Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/19
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Erik Magnuson
- Placed on IR: OL Garrett McGhin (ankle)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB James Williams
- Waived: DE Dadi Nicolas
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Jalen Tolliver
- Waived: G Abdul Beecham
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: LS Mike Windt
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR T.J. Rahming
- Waived/injured: WR Saeed Blacknall
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR/KR Chris Thompson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Landon Turner
- Placed on IR: G Demetrius Knox
49ers Optimistic About Jimmy Garoppolo
- Jimmy Garoppolo is coming off a torn ACL that shelved him for the 2018 campaign, but the 49ers organization is optimistic about his return. “I think what’s important, all the time, is you look at the totality of a camp and I think he’s had a really good camp, I really do,” general manager John Lynch said, via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “I think the best thing for all of us is that is, I get hesitant and reluctant to say it, but is his recovery from his knee has been flawless.” The quarterback struggled during his preseason debut this evening, completing one of his six passes and tossing an interception.
- 49ers tight end Garrett Celek is currently on the PUP, and Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com writes that the 31-year-old will be sidelined “well into the regular season” as he recovers from back surgery. Celek appeared in 15 games last season, hauling in five receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
[SOURCE LINK]
NFC Notes: Witten, 49ers’ QB Trades, Kessler
Jason Witten made his return to the Cowboys after one year away from the club. As a former locker room leader of the franchise, integrating himself back into the fold could have been tricky, as new leaders have emerged in his absence. However, according to coach Jason Garrett, Witten has had no issues rejoining the team.
“Witt has been very mindful of that coming back,” Garrett said of Witten’s locker room role (via ESPN’s Ed Werder on Twitter). “He doesn’t want to be a guy the younger guys are constantly deferring to. He wants to integrate himself back into it, and he’s done that beautifully.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- It appears the 49ers will hang on to both Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard rather than trading one of the quarterbacks. “We haven’t had talks at all,” GM John Lynch said of the possibility of trades (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports’ Twitter feed).
- Jimmy Ward was in full pads for the first time this week since he fractured his collarbone, Maiocco tweets. The 49ers gave him a one-year deal this past offseason.
- Cody Kessler remains in the concussion protocol, per the Eagles‘ Twitter feed. The franchise signed Josh McCown earlier today to add depth at the QB spot.
- While the Texans may want picks if they are going to trade Jadeveon Clowney, Eliot Shorr-Parks of WIP (Twitter link) contends that the Eagles should offer Derek Barnett straight up for him. Barnett, who was a first-round pick back in 2017, has two years remaining on his deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/19
Today’s minor moves will be posted here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Donald Payne
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers from Steelers: CB Jermaine Ponder
- Waived/injured: CB Jermaine Kelly Jr.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: CB Jay Liggins
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Quinten Rollins
- Placed on IR: Greg Mabin
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Josh Smith
- Waived: LB James Folston
49ers To Sign Sam Young
Former Dolphins offensive tackle Sam Young will sign with the 49ers on Monday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Niners just lost fellow tackle Shon Coleman to injured reserve, so Young should be able to step in and fill a major need for the team. 
[RELATED: Jerick McKinnon’s Week 1 Availability In Question]
Young spent the last three seasons with the Dolphins and has also played for the Bills and Jaguars. Over the years, the 2010 Cowboys sixth-round pick has appeared in 88 games with 21 starts in those contests. Prior to joining Miami, Young also drew attention from the Saints, Jets, and Bills.
The 49ers project to start Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey on the outside of the line with sixth-round rookie Justin Skule, Willie Beavers, Najee Toran, and Ross Reynolds also in the mix for reserve roles.
McKinnon's Week 1 Availability In Question
- Jerick McKinnon‘s 49ers debut may be further delayed. The team “seems to be drifting toward” the notion that McKinnon might not be ready to play by Week 1, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). McKinnon is out for the preseason’s remainder after receiving a PRP injection in his troublesome knee, which required surgery a year ago. The former Vikings back spent the offseason rehabbing but came off the 49ers’ active/PUP list to practice Tuesday. But after soreness, the sixth-year talent is again shut down. Barrows projects the 49ers will place McKinnon on short-term IR to start the season, with the reserve/PUP list no longer being an option.
- Veterans Malcolm Smith and Jordan Matthews may not have a place with the 2019 49ers, with Barrows predicting both will fail to make the 53-man roster. Matthews signed a one-year, $2MM deal ($300K guaranteed) with San Francisco earlier this offseason. Smith has disappointed since coming over from the Raiders, missing all of 2017 due to injury and four games last season. The Super Bowl XLVIII MVP registered just 35 tackles in 2018. Although Barrows notes the 30-year-old linebacker was having a good camp prior to tweaking a hamstring, he has rookie UDFA Azeez Al-Shaair making the team over the veteran. Smith agreed to a restructured deal in March, one that shortened his five-year contract to three years. But cutting Smith would tag the 49ers with $4.2MM in dead money.
- Would-be 49ers swing tackle Shon Coleman suffered a season-ending ankle injury Saturday night and underwent surgery Sunday. The 49ers are searching for a potential replacement for this role, Kyle Shanahan said (via Barrows, on Twitter), naming former 49er Garry Gilliam as a possible solution.
49ers Notes: Pettis, Taylor, Coleman
49ers wideout Dante Pettis was a second-round pick last year and showed some flashes of promise in his rookie campaign, picking up 27 catches for 467 yards (good for an excellent 17.3 yards-per-reception) and five touchdowns. But he has consistently failed to come up with contested catches in training camp, and he was the only first-stringer from the 49ers’ initial depth chart to play in the club’s preseason opener Saturday.
