49ers, Jerick McKinnon Restructure Contract
The 49ers and running back Jerick McKinnon agreed to restructure his contract, a source tells Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. McKinnon had been seen as a likely cap casualty. Instead, he will stay in San Francisco.
McKinnon is now signed through 2020, with Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio noting (via Twitter) the running back agreed to trim a year off his contract. The ex-Viking agreed to slash a lofty salary down to the veteran minimum, per Caplan, who adds that does not include the per-game roster bonuses the veteran would be in line to receive (Twitter link).
McKinnon will earn $910K in base salary and, thanks to a $4MM prorated signing bonus, count for $2.91MM against the 49ers’ 2020 cap, according to OverTheCap.
The Niners organization has long hoped to see what McKinnon could do in head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s offense. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch targetted McKinnon in the 2018 offseason, signing the versatile back to a four-year, $30MM contract. However, two seasons later, McKinnon has yet to take the field in a regular-season game for the 49ers.
After suffering a torn-ACL during practice prior to the 2018 season, another knee surgery cost McKinnon the 2019 season as well. When we last saw McKinnon in regular-season action, McKinnon was working as a scatback for the Vikings contributing off of handoffs and catching passes out of the backfield. In his final season in Minnesota, McKinnon received 201 touches (150 carries and 51 receptions) for 991 yards from scrimmage (570 rushing and 421 receiving) and 5 touchdowns (3 rushing and 2 receiving).
Under his original agreement, McKinnon was set to count $8.55MM against the salary cap in 2020 and San Francisco could have saved $4.55MM in cap space from releasing him (per Over the Cap). With Matt Breida entering free agency and Tevin Coleman remaining a possible cap casualty, keeping McKinnon in the fold at a lower number gives the Niners some added financial flexibility.
49ers Re-Sign Ronald Blair
The 49ers defensive line underwent quite the shock on Monday when they traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts. However, after resigning Arik Armstead, San Francisco will also be reuniting with defensive lineman Ronald Blair on a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Over his four years in the Bay Area, Blair served as a situational pass-rusher and was the primary backup to Dee Ford and Nick Bosa this past season. Blair proved to be a solid option but suffered a torn-ACL in the team’s ninth game. Without Blair, San Francisco struggled to find another rotational piece to competently spell Bosa and Ford.
Blair seemed set to have an active market for his services this offseason, but the current situation surrounding COVID-19, which prevents teams from conducting physicals with free agents, likely limited interest from teams without familiarity with his ACL injury.
While San Francisco has a tough challenge to replace Buckner’s production, the team appears set to hope added depth (and better health) can help make up for some of their losses. Blair has recorded 88 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 27 quarterback hits, and 22 tackles for loss in 47 games over his career.
Five Teams Interested In Phillip Dorsett
Free-agent wideout Phillip Dorsett tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson that the Jets, Seahawks, Chargers, 49ers, and Raiders have all shown preliminary interest in his services. Dorsett added, “I just want to come in and have a great opportunity to play and showcase how I can really flourish as a player.”
While Dorsett has never lived up to the expectations placed upon a first-round pick (the Colts selected Dorsett with the 29th overall pick in 2015), he has consistently been a healthy pass-catching depth option over his five-year career.
Dorsett was most productive in 2016. Appearing in 15 games with a career-high 7 starts, Dorsett caught 33 receptions for 528 yards and 2 touchdowns with the Colts. Indianapolis shipped Dorsett to the Patriots the following offseason in a trade for quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In New England over the past three seasons, Dorsett was a decently productive depth piece, accruing 73 receptions for 881 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Of course, the Patriots struggles to find legitimate options at wide receiver over the past few seasons have been well documented. Yet even amidst the dire straights, Dorsett was never able to emerge as a top option. Still, given his long history as a sturdy player, it’s no surprise that many teams remain interested in his services.
Contract Details: JPP, Cousins, Weatherly
Deals are coming in quickly, so we’ve compiled some important contract details below:
- DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Buccaneers: two years. Deal is worth $25MM, and could be worth up to $26MM ($12.5MM/season, up to $1MM in incentives). Via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter.
