Giants/49ers Could Be Postponed
Fires are raging through California right now, and they could wind up having an impact on the NFL slate this week. The Rams’ practice facility is very close to some of the fires, but their game against the Seahawks is expected to go on without interruption. That may not be the case for the 49ers, who host the Giants on Monday night.
“Postponement of Monday night’s game against the Giants could potentially happen”, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. According to Florio, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that postponement or relocation were very real possibilities, and said the team had to cut practice short on Friday because of the air quality. It’s a situation that bears watching over the course of the weekend.
49ers Pursued DE Bruce Irvin
The 49ers “went hard” after free agent Bruce Irvin after he was released by the Raiders, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). Irvin ultimately signed with the Falcons, but San Francisco was one of roughly 10 clubs that inquired on the veteran defensive end, per Maiocco.
Irvin on Wednesday told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com both the Steelers and Patriots offered him more than the $1.5MM he’ll collect from Atlanta, while reports also indicated the Seahawks expressed interest in adding Irvin. But the 31-year-old preferred to return home to his native Atlanta, so any other proposals weren’t all that attractive.
On paper, the 49ers are something of a curious fit for Irvin, as they’re certainly not in contention for a playoff berth with a 2-7 record. San Francisco, which ranks eighth in adjusted sack rate but just 17th in pressure rate, also has a young crop of rushers available on the edge, including Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas, so Irvin wouldn’t have been looking at a full complement of snaps.
However, if the 49ers believe they’ll need additional edge defenders in 2019, they may have been interested in signing Irvin for something of a trial run. Irvin should already be familiar with San Francisco’s scheme (it’s similar to the defense he ran with the Seahawks earlier in his career), but the 49ers could have gotten a chance to see how he fits into the club’s front. Irvin only signed a one-year deal with the Falcons, so San Francisco could certainly target him when he hits the open market again next spring.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/8/18
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
Atlanta Falcons
San Francisco 49ers
- QBs Jack Heneghan, Nic Shimonek, Logan Woodside; RB Jeremy Langford; TEs Ben Koyack, Marcus Lucas; LBs Travis Feeney, James Onwualu; CBs Alex Carter, Michael Jordan; Ss Marwin Evans, Nick Orr, Terrell Williams
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: OL Austin Pasztor
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DB Greg Mabin
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Xavier Coleman, WR Cam Phillips
- Released: WR Hunter Sharp
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Roc Thomas
- Released: G Landon Turner
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Cole Croston
- Released: RB David Jones
New York Giants
- Released: RB Jhurell Pressley
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Tarvarus McFadden
NFL Workout Updates: 11/6/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Daniel Braverman; DE Tank Carradine
Cleveland Browns
- RB Ralph Webb; WR Brice Butler
Denver Broncos
- LB Christian Kuntz
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Ralph Webb; WR Bruce Ellington; T Andrew Nelson; LBs Cayson Collins, Brady Sheldon, Azeem Victor
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
- RB Josh Ferguson; OL Menelik Watson
Oakland Raiders
- T Roubbens Joseph (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
- G David Bright; DE George Johnson; LB Ejuan Price; CB Jalen Myrick; DB Tyson Graham
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WRs K.J. Brent, Chad Hansen, Marcus Tucker
Washington Redskins
- G Malcolm Bunche; Ts Darius James, Roubbens Joseph
Giants Likely To Franchise S Landon Collins
The Giants are likely to use the franchise tag on safety Landon Collins if the two sides don’t work out an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Collins was available prior to last Tuesday’s trade deadline, but the asking price was high, as the Giants were reportedly seeking a second-round pick in exchange for the All-Pro defensive back. Despite that price tag, New York did receive interest in Collins, and Schefter reports the Packers, Chiefs, and 49ers all made inquiries.
Kansas City would have made sense as a destination for Collins, as the Chiefs nearly dealt for fellow safety Earl Thomas before he went down with a season-ending injury. Green Bay, of course, traded its own safety in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but is still squarely in contention and in need of secondary help. The 49ers aren’t going to make the postseason, but they could have acquired Collins with the intention of using their exclusive negotiating window to hammer out a long-term deal.
