Minor NFL Transactions: 3/5/21
We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: K Zane Gonzalez
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: K Tristan Vizcaino
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: C J.C. Hassenauer
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: TE Ross Dwelley, S Marcell Harris
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: RB/FB Khari Blasingame
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/3/21
Catching up on some minor moves from what has been a busy day as we all gear up for free agency:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: CB Jalen Davis, LS Clark Harris
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed ERFAs: OL Alex Bars, LB Josh Woods, LB James Vaughters, RB Ryan Nall, TE J.P. Holtz
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed RFA: LS Trent Sieg (to three-year extension)
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers from Texans: DB Mark Fields
49ers’ Weston Richburg Undergoes Hip Surgery
49ers center Weston Richburg recently underwent hip surgery, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Between the long road to recovery and his 2021 salary, it’s possible that Richburg has played his last down in San Francisco. The surgery may even spell the end of his career, though no decision has been made on that front. 
[RELATED: 49ers Interested In Panthers’ Bridgewater]
Richburg missed all of 2020 with injuries, including a a torn patellar tendon. Initially, there was hope that he could return by mid-year, sometime around Week 12, but complications got in the way.
Richburg, due to enter his age-30 campaign, was not viewed well by Pro Football Focus when he was healthy. In 2019, he graded out as just the No. 25 snapper in the NFL. But, to his credit, he hardly allowed any sacks in ’19 as he middled one of the league’s stronger offensive lines of the season.
Ultimately, Richburg has not been able to live up to his five-year, $47.5MM free agent contract. By releasing him, the Niners can save nearly $4.5MM with about $7MM left in dead money.
49ers Interested In Panthers’ Teddy Bridgewater
The 49ers have called the Panthers to discuss a potential trade for Teddy Bridgewater, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. While the Panthers are looking to upgrade at quarterback, the Niners view the veteran as a solid insurance policy for Jimmy Garoppolo. 
[RELATED: 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo Available For Trade?]
Bridgewater was offered to the Lions just a few weeks ago, before the Lions shipped Matthew Stafford to the Rams. Meanwhile, Jimmy G is believed to be very much available, despite John Lynch‘s comments to the contrary. Trouble is, rival teams share the 49ers’ concerns about the young QB.
Garoppolo has missed 23 games since his September 2018 ACL tear. And, further complicating matters, he’s one of just eight players in the NFL with a no-trade clause. Garoppolo played all 16 games in San Francisco’s 2019 NFC Championship season, but played in only three in 2018. This past year, he suited up just six times.
Bridgewater inked a three-year, $60MM+ deal with the Panthers last year to replace Cam Newton under center. Unfortunately, the highly-respected veteran didn’t live up to the deal. Now, the Panthers are set to make a run at Deshaun Watson. Failing that, they may look to draft their next QB with the No. 7 overall pick.
Jimmy Garoppolo Still To Be Available For Trade?
Every time it seems like the 49ers have put the Jimmy Garoppolo story to rest, it takes another twist. GM John Lynch recently made headlines by saying there was “no doubt” Garoppolo would be the team’s 2021 starter, but there apparently is some doubt after all. 
“Many around the league still expect Garoppolo to be available” in trade talks, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes. Garoppolo is one of only a handful of players around the league with a no-trade clause, so he’d have to give his approval for any potential destination. Lynch’s comments always rang a bit hollow considering the team reportedly inquired about Matthew Stafford before balking at the asking price.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has also waffled at various points about how committed to Garoppolo he is. Regardless of whether he’s good enough to be their long-term starter, there are also questions about Jimmy G’s health issues, which Lynch acknowledged recently.
He played all 16 games in San Francisco’s 2019 NFC Championship season, but played in only three in 2018 and just six this past year. Although his status as the 49ers’ starter is apparently not as set in stone as we may have believed earlier this week, Volin does say that he thinks the team “would have to be bowled over by a trade offer” to move Garoppolo.
In his latest ‘Football Morning in America’ column, Peter King of NBC Sports wrote that if the 49ers can convince Garoppolo to waive his no-trade clause he could see them being ‘all in’ on Deshaun Watson. Just for entertainment he floated a couple of hypothetical trade scenarios, including a fun one where the Vikings send Kirk Cousins to San Francisco and the 49ers send Garoppolo to Houston in a three-team deal that ends with Watson in Minnesota. Obviously Shanahan and Cousins have a long history dating back to their time in Washington together.
If Garoppolo were to be traded eventually, the Patriots would have to be considered as a potential suitor given that it was Bill Belichick who brought him into the league with a second-round pick back in 2014.
