Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order: Round 1
The Ravens sent Orlando Brown to the Chiefs on Friday, shuffling the first-round order of the NFL Draft once again. Now, the Ravens are one of four teams to hold multiple first-round picks, joining the Jaguars (Nos. 1 and 25), Jets (Nos. 2 and 23), and Dolphins (Nos. 6 and 18). In turn, Chiefs no longer have a top-32 choice, joining the Seahawks, Texans, and Rams.
As we look ahead to Thursday, here’s how the first round currently stands:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. San Francisco 49ers (from HOU via MIA)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Miami Dolphins (from PHI)
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. Philadelphia Eagles (from SF via MIA)
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (from SEA)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints
29. Green Bay Packers
30. Buffalo Bills
31. Baltimore Ravens (from KC)
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
49ers To Sign DT Maurice Hurst
A week after getting cut by the Raiders, Maurice Hurst has found a new home. The defensive lineman is signing with the 49ers, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders Cut Arden Key, Maurice Hurst]
The All-American out of Michigan was a potential first-round pick heading into the 2018 draft, but a heart condition caused him to fall to the fifth round. The Raiders scooped him up, and the defensive tackle was an immediate return on investment. Hurst started 10 of his 13 games as a rookie, finishing with 31 tackles and four sacks.
Unfortunately, those numbers still stand as career highs. Hurst found himself mostly playing in a backup role in 2019, and this culminated in him appearing in a career-low 23-percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 2020. With the Raiders having already added linemen Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson this offseason, the team decided to move on from the 25-year-old earlier this month.
Hurst was cut alongside Arden Key, who was coincidentally picked up by the 49ers yesterday. Hurst still possesses some upside (eight sacks, 17 QB hits in three seasons), and that makes him a low-risk, high-reward signing for the 49ers.
49ers, DE Arden Key Agree To Deal
The 49ers have added depth pieces on offense and defense Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after San Francisco’s Wayne Gallman agreement surfaced, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets the team agreed to terms with Arden Key.
Like Gallman, Key visited the 49ers this week. Formerly an Oakland Raiders third-round draft choice, the three-year defensive end contributor will head back to the Bay Area on a one-year deal.
Las Vegas waived Key last week, doing so after adding former San Francisco defensive end Solomon Thomas in free agency. The 49ers lost Thomas and Kerry Hyder, who signed with the Seahawks, and injuries significantly affected their defensive end group last season. Both Nick Bosa and Dee Ford missed most of the season. Key may be in position to see frequent time, depending on how the 49ers proceed in the draft.
While Key went in the 2018 third round, he was viewed as a possible first-round pick at one point. The LSU product registered 11 sacks as a sophomore in 2016. While he has not produced much as a pro (three sacks in three seasons), Key did post 11 quarterback hits last season as a Raider reserve. Next season will be Key’s age-25 campaign.
49ers To Sign RB Wayne Gallman
Following a visit with Wayne Gallman, the 49ers agreed to terms to add the veteran to their backfield mix on Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The four-year Giants back saw his role increase last season, when Saquon Barkley went down in Week 2. Gallman will join a 49ers backfield that includes Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.
Gallman, 26, led the Giants with 682 rushing yards last season. Despite Big Blue bringing in veterans Alfred Morris and Devonta Freeman, Gallman kept his job as Barkley’s top understudy. He averaged a career-best 4.6 yards per carry and rushed for six touchdowns in his contract year.
San Francisco’s backfield featured Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon last season; neither are part of the current 49ers equation. Coleman signed with the Jets, and McKinnon is a free agent. Both Mostert and Wilson are signed to low-cost deals, and each missed extensive time due to injury last season.
The 49ers ended up using five backs during the 2020 season, with Jamycal Hasty also contributing. Hasty remains on San Francisco’s roster and, unlike Mostert and Wilson, is signed beyond 2021. The former UDFA will soon vie for time with Gallman as well.
