49ers Balked At DeForest Buckner’s Price
After months of rumors indicating the 49ers’ priority hierarchy placed George Kittle and DeForest Buckner extensions atop the franchise’s agenda, Buckner is now a Colt and Arik Armstead has a long-term 49ers contract. Buckner’s 11th-hour negotiations with the 49ers appear to have been a fork-in-the-road moment for the franchise.
The 49ers began talking an extension with their standout defensive tackle last year, only to table a Buckner deal until 2020. However, after those discussions produced a price the 49ers deemed too high, the team began holding trade talks at the Combine, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
Buckner’s agent and the 49ers engaged in discussions at the Combine as well, per Barrows. That may have been a last-ditch effort, based on what happened next. The sides were far apart on extension value as far back as May 2019. Two weeks after the 49ers searched for trade partners, the Combine’s host team came in with a successful offer.
The Colts valued Buckner immensely, authorizing a $21MM-per-year deal. That price is just $1.5MM off Aaron Donald‘s AAV and worth more than any edge rusher not named Khalil Mack. The 49ers then signed Armstead to a five-year, $85MM deal. While saving $4MM per year by pivoting to an Armstead re-up over a Buckner deal, the 49ers will also gamble on the former’s contract year compared to the latter’s superior body of work. Of course, San Francisco also holds the No. 13 overall pick now and still employs four former first-round picks along its defensive line.
49ers, WR Travis Benjamin Agree To Deal
On a suddenly busy afternoon for auxiliary wide receiver deals, Travis Benjamin landed another job. The 49ers are signing the former Browns and Chargers receiver to a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The defending NFC champions lost out on retaining Emmanuel Sanders, when he signed with the Saints. While Benjamin is not on Sanders’ level, he stands to potentially help as a depth piece. The 49ers were in the mix for Phillip Dorsett, but he opted for the Seahawks — literally seconds before the Benjamin agreement surfaced.
Benjamin, 30, entered free agency for a second time. The Chargers signed the deep threat/return man in 2016 but did not opt to bring him back on another deal. Benjamin missed most of the 2019 season and missed four games in 2018. Mike Williams‘ arrival minimized Benjamin’s role. Over the past two seasons combined, Benjamin did not total 300 receiving yards.
However, the former Browns fourth-round pick out of Miami posted north of 550 receiving yards in three straight seasons — from 2015-17 — and has four career punt-return touchdowns. Benjamin will attempt to make a 49ers team that features Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, slot receiver Trent Taylor and inconsistent 2018 second-rounder Dante Pettis.
Contract Details: Brees, Mariota, Apple
Let’s take a closer look at the details of a few recently-signed free agent contracts:
AFC
- Marcus Mariota, QB (Raiders): Two years, $17.6MM $7.5MM guaranteed. $2.4MM in incentives available in 2020 (60% snaps). $1.5MM in playtime and win incentives. $10MM in similar incentives available in 2021. $2MM in playoff/Super Bowl wins each year. $12MM 2021 salary escalator (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com).
- Eli Apple, QB (Raiders): One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed. $500K available via incentives (Twitter link via Garafolo.
- Pierre Desir, CB (Jets): One year, ~$3.75MM. Max value of $5.5MM via incentives (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).
- Chad Henne, QB (Chiefs): Two years, $3.25MM. $2MM guaranteed. Max value of $7.25MM (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- Nelson Agholor, WR (Raiders): One year, veteran salary benefit. $887K guaranteed. $137K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
NFC
- Drew Brees, QB (Saints): Four years, $100MM. $25MM guaranteed. Void years used in 2022-23. Brees receives no-trade clause and no franchise/transition tag can be used after 2021 (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Jalen Mills, DB (Eagles): One, $4MM. Up to $1MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio).
- Thomas Davis, LB (Redskins): One year, $3.5MM. $250K available via incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Shon Coleman, T (49ers): One year, $2.2MM. $1.37MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Miles Killebrew, S (Lions): One year, $2MM. $1.137MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Jayron Kearse, S (Lions): One year, $2MM. Up to $1.25MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Pharoh Cooper, WR (Panthers): One year, $1.21MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
49ers To Sign DE Kerry Hyder
The 49ers have reached a one-year deal with edge rusher Kerry Hyder, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Hyder, 28, appeared in 16 games as a reserve for the Cowboys in 2019 after spending the previous three seasons with the Lions. Last year, Hyder played on 40% of Dallas’ defensive snaps, posting one sack and four quarterback hits.
Hyder’s best season came in 2016, when he managed a career-high eight sacks with Detroit. His defensive line coach that year was Kris Kocurek, who now holds the same role with the 49ers.
Nick Bosa and Dee Ford will start at defensive end for San Francisco, so Hyder will compete with Ronald Blair, Kentavius Street, and others for playing time on the edge.
49ers, LB Joe Walker Agree To Deal
Joe Walker will change NFC West teams, moving from the Cardinals to the 49ers. The defending NFC champions agreed to a one-year deal with the linebacker, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
A former Eagles seventh-round pick, Walker supplanted Haason Reddick in the Cardinals’ lineup last season. He originally caught on with the Cards after being signed off the Eagles’ practice squad. The 27-year-old defender will have a chance to carve out a role with the 49ers.