As Schefter notes, all three of those clubs would presumably have interest in Collins if he hits the open market, but it doesn’t sound as though the Giants will allow that to happen. Given his age (Collins will be 25 years old when free agency opens) and pedigree, Collins will surely target a $10-12MM annual salary on his next contract. The 2019 franchise tag for safeties will be worth roughly that same amount, but wouldn’t come with the long-term risk of an extension.
Collins, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has been a full-time starter for the Giants since entering the league. A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins has 62 tackles, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble this season while grading as the NFL’s 13th-best safety, per Pro Football Focus.
Nick Mullens Expected To Remain 49ers’ Starting QB
After 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard — who was only starting for San Francisco because No. 1 signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season with an ACL tear — was injured during the team’s Week 8 loss to the Cardinals, the 49ers turned to Nick Mullens to replace him for their Thursday night bout against the Raiders.
All Mullens did was turn in one of the best NFL debuts in league history. The 2017 UDFA out of Southern Miss was 16 of 22 for 262 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions as the 49ers trounced their Bay Area rivals 34-3. Most have assumed that performance would allow Mullens to retain control of the starting job moving forward, and that is apparently the correct assumption.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Mullens is expected to remain the 49ers’ starting quarterback when their season resumes next Monday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has not yet made an official announcement, as he wants to talk to his players first, but Rapoport says it would be a major surprise if Mullens did not get the nod.
Even after the win, the 49ers are 2-7, and whatever playoff hopes they had went out the window when Garoppolo went down. And since the team has seen Beathard, a 2017 third-round pick, produce one win and mediocre statistics during his ten games as a starter over the last two seasons, it makes sense to at least give Mullens a shot.
Mullens, who was summoned from the practice squad to serve as Beathard’s backup in September, is Southern Mississippi’s career passing leader in every major category. His collegiate numbers considerably outshine those of fellow Golden Eagles alum Brett Favre, but it’s probably a bit too early to begin comparing their professional careers.
49ers Re-Sign QB Tom Savage
Just a day after cutting Tom Savage, the 49ers have brought back the veteran signal caller on a one-year deal, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (Twitter link).
Room was made for Savage on the roster when running back Raheem Mostert and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley were placed on IR earlier today. Savage will presumably be the third-string quarterback behind second-year players Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard.
Mullens played well in his NFL debut last night, and coach Kyle Shanahan remains high on Beathard, so Savage won’t push for any playing time this season. That being said, San Francisco clearly wants something of a veteran presence in their very young and inexperienced quarterback room.
It’s the third time this year Savage has been signed by the 49ers, as they’ve already done this release and re-sign routing twice. Savage was initially brought in for a workout and considered the favorite to sign in the wake of Jimmy Garoppolo‘s ACL tear, but it took a few weeks for the team to actually sign him. Savage opened 2017 as the Texans’ starter but was quickly benched for Deshaun Watson. After Watson tore his ACL, Savage ended up starting a handful more games in Houston, and performed poorly.
49ers place Raheem Mostert, Emmanuel Moseley on IR
Two 49ers players saw their seasons officially end today when the team placed them on injured reserve. The team sent running back Raheem Mostert to IR with a fractured right forearm, while cornerback Emmanuel Moseley dislocated his shoulder, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports.
Both players suffered their injuries during the team’s 34-3 win over the Raiders last night. Mostert’s injury looked gruesome on the TV broadcast, and it was confirmed today that he was undergoing surgery and expected to make a full return in time for the 2019 season. Moseley was making his NFL debut in the game when he was called up from the practice squad and was never going to play many meaningful snaps, but the loss of Mostert is significant.
San Francisco’s backfield has suffered a lot of injuries this year, and Mostert’s role had been increasing in recent weeks. The fourth-year back from Purdue was getting the first real opportunity of his career, and had looked electric so far. This season he’d carried the ball 34 times for 261 yards, good for 7.7 yards per carry. Mostert, who’s also a key special teams player for the 49ers, had just scored his first career touchdown on a 52-yard run before getting hurt.
Maiocco notes the 49ers “have two running backs on their practice squad, Jeff Wilson and Matthew Dayes” who are both candidates to be called up to the 53-man roster. Starter Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL before the season started, and Matt Breida has been banged up all year long with various injuries.