49ers Offered Le’Veon Bell ~$38MM
It sounds like the 49ers really did make a big push for Le’Veon Bell. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that the organization offered the running back a three-year, $38MM contract that was “just about fully guaranteed.” Bell ended up inking a four-year, $52.5MM deal ($25MM guaranteed) with the Jets.
We heard conflicting reports earlier this week regarding the 49ers’ interest in Bell. The team would have been a relatively peculiar fit, as the team already invested a four-year, $30MM contract in Jerick McKinnon last offseason. Matt Breida also emerged as a potential two-down back for San Francisco, meaning Bell wouldn’t have been as much of a necessity as a commodity. Ultimately, the 49ers ended up adding former Falcon running back Tevin Coleman to their backfield.
Meanwhile, while Bell had an idea he was going to join the Jets around the NFL Combine, it sounds like a team besides New York and San Francisco continued to push for his services. Fowler notes that Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and wideout (and former Steelers teammate) Antonio Brown were trying to get the running back to join Oakland.
Fowler also tweets that Bell intended to return to the Steelers in Week 7 last season. However, the running back subsequently learned that he didn’t need to accrue a full season in order to reach free agency, a revelation that changed his plans. Had the running back returned, he would have played around 10 games for Pittsburgh.
49ers Re-Sign Antone Exum
The 49ers have agreed to re-sign safety Antone Exum to a one-year deal worth $895K, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Exum, 28, was one of five San Francisco safeties that saw at least 25% playtime in 2018, joining Jaquiski Tartt, Marcell Harris, Adrian Colbert, and D.J. Reed. Add in Jimmie Ward, who re-signed on Wednesday and can play both corner and safety, and the 49ers will likely have quite the competition in their defensive backfield.
Exum played the most snaps of any of those aforementioned safeties last year, appearing in 15 games while starting seven. In that time, the former sixth-round pick posted 40 tackles, one interception, and one sack while grading as the NFL’s No. 61 safety among 93 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
49ers Sign WR Jordan Matthews
The 49ers have signed free agent wideout Jordan Matthews, the club announced today. 
The fifth-year wideout should slide right into a serviceable role as receiver who can play both on the outside and in the slot. He figures to feature primarily inside, with Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis serving on the outside.
The 49ers definitely had a need at the position, with only Goodwin, Pettis, Trent Taylor and Kendrick Bourne the only receivers on the team with much experience.
Matthews broke into the league in 2014 and immediately impressed, logging 67 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. He followed that up with another eight scoring grabs and a career-best 85 catches in 2015 before logging 73 receptions in 2016. He then spent a year in Buffalo after being traded for cornerback Ronald Darby.
After a year with the Bills, Matthews signed a one-year deal with the Patriots but was cut before the start of the 2018 season. He then returned to the Eagles, and added 20 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
49ers Cut Brock Coyle, Who Will Retire
The 49ers released linebacker Brock Coyle on Thursday, the team announced. San Francisco also signed linebacker David Mayo to a two-year deal and announced linebacker Elijah Lee has signed his exclusive rights tender. 
Coyle later announced his retirement from football due to the back injury that cut his season short in 2018 [Twitter link].
Injuries are a part of this game and it is a risk all players willingly take when we step onto the field. Unfortunately, the injury I sustained last season is one that will prevent me from returning to the field again.
Coyle, 28, joined the 49ers in 2017 on a one-year deal and impressed, starting 10 games and appearing in all contests while registering a career-high 62 tackles. He signed a three-year deal in the ensuing offseason but only played in one game in 2018 due to the injury.
Mayo, 25, was a fifth-round pick by the Panthers out of Texas State in 2015. He has appeared in all but one regular season game in the last three seasons with Carolina, making four starts and logging a combined 35 tackles. While he didn’t see a ton of action on the defensive side of the ball, Mayo is a strong contributor on special teams.
Lee, 23, was a seventh-round pick by the Vikings in 2017. The 49ers signed the Kansas State product off Minnesota’s practice squad that same season and he has appeared in 30 of a possible 32 games in his career. In 2018, the linebacker made five starts and logged 65 tackles with a sack and forced fumble.
49ers To Sign CB Jason Verrett
The 49ers are signing former Chargers’ cornerback Jason Verrett to a one-year, $3.6MM deal, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former first-round pick has played in just five games over the last three years, but he could be a strong value signing if he stays on the field. 