The Only NFL Players With No-Trade Clauses
It’s fairly common for disgruntled NFL players to give their teams a short list of acceptable trade destinations. However, it’s still quite rare for players to hold contractual veto power over a trade. Currently, there are only nine NFL players with a no-trade clause in their deals, as ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets: 
▪️ Drew Brees, QB (Saints)
▪️ Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OL (Chiefs)
▪️ Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers)
▪️ Jimmy Graham, TE (Bears)
▪️ DeAndre Hopkins, WR (Cardinals)
▪️ Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs)
▪️ Deshaun Watson, QB (Texans)
▪️ J.J. Watt, DL (Cardinals)
▪️ Russell Wilson, QB (Seahawks)
The Chiefs, who represent 25% of the list, furnished LDT with a NTC as a part of his contract restructure. Historically, there haven’t been many offensive lineman to secure the clause. However, Duvernay-Tardif had a bit of leverage in 2020 when the Chiefs needed extra cap room. He was scheduled to count for nearly $9MM, $6.45MM of which was comprised of base salary. Instead, he converted some of that money into a signing bonus over the remaining three years and came away with a perk typically reserved for quarterbacks.
Watson and Wilson are among the QBs who can block trades. They’re both putting it to use, albeit in different ways. Watson wants out — even after finally meeting with new head coach David Culley – and he’s steering himself towards a small group of teams, including the Dolphins and Panthers. Wilson, meanwhile, says that he doesn’t want to get traded and doesn’t expect to get traded. But, if the Seahawks do shop him, he wouldn’t mind joining up with the Bears, Cowboys, Saints or Raiders. In beating out several other teams for Watt, the Cardinals included the clause in the star defender’s contract.
Poll: Where Will Deshaun Watson Play In 2021?
This Week in Deshaun Watson produced perhaps the most noteworthy headline of the saga thus far. The disgruntled quarterback’s meeting with new Texans HC David Culley did not cause him to back off his trade request.
New Texans GM Nick Caserio is dug in against the prospect of trading Watson, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King. With the Texans not viewing free agency as a deadline to make a deal, a resolution does not appear imminent. With teams pursuing Watson potentially moving to other options in the near future, it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the days leading up to the new league year.
Thus far, the Texans have not budged. Caserio and Cal McNair have issued multiple statements indicating they want Watson back under center in Houston next season. In holding Watson’s rights, the Texans certainly have leverage. Trading Watson later in the offseason may affect his assimilation with his next team and affect that team’s 2021 roster plan, though that might be a small factor here. And Watson could be fined more than $20MM this year if he is truly committed to never playing for the Texans again, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
By waiting until after the draft, the Texans would put themselves in danger of downgrading significantly at quarterback and doing so without collecting the kind of trade package that would help kickstart a rebuild. Thanks to their Laremy Tunsil/Kenny Stills trade, the Texans are without 2021 first- and second-round picks. And they may be set to let Will Fuller walk; prior to his trade request, Watson wanted the Texans to retain Fuller. While they would stand to recoup these and much more were they to unload Watson, he remains a Texan for the time being. Where will he be when the season starts?
Although the Texans might not even view the draft as a loose deadline to trade their three-time Pro Bowl passer, the Jets and Dolphins’ draft arsenals would be enticing. Both pick in the top three this year — the Jets at No. 2, the Dolphins third — and hold extra Round 1 picks (the Dolphins at No. 18, the Jets at 23). The Dolphins also have two second-round picks this year, while the Jets have two 2022 first-rounders from the Jamal Adams trade. Watson is believed to be a Robert Saleh fan, but subsequent reports have emerged indicating he would favor a deal to Miami over New York.
The Dolphins and Jets have QBs they could send to Houston, in Tua Tagovailoa and Sam Darnold, and these incumbent options would hold more appeal compared to the passers the Broncos and Panthers could send over. However, Watson has a no-trade clause, and both Carolina and Denver outflank the two AFC East squads at the skill positions.
Carolina and Denver already discussed Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock, respectively, in talks with the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Both franchises have new GMs not tied to the acquisitions of either passer, and each team holds a top-nine pick — the Panthers at 8, the Broncos at 9 — this year. The Panthers thus far lead everyone in reported Watson interest. Multiple reports have emerged about owner David Tepper being beyond smitten with Watson and obsessed with his franchise making a major quarterback upgrade. Starting nine quarterbacks since Peyton Manning retired, the Broncos are planning to be aggressive as well — if Watson is made available.
The Panthers have both young assets that would intrigue Watson — in Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson — and players that would potentially appeal to the Texans in a trade package. So do the Broncos (Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant). Though new Denver GM George Paton was reluctant to part with young assets for Stafford, Watson being a 25-year-old superstar would change the equation surely.
