishment stems “from minimal contact that appeared on a social media video when contact was prohibited during rookie camp.”
Sounds pretty minor. Maiocco adds that the now-scrapped last week of their rookie development program “was to consist of non-football and life skills,” so it’s doubtful that 49ers brass is going to lose too much sleep over it.
49ers, Texans Cancel Minicamps
Two more teams are opting against holding minicamps this year. The Texans and 49ers decided to wrap their offseason programs early this week. Both teams’ minicamps were scheduled to take place next week.
Kyle Shanahan said he was leaning toward nixing the extra week of offseason work — the only mandatory pre-training camp component on the NFL’s spring/summer agenda — due to strong OTA attendance. However, the fifth-year HC added recent injuries were a factor. The 49ers lost part-time starters Justin Skule and Tarvarius Moore for the season, and running back Jeff Wilson will miss regular-season time after suffering an injury during OTAs.
“My plan was to get eight (OTAs in), then I was gonna surprise them on Thursday and take everyone bowling,” Shanahan said, via Kyle Madson of Niners Wire. “But after our seventh practice with those two injuries and just the aura it gave to it, I wasn’t gonna come back and do one more just to do one more. … I kinda decided earlier in this if we could get our OTAs in I wasn’t gonna keep them for minicamp because (this year’s offseason schedule is) a week longer than usual.”
The 49ers return many of their starters from 2020, though they did make a notable addition to their quarterback room via the Trey Lance trade. The Texans brought in numerous free agents on short-term deals and changed their coaching staff. Nevertheless, David Culley opted to pull the plug on the three-day mandatory minicamp, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 notes. The Texans were facing the likelihood of Deshaun Watson beginning a holdout by skipping minicamp, but they postponed that drama for the time being.
These cancelations follow the Eagles and Colts making the same moves and come after the NFLPA encouraged a sizable number of veterans to stay away from voluntary offseason work. While this has led to hiccups — notably in Denver, when Ja’Wuan James and DaeSean Hamilton suffered season-ending injuries away from the team’s facility — it also prompted several teams to rearrange their offseason schedules. It remains to be seen if any developmental impact will emerge from these changes, but the union will likely continue its quest to alter the NFL offseason in 2022.
49ers Waive Justin Skule
The 49ers have waived offensive lineman Justin Skule with an injury designation. This was the expected move after Skule suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier this month.
Skule was competing to serve as a top backup behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey. With Williams out of practice, the former sixth-round pick was practicing with the first-string team, an indication that he was probably going to make the final cut and return for his third season. Instead, he’ll spend the year rehabbing before finding work (perhaps elsewhere) in 2022. To date, the 24-year-old has 31 games and 12 starts to his credit.
To replace Skule, the Niners have signed veteran offensive lineman Senio Kelemete. Kelemete offers similar experience, plus the ability to play multiple positions on the front line.
49ers To Sign Senio Kelemete
The 49ers have agreed to sign offensive lineman Senio Kelemete (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Kelemete will provide the Niners with some much needed depth in the wake of Justin Skule‘s season-ending ACL tear. 
[RELATED: Justin Skule Done For Year]
Kelemete appeared in 14 games with five starts for the Texans last season. For his career, he’s made 42 total starts at different positions along the offensive line. His versatility will be a major bonus for the Niners, who can plug him in at guard or tackle depending on their needs.
Kelemete came into the league as a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2012. After one year in the desert, he spent the next five years with the Saints followed by three years with the Texans. He still had one year to go on his Texans deal, but they released him in February to save $1.73MM against the 2021 salary cap.
The veteran will still have to earn his spot on the Week 1 roster, but the odds are in his favor. If all goes well, he’ll serve as a top backup behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey while also seeing some reps on the interior.