- DE Stephen Weatherly, Panthers: two years, $12.5MM. Deal includes $6.25MM guaranteed, $4MM signing bonus. Annual per-game active roster bonus up to $100K, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings: two-year, $66MM extension. Effectively now three-year, $96MM deal. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com observes, this gives Cousins the highest AAV at his position ($32MM, bumping Russell Wilson‘s $31.4MM).
- DE Arik Armstead, 49ers: five-year, $85MM extension. Includes voidable sixth year, allowing team to lower cap number. $6MM cap number in first year, $12.5MM in second year, $20MM+ in 2022 through 2024. All via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter.
- QB A.J. McCarron, Texans: re-signed. One-year, $4MM deal, including $3.75MM guaranteed. Via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter.
- DE Mario Addison, Bills: three years. Worth $30.45MM, including $15.25MM guaranteed. $14MM in first year of deal. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- QB Nate Sudfeld, Eagles: re-signed. One-year, $2MM deal, including $500K guaranteed. Another $1MM in incentives. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- TE Blake Jarwin, Cowboys: three years, $24.25MM. Includes $4MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $2.25MM (2020), $3.5MM (2021), $4.5MM (2022), $5.5MM (2023). From 2021 through 2023, there are active roster bonuses totaling $750K and escalators maxing out at $750K per season. Via ESPN’s Todd Archer on Twitter.
49ers Re-Sign Jimmie Ward
The 49ers have been forced to reshape their defense, but they’re still looking to hold on to their own where ever possible. That’s what they did with safety Jimmie Ward, who has been re-upped on a new three-year deal worth $28.5MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: 49ers Trade Buckner To Colts]
Ward, 28, has been set back by injuries throughout his career, but he stayed healthy for the most part and shined in 2019. The veteran tallied a career-best 65 tackles in 13 starts, an indicator that even better things could be on the horizon.
Last year, the Niners kept Ward with a one-year prove-it deal. This time around, he has the security of a multi-year pact that will pay him $9.5MM per annum.
The Northern Illinois product was an integral part of SF’s secondary last year. On the whole, the unit graded out No. 2 in defensive DVOA. He also settled in at the free safety position – before last year, he saw time at multiple spots as coaches tried to figure out the best way to use him.
All along, Ward has said that he wanted to return to the NFC champs.
“This is where I would like to be,” Ward said in February (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I like to continue playing for this great organization.”
Now, he’s under contract with the Niners through the 2022 season.
49ers, Shon Coleman Agree To Extension
The 49ers have agreed to a one-year extension with offensive tackle Shon Coleman, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (on Twitter). Last year, Coleman came into training camp last year as the favorite to become the team’s main swing tackle. Then, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury that caused the team to change course.
Coleman suffered a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula during the first game of the preseason, an injury that immediately ruled him out for the rest of 2019. Fortunately, he’s now fully recovered and ready to help the defending NFC champs.
In other Niners news, DeForest Buckner is now a member of the Colts thanks to Monday afternoon’s shocking trade. In the swap, the 49ers have received the Colts’ first-round pick at No. 13 overall, a selection that could be flipped to give them a better stockpile of picks in April.
49ers Trade DeForest Buckner To Colts
The 49ers have agreed to trade All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In this stunner of a deal, the Colts will send their first-round pick (No. 13 overall) to San Francisco and sign Buckner to a newly-minted monster contract. 
Buckner’s new pact will pay him $21MM per year and make him the second-highest paid DT in league history. Now, only Aaron Donald ranks higher on the all-time list at the position.
The deal leaves the Niners with a major hole to fill on their world-class defensive front. The deal also gives them additional draft artillery. The 49ers now own two first-round picks (Nos. 13 and 31 overall), which they could quickly parlay into a larger stockpile. As of this writing, they have no picks in Rounds 2, 3, or 4. One of those first-rounders will now likely be traded for better depth in April, Schefter tweets.
Just hours ago, the 49ers struck a deal to keep defensive lineman Arik Armstead in the fold for the long-haul. His five-year deal, potentially worth $85MM, seemed to signal that the Niners would be keeping the band together. Instead, it was one half of a difficult choice the 49ers felt they had to make. With the trade, the Niners will be able to apply their limited cash to other areas and replenish with younger talent in the draft.
The former No. 7 overall pick was exceptional in 2019 and was awarded an All-Pro selection for his performance. The Oregon product tallied 62 tackles, nine for a loss, and 7.5 sacks last year as the 49ers rumbled their way to the Super Bowl. With 28.5 career sacks, he has a proven track record of getting to the quarterback and changing the complexion of any game.