Verrett missed the entire 2018 campaign after suffering a torn Achilles during a conditioning test last July. The Texans and Chiefs were also said to have had interest in Verrett, but they were also closely looking into his health situation.
Verrett was a Pro Bowler in 2015 and looked primed to establish himself as one of the best young corners in the league. Reportedly, before the latest injury, he looked like his old self in practice, so there’s reason to believe that he’ll make the most of his one-year prove-it deal.
The Niners made major upgrades to their defense this week, signing Kwon Alexander and trading for (and extending) Dee Ford. They also made an offer to cornerback Bradley Roby before he chose to sign with the Texans. They didn’t land Roby, but they got another former first-round pick out of the AFC West in Verrett.
49ers To Re-Sign DB Jimmie Ward
Jimmie Ward is sticking around San Francisco. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the defensive back will re-sign with the 49ers. It’s a one-year pact worth $5MM. Adam Caplan clarifies that the deal is for $4.5MM with another $500K in incentives (Twitter link).
The 2014 first-round pick has spent his entire five-year career with the 49ers, but he’s yet to establish a definitive role with the organization. On the flip side, the defensive back has shown some unique versatility throughout his career, which probably explains why the 49ers were relatively eager to welcome back. Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets that while Ward primarily played cornerback last season, he’s expected to play free safety in 2019.
The 27-year-old ultimately appeared in nine games (seven starts) with the 49ers in 2018, compiling 24 tackles and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance, ranking him in the bottom-10 among eligible safeties. Ward suffered a broken forearm late in the season that ultimately landed him on the injured reserve.
49ers Sign Tevin Coleman
The 49ers have signed running back Tevin Coleman to a two-year, $10MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
San Francisco was surprisingly in the running back market even after inking Jerick McKinnon to a four-year, $30MM contract last offseason. McKinnon, of course, missed the entire 2018 season after tearing his ACL, and it wouldn’t result in a significant financial hit for the 49ers to part ways with him. SF reportedly also pursued Le’Veon Bell before he signed with the Jets.
For Coleman, a $5MM annual value is the disappointing result of a disappointing campaign. Coleman witnessed the Falcons give starting running back Devonta Freeman an $8.25MM annual average on a 2017 extension, all but ensuring Coleman wouldn’t be back in Atlanta when his contract expired. When Freeman went down in 2018, Coleman wasn’t able to capitalize with his expanded work load on the ground. While he managed 4.8 yards per carry, Coleman was also among the least efficient backs in the league, per Football Outsiders‘ metrics.
Where Coleman does excel is in the passing game. He’s posted at least 25 receptions in each of the past three seasons, while FO ranked him as a top-20 back in terms of receiving efficiency. Matt Breida, who took over as the 49ers’ starting back once McKinnon went down, isn’t much of a pass-catcher, so Coleman would complement him well. But if Coleman is taking over as San Francisco’s receiving back, McKinnon might not have a role (or a job).
49ers Hosting Jason Verrett; Texans, Chiefs On Deck
Free agent cornerback Jason Verrett is visiting the 49ers, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans are presently scheduled to host Verrett after his trip to the 49ers, and the Chiefs are on the docket after that.
The former first-round pick of the Chargers has played in just five games in the last three years due to injury, and he missed the entire 2018 campaign after suffering a torn Achilles during a conditioning test last July.
Because of his health concerns, San Francisco is making a physical part of Verrett’s visit, and Houston and Kansas City may do the same. Rapoport indicated that Verrett was garnering significant interest, and that certainly seems to be the case.
Verrett was a Pro Bowler in 2015 and looked primed to establish himself as one of the best young corners in the league, but his career has been sidetracked in a big way. However, he reportedly looked like his old self in minicamp last year before the Achilles injury, and if he can make good on a one-year prove-it deal, he may be able to really cash in next offseason.
The 49ers have made major upgrades to their defense this week, signing Kwon Alexander and trading for (and extending) Dee Ford. They are also looking to bolster their secondary and made an offer to cornerback Bradley Roby, who ultimately chose to sign with the Texans.
But even with the addition of Roby, Houston could stand to add to its stable of CBs, and Kansas City is also in the market for corner help. The Chiefs are meeting with Ronald Darby tonight.
