49ers, Jets Did Not Discuss No. 2 Pick
The 49ers’ decision to trade multiple future first-round picks to move up to No. 3 overall concluded a weekslong process, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that San Francisco held trade talks with both Atlanta and Cincinnati for their respective top-five selections (Nos. 4 and 5 overall, respectively).
However, the Jets and 49ers did not discuss the No. 2 overall pick, according to Schefter. Despite the high cost, the 49ers opted to move as high as they could in this draft. Having turned to ex-49ers coaches to help ignite a rebuild, the Jets have been connected to BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with that choice. The Jets attended Wilson’s pro day Friday, and Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes John Lynch was present at the Provo, Utah, showcase as well. (Interestingly, Jaguars HC Urban Meyer did not, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.)
While GM Joe Douglas may still trade the pick and go with Sam Darnold, the reality Corey Davis said he signed up for, quarterbacks are a near-certainty to go first and second overall. With the 49ers making this move, QBs should be expected to go first, second and third for the first time since 1999 (Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, Akili Smith).
The Jets chose Darnold third overall in 2018 but saw the once-coveted quarterback regress last season, and the team has not seen the USC product justify the previous regime’s investment. Douglas not being with the Jets when they chose Darnold figures to be important here. The 49ers trading up points to the team believing the Jets will draft Wilson second, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes, leaving Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones — among QBs — on the board after the Jaguars and Jets make their respective picks.
Douglas keeping Darnold and trading out of that draft slot would open the door to another team trading up to No. 2 and potentially leaving Wilson on the board, should the trading-up franchise prefer one of the other QBs. However, Wilson-to-New York has become the most likely scenario after the Jags begin the draft with Trevor Lawrence.
Regardless of where Wilson goes in the draft, the Dolphins trading out of the No. 3 slot almost certainly means the rest of the non-Jags/Jets/49ers contingent will be down to two of these passers. The Falcons have been connected to quarterbacks as well. No draft has started with four straight QBs going off the board.
49ers To Host S Tony Jefferson On Visit
Tony Jefferson has not played in a game since October 2019, when an ACL tear sidetracked his career. But after missing the entire 2020 season, the veteran safety is planning to play in 2021.
The 49ers will meet with Jefferson about a comeback, with veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweeting the sides will visit at some point within the next three weeks. The former Cardinals and Ravens defender is arranging visits, per Anderson.
Regarded as one of the league’s better safeties prior to his knee injury, Jefferson was not permitted to make visits during the 2020 offseason. The Ravens released him in February 2020. While he did end up meeting with the Colts during the season, nothing materialized from that summit. Jefferson is unlikely to come close to the value of the four-year, $34MM deal he inked with the Ravens in 2017, but he is still just 29 and has five-plus seasons’ worth of starting experience.
A fit with San Francisco would point Jefferson to a depth role. The 49ers have Jimmie Ward signed long-term, and the team just reached an agreement to re-sign Jaquiski Tartt.
Dolphins Trade No. 3 Pick To 49ers, Send No. 12 To Eagles
The Dolphins have agreed to trade the No. 3 overall pick to the 49ers for the No. 12 pick, a 2021 third-rounder, and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The Niners may use the choice to select their next quarterback, though sources tell Schefter that Jimmy Garoppolo will be staying put. 
Meanwhile, the Dolphins quickly pivoted towards another blockbuster of their own, dealing that No. 12 overall choice, No. 123, and a 2022 first-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for Nos. 6 and 156. In effect, the Dolphins secured future first-round ammo in exchange for moving from No. 3 to No. 6. From here, the can use their bevy of picks to build around Tua Tagovailoa — or swing another blockbuster for a veteran QB.
The 49ers are moving to No. 3 with the expectation that the Jaguars will take Trevor Lawrence first overall. At No. 2, many believe the Jets will go QB as well — perhaps BYU’s Zach Wilson or Ohio State’s Justin Fields. After that, the Niners would have their pick of the litter. Even if Garoppolo remains, they could weigh Wilson or Fields (depending on which is still available), North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, or Alabama’s Mac Jones.