San Francisco did not tender linebacker Elijah Lee as a restricted free agent last week, opening up a depth spot for Walker. While the 49ers have their top three fairly well positioned — in Kwon Alexander, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw — the 2019 Cardinals starter will be a prime candidate to serve as a backup.
The Oregon product registered 65 tackles (five for loss) and a forced fumble last season. He had previously made just 17 stops in his Eagles career. Despite being a starter, Walker also played 70% of Arizona’s special teams snaps last season.
Contract Details: Mayo, Patriots, Bailey
A handful of contract details to pass along:
- LB David Mayo, Giants: three-year extension. $8.4MM deal, including $3.5MM guaranteed. Salaries: $1.5MM guaranteed (2020), $2.25MM (2021), $2.5MM (2022). Via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.
- WR Damiere Byrd, Patriots: one year, $2.5MM. $1MM base salary, $350K signing bonus, $900K in receptions incentives. Via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.
- S Adrian Phillips, Patriots: two years. Deal worth up to $7.5MM, $3MM guaranteed, $1.5MM signing bonus. Can earn up to $4MM in 2020. Via Yates on Twitter.
- K Dan Bailey, Vikings: re-signed. Three-year deal worth up to $12MM. $5MM guaranteed, $3.15MM signing bonus. Via Yates on Twitter.
- OL Joe Looney, Cowboys: signed. One-year, $2.4375MM deal. As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets, one of the new CBA’s veteran benefits is that the deal will count $1.25MM less on the cap than it would have last season.
- OT Shon Coleman, 49ers: one-year extension. Worth $962.5K, including $825K base salary and $137.5K signing bonus. Via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter.
- DB Jaylen Watkins, Texans: signed. Two-year deal worth $3MM, per Wilson.
- OT Roderick Johnson, Texans: re-signed. One-year deal worth $1.75MM, per Wilson.
49ers, OL Tom Compton Agree To Deal
Shortly after the 49ers moved on from multiyear starting guard Mike Person, they agreed to terms with Tom Compton. The defending NFC champions will add Compton on a one-year, $3MM deal, Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets.
The 49ers will be Compton’s fifth team in five years. Following four years with the Redskins, the veteran offensive lineman has become one of the league’s most available journeymen. Compton, 30, has played in at least 11 games with different teams over the past four seasons — the Falcons, Bears, Vikings and Jets.
At two of his previous career stops, however, Compton worked with 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan. The ex-Washington and Atlanta OC may have designs on plugging him into Person’s role opposite Laken Tomlinson or placing him in a competition with another familiar blocker. The 49ers now have Compton and 31-year-old swing man Ben Garland in the fold; each has played for Shanahan in multiple cities. Garland and Compton were teammates with the ’16 Falcons as well.
A former sixth-round pick out of South Dakota, Compton has spent most of his career as a backup. His lone season as a full-time starter came with the 2018 Vikings, whose offensive line was not exactly a celebrated unit. Compton played 363 snaps last season with the Jets, starting five games for an embattled unit, and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 67 overall guard.
49ers To Cut Mike Person
The 49ers are moving on from Michael Person. The starting guard will be released on Thursday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Person, 32 in June, has spent the last two years with the Niners. Last year, they kept him from free agency with a three-year, $9MM pact including $3MM in guarantees. It was a low-cost deal with little in the way of locked-down money, so it wasn’t tough for SF to shed him.
At the time of the deal, it looked like a major win for the 49ers. As the 49ers’ starting right guard in 2018, Person graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 18 ranked guard in the NFL out of 71 qualified players.
This year, he started in all 14 of his regular season contests at multiple offensive line spots. Despite his experience and versatility, the 49ers have opted against keeping him as they’re tight against the cap.
49ers To Re-Sign Ben Garland
The 49ers are set to re-sign Ben Garland, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He’ll return on a one-year deal worth $2.25MM.
Garland joined the Niners last year after three seasons with the Falcons. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan overlapped with him in that first Atlanta season, making it a natural fit.
Garland entered the NFL as a defensive lineman but later found his footing as a protector. He’s never been a full-time starter, but he’s been well-regarded by coaches and advanced metrics alike for his work in recent years.
49ers Place Second-Round Tender On WR Kendrick Bourne
The 49ers have applied a second-round tender to wideout Kendrick Bourne, his agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
Bourne has spent the past three seasons with the 49ers, and he’s really come into his own between 2018 and 2019. Over the past two years, the receiver has hauled in a total of 72 receptions for 845 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He’s also appeared in 16 games in each of the past two years.
Bourne also appeared in all three playoff games for San Francisco this past season, hauling in six total receptions. That included a pair of catches for 42 yards during the 49ers’ Super Bowl loss.
Bourne could have a chance to take on a bigger role in 2020. With Deebo Samuel atop the receiver depth chart, Bourne will compete with the likes of Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin for snaps.