49ers To Meet With DE Arden Key
Less than a week after the Raiders released Arden Key, the young defensive end secured a meeting in a familiar locale. The 49ers are hosting Key on a visit Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The former Bay Area resident lasted just one season in Las Vegas. The Raiders waived the ex-third-round pick last week, with fellow third-year D-lineman Maurice Hurst receiving the boot as well. The 49ers have lost multiple D-ends this offseason, with the Raiders signing Solomon Thomas and Kerry Hyder defecting to the Seahawks.
The 49ers still have Dee Ford on their roster, but he and Nick Bosa are coming off major injuries. Ford’s status is less certain, creating a need for edge depth alongside Bosa and Arik Armstead. Dion Jordan, a San Francisco contributor last season, is a free agent.
Key played three seasons with the Raiders, who nabbed the LSU product after he unexpectedly fell into Round 3. The Raiders used Key as a 10-game starter as a rookie but relegated him to backup duty over the past two seasons. For his career, Key has just three sacks in 37 games. He did register 11 QB hits in 2020, however, and will only be 25 come Week 1.
TE Jordan Reed Intends To Retire
Jordan Reed made a return to the NFL last season, catching on with the 49ers after missing all of 2019 due to injury. But the eight-year veteran is not expected to continue his career.
Reed, 30, is planning to retire, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). While the former third-round pick quickly showed potential as a pass-catching weapon, constant injury trouble disrupted that promise. Reed, however, will walk away after a four-touchdown season, one in which he played a key role following George Kittle‘s early-season malady.
Washington nabbed Reed in 2013, and while he never surpassed 14 games in a season, the ex-Florida Gator became one of the league’s best pass-catching tight ends for a stretch. Reed followed up a career-high 952-yard, 11-touchdown 2015 season by signing a five-year, $46.5MM extension. This preceded his lone Pro Bowl, in 2016, when Reed teamed with Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder in Washington’s potent passing attack.
Injuries intervened often, however. Reed missed 53 regular-season games and suffered at least four concussions as a pro. Those head injuries came after he sustained multiple concussions at Florida. Reed also suffered two MCL sprains, battled toe trouble for years and dealt with hamstring, chest, quadriceps and thumb maladies during his career.
Most notably, Reed missed the entire 2019 season because of a preseason concussion and contemplated retirement in 2020. Washington released Reed that year, but he caught on with San Francisco as Kittle’s backup. Reed played in 10 games last season, returning to action after an MCL sprain sidelined him in Week 3.
Reed will finish his career with 355 receptions for 3,602 yards and 28 touchdowns. Those numbers rank third in catches and yards among tight ends — behind only Jerry Smith and Chris Cooley — in Washington franchise history.
49ers Meet With RB Wayne Gallman
After four seasons with the Giants, Wayne Gallman is exploring his options in free agency. The 49ers are interested in the former fourth-round pick.
The 49ers are hosting Gallman on a visit, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Gallman served as Saquon Barkley‘s backup for three seasons and saw extended time last year after the Pro Bowler’s Week 2 ACL tear.
This news comes after the 49ers’ unsuccessful pursuit of Giovani Bernard, who chose the Buccaneers over the 49ers and Seahawks. The 49ers return Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, who are each attached to low-cost contracts, but appear to be searching for more backfield help. Tevin Coleman signed with the Jets, and former big-ticket signing Jerick McKinnon remains a free agent.
Gallman, 26, established new career-high marks in rushing yards (682) and yards per carry (4.6) last season. The Clemson product also added a career-best six rushing touchdowns in 2020, playing the lead role for a Giants team that signed Devonta Freeman and promoted Alfred Morris in the wake of Barkley’s injury.
The Giants moved in a different direction for their RB2 gig, signing Devontae Booker to a $3MM-per-year deal early in free agency. Big Blue’s previous regime drafted Gallman, who seems set to leave New York.
Latest On Trey Lance, Justin Fields
Trey Lance conducted his second pro day Monday in Fargo, North Dakota. A few notable teams attended the event. While previous reports indicated the 49ers, Falcons and Broncos were to have personnel at the showcase, the Patriots were there as well.
The Pats sent Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Dave Ziegler to observe Lance, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. The Panthers and Bears are not believed to have sent representatives to watch the North Dakota State prospect throw this time, Breer adds, though both teams were at his first pro day. Washington, which has been linked to Lance recently, did have a contingent present, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets.