The consensus has been that Pettis is a surefire starter for San Francisco this year, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said Pettis is not guaranteed a starting job, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Shanahan acknowledged that Pettis has a great deal of room for improvement, and he said he put Pettis in the game because he wanted the second-year pro to compete and to start elevating his game.
Rookie wideouts Jalen Hurd and Deebo Samuel played well in their NFL debuts, while Pettis had one target and no catches.
Now for more from the 49ers:
- We heard yesterday that receiver Trent Taylor underwent surgery on a broken foot and would miss some regular season action. As Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter), Shanahan says that Taylor sustained a Jones fracture but that the team caught the injury before he suffered a complete break, so he may miss only four to six weeks. There is some hope that Taylor will be able to suit up for Week 1, but that still seems unlikely.
- We have conflicting reports on the severity of the injury that OT Shon Coleman suffered Saturday night. Colemean suffered a lower right leg injury, and Matt Barrows of The Athletic says that while Coleman will get an MRI Monday, the injury is expected to be a season-ender (Twitter link). Branch hears the same (via Twitter), but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Coleman’s recovery will take several months. RapSheet classifies the injury as a dislocated ankle.
- Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Areas says the 49ers will need to look for another swing tackle in the wake of Coleman’s injury, and he suggests that the team could re-sign Garry Gilliam to fill that role (Twitter link). Gilliam served as San Francisco’s swing tackle in each of the past two seasons, and though he remains a free agent, he has received interest from other clubs.
Trent Taylor Undergoes Foot Surgery
49ers wide receiver Trent Taylor underwent surgery on a broken foot on Friday and is expected to miss the early part of the regular season, NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco writes. 
Though an official timetable has not been announced, the Niners are hoping the pass-catcher will not miss more than a few games at the beginning of the season. That’s a big blow for the Niners, as Taylor was expected to be the team’s top option from the slot.
A fifth-round selection from Louisiana Tech in 2017, Taylor flashed potential as a rookie by logging 43 receptions for 430 yards. He showcased a strong connection with Jimmy Garoppolo down the stretch, logging 19 catches for 226 yards after the Niners acquired the quarterback from New England.
After undergoing offseason back surgery in 2018, Taylor struggled in his second campaign, tallying just 26 receptions for 215 yards in 14 games.
After Marquise Goodwin, the team features plenty of promising, if unproven performers at the receiver position, including Dante Pettis, Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd, who tallied a touchdown catch in his preseason debut on Saturday night.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day.
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DT Elijah Qualls
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: C John Yarbrough
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: FB Joe Kerridge
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Justin Stockton
- Placed on IR: WR Jermaine Kearse (full story), NT Darius Kilgo
- Waived/injured: CB Tarvarus McFadden
Green Bay Packers
- Released: WR Jawill Davis
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Tracy Sprinkle
- Waived: LB Chris Landrum
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Nate Theaker
- Released-NFI: G Ian Silberman
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Nick Truesdell
- Waived: CB Derrick Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Released: TE Jake Powell
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Brandon Wilds
- Waived: S Tyree Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB J.T. Barrett, LB Juwon Young
- Waived: SS Marwin Evans, LB Chris Worley
West Rumors: 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos
It’s been a long offseason for the 49ers, who have seen numerous key players deal with injuries throughout the spring and summer. Add more to the list of San Francisco talents set to miss the preseason. Jerick McKinnon and Weston Richburg are both unlikely to play until Week 1. Given $18MM guaranteed, McKinnon is still dealing with knee trouble after missing all of last season with an ACL tear. The sixth-year running back received a platelet-rich plasma injection on his knee and is expected to miss the 49ers’ August slate, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com notes. The team activated him from the PUP list Tuesday, but Kyle Shanahan said his prized 2018 offseason signing experienced significant soreness after going through individual drills the past two days. Richburg, who remains on the active/PUP list after a January knee surgery, is being targeted a Week 1 return. So are Nick Bosa and Jason Verrett. The 49ers hope Dee Ford, who received a PRP injection on his injured knee, can play by the team’s dress-rehearsal preseason game.
Here’s the latest West news from outside of San Francisco:
- With the Seahawks in desperate need of available pass rushers come Week 1, more blitz opportunities may be on tap. Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Mychal Kendricks (should he be on the field) are in position to be used more as rushers. “If we can play really good D, it’s going to be because of Bobby and K.J. and Mychal and the guys in the linebacker spot. We’re going to utilize them as much as we can to be a factor in all aspects, run and pass [defense],” Pete Carroll said, via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson. “Those guys are really good pass defenders, and they love coming off the edge too. We’ll plan on using those guys a lot.” After Frank Clark‘s departure, the Seahawks have Ziggy Ansah and L.J. Collier injured. Jarran Reed incurred a six-game suspension. Wright has not collected a sack since 2016, when he had four. Wagner had 4.5 that year but recorded 2.5 since.
- Theo Riddick will earn a $2MM 2019 base salary with the Broncos, and $750K of it is fully guaranteed, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Another $250K will be available in per-game roster bonuses. Overall, Riddick signed for $2.5MM with $1MM guaranteed. This makes it a near-certainty Riddick will appear on the Broncos’ 53-man roster in September.
- The Broncos are already down Todd Davis for multiple weeks; they will be without one of his top backups for longer than that. Joe Jones suffered a triceps injury this week, and a second opinion delivered more clarity on the inside linebacker’s timeline. Jones will be out between six and eight weeks, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic tweets. But he will not need surgery, which could increase his chances of making the Broncos. If Jones hits IR before the Broncos finalize their 53-man unit, the special-teamer will be ineligible to return for them this season.
- Returning 2018 fifth-round pick Johnny Townsend would seemingly be in line to keep his job as the Raiders‘ punter, but Jon Gruden said rookie UDFA A.J. Cole has put himself in the conversation to unseat the incumbent, per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter). Cole would be an option to handle Raiders kickoffs as well.