Minor NFL Transactions: 11/7/19
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived from injured reserve: S Damian Parms
New York Jets
- Activated from non-football injury list: CB Bless Austin
- Placed on injured reserve: S Rontez Miles
- Waived: LB B.J. Bello
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted: LB Quentin Poling
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers (Vikings): S Marcus Epps
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: T Sam Young
Former NFL DT Earl Mitchell Retires
Defensive tackle Earl Mitchell has announced his retirement from the NFL after nine seasons, as he announced on his Instagram.
“I thought that I would be sad when I decided to let go of something I’ve loved for so long. I feel grateful to walk away with no regrets knowing I gave it my all. After 9 great years, I’m officially retiring from the National Football League. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Since 2002 I’ve dedicated my life to this game. When I first stepped into the locker room at North Shore, I decided to put my all into learning something that I knew nothing about. If it wasn’t for this game I would have never been able to achieve my original dream of going to and graduating college. I’m extremely proud of my career and I appreciate all of those who have supported me along the way.”
A third-round pick out of Arizona in 2010, Mitchell spent the first four years of his career with the Texans before inking a four-year, $16MM deal with the Dolphins in 2014. After three seasons in Miami, another four-year deal followed, this time with the 49ers. Mitchell played in San Francisco for two years before getting released.
Mitchell briefly latched on with the Seahawks this summer, and may have still been able to draw free agent interest, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports the 32-year-old still had some suitors (Twitter link). Instead, Mitchell will hang up his cleats having appeared in 130 career games (66 starts) and collected more than $23MM in career earnings.
49ers To Sign K Chase McLaughlin
49ers kicker Robbie Gould suffered a strained quad that could sideline for him Monday night’s game against the Seahawks, so San Francisco is signing fellow kicker Chase McLaughlin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Gould’s injury is not long-term in nature, per RapSheet, but it could affect his availability for Week 10.
Gould, 36, posted arguably the best season of his career in 2018, converting a league-leading 97.1% of his field goal attempts. He made both of his attempts from 50+ yards, and missed only two extra points. Tagged as a franchise player before agreeing to a four-year extension, Gould’s production has declined this year, as he’s already missed seven field goal attempts in 20 tries.
McLaughlin, meanwhile, is an undrafted rookie free agent who spent time with the Bills before serving as the Chargers’ kicker for the month of October. Playing in relief of the injured Michael Badgley, McLaughlin made six-of-nine field goal attempts and converted all seven of his extra point tries.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/5/19
Today’s workout notes:
Atlanta Falcons
- OG Anthony Coyle, S Kenny Ladler, S C.J. Reavis, G Marquez Tucker
Baltimore Ravens
- RB Elijah McGuire, RB Byron Marshall, LB Michael Onuoha
Buffalo Bills
- OL Brandon Hitner
Cincinnati Bengals
- CB Adonis Alexander, DE Dewayne Hendrix, LB Chris Odom, LB Raymond Davison
Miami Dolphins
- LS Kevin McDermott, LS Garrison Sanborn, LS Matt Overton
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Joey Alfieri, LB Cory James, LB Christian Sam
49ers Promote Elijah Lee
The 49ers promoted linebacker Elijah Lee on Tuesday, per a club announcement. He’ll help fill the void following Kwon Alexander‘s season-ending pectoral tear. 
Meanwhile, the Niners also opened the 21-day practice window for tight end Garrett Celek. Celek started the year on the PUP list after back surgery, but he’s ready to pitch in for the second half of the season. Celek appeared in 15 games last year, hauling in five receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He’s scheduled for free agency after the season – and his four-year, $14MM deal – is through.
Lee has 69 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack across 30 games for the 49ers over the last two years. He’ll look to add to those totals on Monday night when the Niners take on the Seahawks in SF.
49ers’ Kwon Alexander Done For Year
That’s a wrap on Kwon Alexander‘s season. The 49ers linebacker will miss the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Earlier today, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that he was nervous about the MRI. After doctors reviewed the scans, they confirmed his (and Alexander’s) worst fears.
The Niners signed Alexander to a four-year, $54MM deal in March with $27MM guaranteed. Former Bucs star and current 49ers GM John Lynch was high on Alexander – perhaps a touch higher than other clubs this offseason – but things haven’t gone according to plan in the 25-year-old’s first season with SF. After missing 14 games between 2017 and 2018, he’ll miss the second half of the ’19 campaign, plus the playoffs.
Through eight games, Alexander rates as Pro Football Focus’ No. 33 ranked linebacker in the NFL (though, PFF’s metrics have never been high on his work). At the time of his season-ending ACL tear in 2018, PFF had him as the 53rd-ranked LB in the league.
On the plus side – Shanahan believes that tight end George Kittle’s knee injury is a short-term issue. Also, the 49ers are 8-0 – that also helps to ease the pain of losing one of their defensive starters.
The 49ers topped the Cardinals on Thursday night to keep their undefeated streak going. On Monday Nov. 11, they’ll return to action to face another division rival when they take on the Seahawks.
49ers Getting Sixth-Round Offers For C.J. Beathard
We heard earlier today that the 49ers were getting trade calls on backup quarterback C.J. Beathard, and now we have more details. San Francisco is receiving offers in the “sixth-round range” for Beathard, a source told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (Twitter link). 