[RELATED: 49ers Open To Drafting Trey Lance?]
Lance ran 49ers drills at the workout. The idea of working in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense appeals to Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones, according to Breer. Lance and Fields opted to go through with second pro days in order for Shanahan and John Lynch to be on-hand. Lance has worked with QB guru John Beck in recent weeks and, per Graziano, did so at Shanahan’s request (Twitter link). San Francisco’s staff gave Beck a set of drills for Lance to work on during the leadup to his second pro day. Shanahan coached Beck when he served as Washington’s OC in the early 2010s.
The Panthers sent their top brass to Lance’s first pro day March 12; Matt Rhule, GM Scott Fitterer and OC Joe Brady made that trip, Breer adds. The Bears sent Matt Nagy to watch Fields’ second pro day last week, with Washington having director of college scouting Tim Gribble at that event. Nagy and GM Ryan Pace made the trip to watch Lance last month but were not believed to be at Lance’s second throwing session, which, like Fields’ workout sequel, was closed to media.
Denver OC Pat Shurmur was at both Fields and Lance’s second sessions, and while the Broncos are not a lock to draft one of this year’s top five passers, teams believe they are lurking as as stealth QB suitor, according to Breer. The Broncos are set to pick ninth. One of those QBs could well fall to them, but the Broncos have also been linked to a possible trade-up for a quarterback. The team last drafted a first-round quarterback in 2016 (Paxton Lynch) but has never selected one in the top 10. If the 49ers take Jones, the Broncos would stand to be in play for Lance or Fields.
Alex Smith Retires From NFL
On Monday, quarterback Alex Smith announced his retirement from the NFL (via Instagram). After mounting an improbable comeback in 2020, the 36-year-old says that he’s now ready to begin a new chapter. 
“Two years ago I was stuck in a wheelchair, staring down at my mangled leg, wondering if I would ever be able to go on a walk again or play with my kids in the yard,” said Smith. “I almost lost everything. But football wouldn’t let me give up. Because, no, this isn’t just a game. It’s not just what happens between those white lines on a Sunday afternoon. It’s about the challenges and the commitment they require. It’s about how hard and how far you can push yourself. It’s about the bond between those 53 guys in the locker room and everybody else in the organization. It’s about fully committing yourself to something bigger.”
Smith nearly lost his leg after a horrific injury in 2018. In addition to the numerous fractures, Smith suffered a series of complications. Most believed that Smith’s career was over. But, somehow, he managed to retake the field in 2020 with Washington. After going 5-1 across six starts, Washington released him from the remainder of his contract. According to Smith, Ron Rivera & Co. didn’t necessarily want him back in the first place.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said in February. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance.”
Surely, some teams were willing to give Smith a chance this year. Just a few weeks ago, the Texans were rumored as a possible destination for the former No. 1 overall pick. Still, Smith has nothing left to prove — especially after making his miraculous recovery. We here at PFR wish Smith the best in retirement.
49ers To Meet With Tony Jefferson
The 49ers are set to meet with Tony Jefferson this week (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). The veteran safety has not played in nearly two years, but he could mount a comeback with the 49ers if he passes his physical. 
An ACL tear in October of 2019 sidetracked Jefferson’s NFL career. Then, the pandemic interfered with Jefferson’s rehab. Under normal circumstances, Jefferson would have been mostly healed by April. Instead, he was unable to see his physical therapist or gain access to the equipment he needed.
“I was really getting into a groove with my workouts and my rehab,” Jefferson said. “Now, I’m waiting two or three weeks just to get a medicine ball.”
After spending the early part of his career with the Cardinals, Jefferson inked a four-year, $34MM contract with the Ravens in 2017. He started in all 35 of his games for Baltimore from 2017-2019, but the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus weren’t fond of his work in 2019 (the five-game season). The Ravens went on to release Jefferson in February of 2020, but he wasn’t healthy enough to land a deal elsewhere.
Jefferson will have to settle for less than his last contract, but he’ll be better positioned next year if he can turn in a healthy season. After all, he’s still just 29 years old with five-plus seasons worth of starting experience to his credit.