It is not known how aggressive the 49ers will be, but they did discuss Stafford with the Lions. No offer emerged, however. They have made statements indicating they are fine with Jimmy Garoppolo returning, but Stafford discussions certainly point to San Francisco being interested in a Watson swap. The 49ers’ plan, as of late February, would be either making a Watson-level splash or trot out Garoppolo again. While the Broncos are on Watson’s list of approved destinations, the 49ers may well be ahead of them on said list.
Who are the key dark-horse teams to monitor here? The Raiders have been mentioned as a potential suitor. Of course, they have since been named one of Russell Wilson‘s four acceptable destinations. How much should Watson fetch in a trade? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Lynch: No Doubt Jimmy Garoppolo Will Be 49ers’ 2021 Starter
In the mix for Matthew Stafford and potentially residing atop Deshaun Watson‘s trade destination list, the 49ers have not exactly been out of the mix in this all-action quarterback offseason. But publicly, their plan remains Jimmy Garoppolo-centric.
John Lynch said, during an appearance on Clark Judge’s Eye Test for Two podcast (via FullPressCoverage.com), he has no doubt “at all” Garoppolo will be under center for the 49ers in Week 1 if he is healthy. This has been the 49ers’ party line for months, but Lynch tripling down amid a frenzied QB trade market is certainly notable.
Kyle Shanahan went from projecting Garoppolo as his 2021 starter to providing a “you can’t say anything with certainty” caveat to that projection in December. The 49ers discussed Stafford with the Lions but are not believed to have submitted an offer, adding some fuel to the plans for a fourth season with Garoppolo as their Week 1 starter being genuine. The 29-year-old passer is signed through 2022 on what is now a year-to-year contract.
Unless the 49ers can land a major upgrade — which Watson would certainly be — the expectation is they will run it back with Garoppolo. But Lynch indicated the team does plan to pursue a backup. Garoppolo has missed 23 games since his September 2018 ACL tear.
“When he’s healthy, he’s played at a high level,” Lynch said of Garoppolo. “But we probably have to add someone. We probably need to improve ourselves, so if he’s not there we’re all right … we can win games.”
Nick Mullens is a restricted free agent, but San Francisco’s backup is recovering from elbow surgery that could sideline him until training camp. Since trading for Garoppolo in 2017, the 49ers are 24-9 when Garoppolo starts and 7-19 under Mullens or C.J. Beathard. The latter is a free agent. Non-Dak Prescott free agency this year, as of now, stands to include the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyrod Taylor and Mitchell Trubisky.
49ers, FB Kyle Juszczyk Exchange Offers
49ers GM John Lynch said last month the 49ers will make a strong effort to retain Kyle Juszczyk. The team has begun its effort to retain its fullback of the past four seasons.
Juszczyk’s camp and the 49ers have exchanged offers ahead of free agency, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. While these are described as preliminary talks, Anderson adds they have been pleasant and that the veteran blocker/outlet option would be happy with a deal that keeps him in San Francisco (Twitter link).
“He’s a unique person and a unique football player because he does so many things for you,” Lynch said. “He’s important to us and we’re going to make every effort to try to keep him here.”
Free agency went well for Juszczyk four years ago. In Lynch and Kyle Shanahan‘s first offseason running the 49ers, they signed the former Ravens blocker to a whopping (for a fullback) $5.25MM-per-year deal. This 2017 contract still resides on its own tier at this position, with only two other fullbacks — Derek Watt and C.J. Ham — earning more than $2MM in average annual salary.
While Juszczyk has no other contracts to use in his talks with the 49ers, he has been an essential part of Shanahan’s offense. The NFC has deemed him its Pro Bowl fullback in each of the past four seasons. His 472 offensive snaps were second among fullbacks last year. Juszczyk, who has exceeded 200 receiving yards in each of his 49ers seasons, scored a career-high six touchdowns in 2020. He also helped the team’s run game churn out yards despite five running backs seeing extensive time. The eight-year veteran will turn 30 in April.
The franchise tag groups fullbacks and running backs together and is thus not an option for Juszczyk. The 49ers are prepared to let Richard Sherman depart in free agency and have Trent Williams residing a top priority weeks away from the market opening. Slot cornerback K’Waun Williams and boundary corner Jason Verrett profile as key 49er free agents as well.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/22/21
We’ve got a few minor moves to pass along from today:
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: WR Brandon Zylstra, WR Keith Kirkwood
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: RB Dontrell Hilliard (one-year, $1.25MM, via Ian Rapoport on Twitter).
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: WR River Cracraft
Hilliard, Zylstra, and Kirkwood were all set to be restricted free agents before getting these one-year extensions, and they now won’t need to be tendered offers. Cracraft was an exclusive rights free agent so there wasn’t much of a question about his future. Hilliard did pretty well for himself to get $1.25MM with $200K guaranteed, considering he only appeared in two games for Houston without receiving a carry or reception.