At No. 12, the Eagles are unlikely to have most of those QBs on the table. By dropping six spots, it appears that the Eagles are ready to move forward with Jalen Hurts in 2021. They also have a 2022 first-round pick — the Dolphins’ original choice – that they can use to fill other gaps. The Birds have been connected to Wilson for a while. But, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport explains (Twitter link), GM Howie Roseman ultimately felt that adding a future first-rounder would be better for the team in the long run.
49ers Re-Sign K’Waun Williams
K’Waun Williams found plenty of interest on the open market, but the 49ers managed to keep him from straying. On Wednesday, the Niners agreed to a new one-year deal with the slot cornerback (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
The veteran cover man agreed to a modest contract to stay in San Francisco, rejoining the 49ers on a one-year, $2.38MM pact, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). This agreement comes after Williams’ three-year, $10MM extension expired after the 2020 season.
The Lions, Chiefs, and Jets also had their eye on Williams. The Jets were an especially logical destination, since Williams played for Robert Saleh in San Francisco.
Williams was limited to just eight games last year between his ankle injuries and knee issues. But, in the previous year, he played in 15 contests with eight starts while snagging two interceptions.
Williams, 30 in July, started his career as a Browns UDFA. Since then, he’s blossomed into one of the league’s stronger slot specialists. Now, he’ll return for another season, along with recently re-signed corners Emmanuel Moseley and Jason Verrett. Richard Sherman, meanwhile, seems destined to head elsewhere.
49ers Re-Sign DL Jordan Willis
Jordan Willis is off to San Francisco. The defensive end has signed with the 49ers, reports Matt Barrows of the The Athletic (via Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the 25-year-old.
The former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year was a third-round pick of the Bengals in 2017. He spent a pair of seasons with Cincinnati before moving on to the Jets in 2019, where he spent a year-plus. Last October, he was acquired by the 49ers (along with a seventh-rounder) in for a sixth-round pick, and Willis proceeded to appear in seven games for San Francisco.
Serving as defensive line coach Kris Kocurek “bravo” (or, simply, backup) defensive end, Willis finished the season having compiled 13 tackles and a career-high 2.5 sacks.
The 49ers lost some defensive line depth earlier today. After starting a career-high 14 games for the 49ers last season, defensive end Kerry Hyder is set to ink a three-year deal with the Seahawks.
Trent Williams: Chiefs Deal Felt ‘Imminent’
Trent Williams opted to re-sign with the 49ers, doing so on a record-setting agreement for an offensive lineman. However, the veteran left tackle said Tuesday he felt a Chiefs agreement was “imminent,” via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (on Twitter).
The Chiefs were in talks with Williams, who said those discussions reached a point that had him believing he was on track to join the two-time reigning AFC champions. However, Williams placed a call to Kyle Shanahan to relay where his negotiations with the Chiefs stood, and the 49ers later finalized a deal to retain their 2020 trade acquisition.
Signed to a six-year, $138.1MM deal, Williams said he had promised Shanahan he would keep him in the loop on his negotiations. That pledge led to the 49ers giving Williams his long-sought-after third NFL contract. It came in much higher than his second NFL deal — a five-year, $68MM pact in 2015.
Taking over for 13-year starter Joe Staley, Williams made his eighth Pro Bowl last season. The lineman recently told ESPN’s Nick Wagoner (Twitter link) that he believes he can play until he’s 40, and the player “has something to prove” as he looks to play out his six-year pact.