The Colts, meanwhile, entered the offseason with adding pass-rush help high on their to-do list. They were particularly soft on the interior; so the upgrade that Buckner provides cannot be understated.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, things seem to be heating up with Philip Rivers. The Colts just might start free agency with the acquisition of two superstars to address their two biggest areas of need.
49ers, Arik Armstead Agree To Deal
The 49ers are taking care of a major piece of offseason business. The defending NFC champions agreed to terms with Arik Armstead on a five-year extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
News emerged earlier on Monday the sides were closing in on a deal, and after the 49ers did not use their franchise tag on Armstead, they finalized an extension. Armstead will receive up to $85MM on this five-year contract, per Rapoport.
Many labeled Armstead as a bust early on, but he silenced critics with his performance in 2019. Pro Football Focus pegged the former first-rounder as the sixth-best edge defender out of 107 qualified players in the category. Meanwhile, Jadeveon Clowney ranked 20th, Shaquil Barrett ranked 25th, and Yannick Ngakoue ranked 36th. Barrett led the league with 19.5 sacks while Armstead recorded “just” ten sacks, but he had more quarterback hurries, which is perhaps a better indicator of sacks to come.
Some may say that Armstead is something of a one-hit wonder, dismissing his 2019 season as a well-timed burst before free agency. However, the talent has been there all along, and the Niners are confident that he’ll continue to build on that performance. It’s worth noting that Armstead has generated a hurry on over 9.2% of his pass-rush snaps over his career – none of the aforementioned players have topped 7.8%.
Along with Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, Armstead has helped to turn one of the Niners’ biggest weaknesses into the team’s greatest strength. With a new deal, SF will aim to keep that momentum going.
49ers, Arik Armstead Nearing Deal
The 49ers and Arik Armstead are on the verge of a brand new deal, Mike Florio of PFT (via Twitter) hears. That agreement is expected “very very soon,” he adds.
Many labeled Armstead as a bust early on, but he silenced critics with his performance in 2019. Pro Football Focus pegged the former first-rounder as the sixth-best edge defender out of 107 qualified players in the category. Meanwhile, Jadeveon Clowney ranked 20th, Shaquil Barrett ranked 25th, and Yannick Ngakoue ranked 36th. Barrett led the league with 19.5 sacks while Armstead recorded “just” ten sacks, but he had more quarterback hurries, which is perhaps a better indicator of sacks to come.
Some may say that Armstead is something of a one-hit wonder, dismissing his 2019 season as a well-timed burst before free agency. However, the talent has been there all along, and the Niners are confident that he’ll continue to build on that performance. It’s worth noting that Armstead has generated a hurry on over 9.2% of his pass-rush snaps over his career – none of the aforementioned players have topped 7.8%.
Along with Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, Armstead has helped to turn one of the Niners’ biggest weaknesses into the team’s greatest strength. With a new deal, SF will aim to keep that momentum going.
49ers Out On Tom Brady?
Sources have told NBC Sports’ Chris Simms that the 49ers are not going to sign quarterback Tom Brady. The Patriots legend, obviously, is entering free agency for the first time in his career and has been tied to San Francisco for some time. Brady grew up in the Bay Area and following Jimmy Garoppolo‘s struggles in the Super Bowl, many people were connecting the two.
While Simms noted he was unclear if anything had changed over the past few days, he stated that the 49ers were Brady’s preferred destination, but the organization plans to stick with Garoppolo. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports added in the aftermath of Simms’ report that the Titans and 49ers interest was “always more smoke than fire.”
Simms is a longtime friend of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and this may be the most public way San Francisco chooses to rebuke the rumors that have tied Brady to the Niners. Reading between the lines, if the 49ers were indeed Brady’s favorite destination, the rumors could have been entirely driven by his camp, while San Francisco never necessarily considered a change at quarterback.
Assuming Simms’ report is accurate after the Titans extended Ryan Tannehill earlier this afternoon, two of Brady’s most appealing options seem to be off the table. At this point, a return to New England seems like the only avenue available to Brady if he wants to be a contender, otherwise, teams like the Chargers, Buccaneers, or Raiders pose the largest threat to sign him away.