Even though the 49ers have been keeping Beathard inactive on game-days, Maiocco writes that the team “is not inclined to do that deal.” San Francisco’s management and coaching staff have always been infatuated with Beathard, so that’s not shocking even though most teams would probably jump at the opportunity to receive any compensation for their third-string quarterback. Beathard lost the training camp competition with Nick Mullens to carry Jimmy Garoppolo‘s clipboard this season.
Beathard is still only 25 and has another year left on his cheap rookie deal after this season, so it makes sense why some teams would be interested. The Iowa product, who the 49ers took in the third-round back in 2017, has started five games each of the past two seasons. He’s shown some flashes, but his overall numbers are mediocre at best. The trade deadline is on Tuesday, so the 49ers only have a couple of days to decide what to do. They’re still undefeated entering Week 9, so maybe they’ll just choose not to disrupt anything and hang on to him.
Trade Rumors: Hopkins, Slay, Hooper
The trade deadline is two days away, so there are plenty of rumors to pass along. Of course, many of those rumors center around this year’s non-contenders, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that two such teams — the Redskins and Bengals — continue to rebuff inquiries concerning veterans who should be available. Rival GMs have grown increasingly frustrated with Washington and Cincinnati, and La Canfora says opposing clubs have become resigned to the fact that they are not going to be able to swing a deal with those obstinate franchises. That means that a number of big names — Trent Williams, Ryan Kerrigan, A.J. Green, and Carlos Dunlap, to name a few — are looking more and more likely to stay put.
Now for more trade rumors from around the league, starting with another nugget out of Cincinnati:
- Michael Lombardi of The Athletic agrees that the Bengals are likely to stand pat at the deadline for the most part, but he does believe the club will move tight end Tyler Eifert.
- Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is decidedly not on the trading block, but teams have still called Houston to ask about the star wideout, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets. That obviously sounds like clubs doing their due diligence more than anything else, and Glazer acknowledges that it would take an awful lot for the Texans to move Hopkins.
- The Lions have received calls on CB Darius Slay, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It would take a big offer to pry Slay from Detroit, but in the wake of Slay’s comments earlier this week, maybe the Lions will be more inclined to move him.
- RB-needy teams have called the Seahawks to inquire on Rashaad Penny, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (video link). Penny is not on the block, per se, but the 2018 first-rounder is drawing interest. In the same video, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says Chargers RB Melvin Gordon could also be on the move.
- Schefter reports that the 49ers have received calls on backup QB C.J. Beathard, whom Schefter suggests could be on the move.
- The Falcons have fielded calls on DT Tyeler Davison, per Lombardi, but Atlanta has told other teams Davison will not be moved. The team is also going to hang on to TE Austin Hooper, as Schefter tweets.
- The Giants are likely to cut Nate Solder after the season, so Lombardi believes Big Blue should go ahead and trade him now (though HC Pat Shurmur, whose job could be in jeopardy, would likely resist such a move). The Browns continue to be in the market for OT help, as Schefter writes, and the Patriots may also be interested in a reunion with Solder. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says Solder was not a viable option for Cleveland as of the middle of last week, but that could change in the next couple of days.
- Janoris Jenkins is another member of the Giants who could be on the move, and while he is likely open to joining a contender, he just wants New York to be transparent with their plans for him, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes. That sentiment was also expressed by former Giants like Landon Collins and Odell Beckham Jr., who both felt as though Shurmur and GM Dave Gettleman were not straightforward with them. Dunleavy names the Chiefs as a potential landing spot for Jenkins.
- Interest remains heavy on Broncos vets Chris Harris Jr. and Derek Wolfe, as La Canfora writes. Denver is open to moving Harris and Wolfe, and rival GMs expect the Broncos to make those trades happen.
49ers Could Trade Pettis
- Dante Pettis was on the receiving end of a lot of hype this offseason, but the second-year pro hasn’t had the breakout campaign many were hoping for. The 49ers’ second-round pick last year, Pettis has been a bit of a disappointment. He’s been buried in San Francisco’s pecking order, and apparently he could be on the move. During a recent radio appearance, Sirius XM NFL Insider Adam Caplan said not to be surprised if the young receiver is traded at the deadline (Twitter link). There are a lot of teams in need of receiver help, and given Pettis’ age and the promise he flashed last season, the 49ers should be able to land a middle-round pick for him if they did decide to deal him. So far this season he has only nine catches for 83 yards and one touchdown.
49ers Cut Jordan Matthews
Veteran receiver Jordan Matthews is looking for a new team yet again. Matthews was released by the 49ers earlier today, the team announced. San Francisco needed the roster spot for LS Kyle Nelson, who they activated from his suspension. 
Matthews signed a one-year, $1.8MM deal with a $300K signing bonus earlier this offseason, but was released at final cuts. After Jalen Hurd was placed on injured reserve a few weeks ago, the 49ers re-signed Matthews. The Vanderbilt product is approaching journeyman status, as he’s been with four team in just the past three years. Originally drafted by Philly in the second-round back in 2014, Matthews had some very productive years with the Eagles. He got traded to the Bills, and then injuries started to pile up.
After getting released by San Fran right before the start of the season he had workouts with the Vikings and Saints, so maybe he can latch on with one of those teams. Still only 27, he should be able to resurface at some point soon and he could get brought back by the 49ers.
After rejoining the Eagles last year, he had 20 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games. Nelson was suspended ten games for PEDs toward the end of last season, but the team clearly never lost confidence in their long-snapper. Back in March, they signed him to a four-year extension.