Kansas City was prepared to authorize two monster O-line contracts, having already received a commitment from former New England guard Joe Thuney on a five-year, $80MM accord, but the Chiefs are still in need at left tackle. The team released eight-year starter Eric Fisher earlier this month, with All-Pro right tackle Mitchell Schwartz joining him as a cap casualty. The Chiefs have since re-signed Mike Remmers, their left tackle from Super Bowl LV, and he may have a clearer-than-expected path to becoming Schwartz’s replacement on the right side. While it should not be considered a certainty Remmers will start at right tackle, the team does not have a surefire left tackle starter at this point.
This near-agreement is similar to the Chiefs’ pursuit of Earl Thomas in 2019. The perennial Pro Bowl safety indicated he was all set to sign with the Chiefs on a one-year deal, but the Ravens swooped in at the 11th hour with a better offer.
49ers, DL Zach Kerr Agree To Deal
The 49ers moved to add some defensive line depth on Tuesday. They signed veteran interior defender Zach Kerr.
A seven-year D-line contributor who has been with three teams over the past three years, Kerr signed a one-year contract to join the 49ers. The Panthers released Kerr just ahead of free agency’s outset last week.
Formerly a Colts UDFA find, Kerr has since played with the Broncos, Cardinals and Panthers. After following Vance Joseph from Denver to Arizona, Kerr landed in Carolina on a multiyear deal. He played in 13 Panthers games last season and logged four starts. The 30-year-old D-lineman finished the season with two sacks and a career-high nine quarterback hits, playing 37% of Carolina’s defensive snaps. Kerr’s nomadic recent past notwithstanding, he played well last season. Giving Kerr the best individual grade of his career, Pro Football Focus rated the veteran as its No. 10 overall interior defender .
While Kerr has never been a regular starter in his NFL career, he has made 16 starts and played in 88 games. While he has experience playing as a defensive end as well, Kerr profiles as an inside player in San Francisco’s 4-3 scheme. He figures to join the 49ers’ Javon Kinlaw-headed D-tackle rotation.
The 49ers also re-signed defensive tackle D.J. Jones but lost Solomon Thomas, who often played inside despite being listed as a defensive end, to the Raiders early in free agency.
49ers To Re-Sign Jaquiski Tartt
The 49ers aren’t done signing safeties. After adding Tavon Wilson earlier this morning, the team is now keeping one of their own in the fold. San Francisco is re-signing Jaquiski Tartt, sources told Peter Schrager of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Schrager reports it’s a one-year deal, although financial terms weren’t immediately available. The 49ers drafted Tartt 46th overall back in 2015, and he’s been a starter for them almost ever since. He started about half his games in his first two years, but has started every game he’s appeared in over the past four.
Injuries have limited him, as he hasn’t played in more than 12 games since 2016. Last year he started seven games before turf toe landed him on IR. He had 30 tackles, four passes defended, and an interception in those seven games.
John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have made retaining their own guys a priority this offseason, re-signing players like Trent Williams, Jason Verrett, Kyle Juszczyk, and others. Tartt, a Samford product, turned 29 last month.
49ers To Sign Tavon Wilson
The 49ers have agreed to sign Tavon Wilson (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Wilson may wind up replacing free agent Jaquiski Tartt in San Francisco.
Wilson, 31, has spent time with the Patriots, Lions, and Colts since entering the league in 2012. At his latest stop in Indy, the Illinois product suited up for 15 games including two starts. He’s best known for his time in Detroit, where he started in 39 of his 56 games across four seasons. Tartt, meanwhile, has started in all of his games since 2017, but he’s missed roughly half of all possible games due to injuries.
The Niners know that Wilson isn’t far removed from his best work. In 2019, he graded out as the No. 26 ranked safety in the leaggue, per Pro Football Focus,. That marked his best showing since 2016, his first go-round with the Lions.
As it stands, the Niners have Jimmie Ward, Wilson, Tarvarius Moore, and Marcell Harris in their safety unit.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/21
Here are the minor moves from Day 4 of official free agency:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: K Brett Maher
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Cole Toner
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed (from Cowboys): WR Jon’Vea Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: DB Brandon Facyson
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: CB Dontae Johnson