If healthy, Verrett could be in store for plenty of playing time if he lands with any of these clubs.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/19
Here is the latest news involving restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents, with updates coming throughout the day:
ERFA
Tendered:
- Bears: DE Roy Robertson-Harris, LB Isaiah Irving, OL Rashaad Coward
- Seahawks: LB Austin Calitro, LB Emmanuel Ellerbee, C Joey Hunt, RB J.D. McKissic, CB Kalan Reed
Non-tendered:
- Bears: S DeAndre Houston-Carson (via Howard Balzer on Twitter)
- Bengals: QB Brad Kaaya (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Gabe Martin, DE Zach Moore, C Daniel Munyer (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: TE Alex Ellis (via Balzer)
- Colts: S Ronald Martin (via Balzer)
- Falcons: WR Marvin Hall (via Balzer)
- Giants: DT Kristjan Sokoli (via Balzer)
- Patriots: WR Cody Hollister (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
- Raiders: CB Tevin Mitchel (via Balzer)
- Rams: LB Garrett Sickels (via Balzer)
- Ravens: OT Steven Moore (via Balzer)
- Saints: DB Rickey Jefferson (per NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein, on Twitter)
- Seahawks: DE Ricky Ali’ifua, DB T.J. Green, RB Tre Madden, DB T.J. Mutcherson
- Steelers: T Joseph Cheek, S Malik Golden, LB Keith Kelsey, TE Jake McGee (via Balzer)
- Vikings: OT Cedrick Lang, TE Josiah Price (via Balzer)
RFA
Tendered at second-round level:
- Seahawks: T George Fant (per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, on Twitter)
Tendered at original-round level:
- Chiefs: S Jordan Lucas
- Saints: CB Ken Crawley (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate)
- Seahawks: DL Quinton Jefferson (via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, on Twitter)
Non-tendered:
- Bears: LS Patrick Scales (via Balzer)
- Bengals: TE Matt Lengel (via Balzer)
- Bills: TE Logan Thomas (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
- Broncos: QB Kevin Hogan, LB Deiontrez Mount, WR Jordan Taylor (via Balzer)
- Browns: CB Juston Burris, TE Orson Charles (via Balzer)
- Buccaneers: TE Alan Cross, CB Javien Elliott, T Leonard Wester (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Jeremy Cash, OT John Wetzel (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: LB Terrance Smith (via Balzer)
- Dolphins: WR Leonte Carroo (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald)
- 49ers: S Tyvis Powell (via Balzer)
- Jaguars: OG Chris Reed (via Balzer)
- Jets: DT Destiny Vaeao (via Balzer)
- Panthers: WR Damiere Byrd (via Balzer)
- Raiders: DE Shilique Calhoun (via Balzer)
- Redskins: WR Maurice Harris (per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, on Twitter), RB Rob Kelley (via Balzer)
- Saints: WR Tommylee Lewis (via Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com, on Twitter)
49ers Made Push For Le’Veon Bell?
The 49ers made a “serious push” for running back Le’Veon Bell before he signed with the Jets, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area says he doesn’t believe San Francisco had real interest in Bell.
Bell’s market may not have been as strong as he once hoped, so it’s possible reports of 49ers interest were being used as leverage. Other clubs, such as the Ravens and Colts, were expected or reported to be suitors for Bell, but those clubs never actually discussed a deal. Ultimately, Bell landed $52.5MM and $35MM over a four-year term from New York.
San Francisco would have been a curious fit for Bell, at least on paper. The 49ers signed Jerick McKinnon to a four-year, $30MM deal just last offesason, a pact that still makes McKinnon the NFL’s seventh-highest paid back. He tore his ACL last summer and missed his debut campaign with San Francisco, but it would cost the Niners cap space to cut McKinnon now. SF could have conceivably used a post-June 1 designation on McKinnon (and thus lessened the 2019 cap hit for releasing him), but the team hasn’t indicated it’s ready to move on from its 2018 free agent addition.
With McKinnon out, Matt Breida took over as the 49ers’ running back and thrived, posting 5.3 yards per attempt 153 carries. He’ll be back next year, as will restricted free agent Raheem Mostert, leaving even less room for a potential Bell acquisition.