49ers Agree To Terms With Mike McGlinchey
Mike McGlinchey is expected to start at right tackle as a rookie, and the 49ers will have him in camp.
The parties agreed to terms on McGlinchey’s four-year, fully guaranteed $18.341MM rookie contract (with the customary fifth-year option) Sunday night, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
This leaves just seven unsigned draft choices. One of those is San Francisco second-round wide receiver Dante Pettis, the only non-first-round pick left unsigned. After first-rounders McGlinchey, Saquon Barkley and Sony Michel agreed to terms Sunday, still unsigned are Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Denzel Ward, Josh Allen, Roquan Smith and Terrell Edmunds.
Offset language is believed to be holding up most of these deals, with CAA clients (which McGlinchey is) primarily residing as the stragglers, but the Notre Dame product will begin working with his fellow rookies (non-Pettis contingent, for now) this week. The 49ers traded Trent Brown to the Patriots, clearing the way for McGlinchey to move into the starting lineup opposite Joe Staley.
The 49ers begin camp Wednesday. McGlinchey started 13 games as the Fighting Irish’s right tackle in 2015 before shifting to the left side, where the 6-foot-7 blocker blossomed into one of the top prospects in this year’s class.
Richburg "Second Most Important" Player For 49ers?
- Center Weston Richburg is the second most important player for the 49ers in 2018, behind only Jimmy Garoppolo, writes David Lombardi of The Athletic. Lombardi writes that coach Kyle Shanahan wanted to sign Richburg this spring because he felt the center position was lacking last season. A good center is “vital for Shanahan’s offense to hum”, Lombardi opines.
Brooks: 49ers Logical Spot For Thomas
If the Seahawks do decide to get serious about a trade, Brooks notes that, beyond the Cowboys, the Chargers, 49ers, Buccaneers and Bengals are the most logical destinations. The Bolts drafted Derwin James and have Jahleel Addae on the books for three more seasons, but Brooks cites the need for a deep centerfielder-type safety nonetheless. And Thomas has a history with Los Angeles DC Gus Bradley. He has a background with San Francisco DC Robert Saleh as well. The Bengals hosted Eric Reid on a visit that went poorly, but they were only in the market for a backup safety at that time. Tampa Bay spent plenty to add to its defensive front this offseason and added three DBs in the draft’s middle rounds. The Bucs boast Chris Conte and second-year man Justin Evans as their top safeties.
- Amara Darboh (eight receptions, 71 yards in 2017) received essentially a redshirt year as a rookie, but Condotta notes the Seahawks are “counting on” the third-round pick to see a significant playing-time uptick this season. Seattle has Tyler Lockett and recently added UFAs Jaron Brown and Brandon Marshall. However, the latter is coming off a poor season and spent time recovering from multiple injuries this offseason. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Darboh’s role could hinge on how Marshall fares in camp. Seattle did not guarantee Marshall much, so it’s not certain the 34-year-old target makes the roster.
49ers Swapping DEs' Positions
- 49ers defensive ends Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas are switching positions, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, with the 2017 No. 3 overall pick moving to the “Leo” end spot reserved for the best outside pass rusher in San Francisco’s 4-3 scheme. Thomas played some at this position last season, but Armstead resided there at the outset of the 49ers’ most recent campaign. Armstead being a former defensive tackle makes him a more obvious fit as the “big” end, and the ex-Oregon product has put on weight this offseason to play that role. The 49ers still hope to have Thomas (three sacks as a rookie) shift inside at times on passing downs, though both would profile as players who could join DeForest Buckner inside in sub-packages.
Latest On 49ers, Dez Bryant
As the NFL turns its calendar to July, most of the rumors connecting free agent wideout Dez Bryant to the 49ers have been initiated by Bryant himself, as the veteran pass-catcher indicated in a May Instagram post that he’d like to sign with San Francisco. But it’s not only Bryant that’s stirring the Bay Area pot, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, who indicates league insiders’ “best guess” is that Bryant will end up signing with the 49ers.
The 49ers still have more than $45MM in available cap space, so inking Bryant — who is reportedly looking for a one-year deal after turning down a three-year pact from the Ravens earlier this year — shouldn’t present a financial obstacle. Roster-wise, San Francisco boasts Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin as its top two receivers, but doesn’t have much depth after that, with Trent Taylor, rookie Dante Pettis, and Aldrick Robinson lurking as secondary options.
Even if he were to play a reduced snap count behind Garcon and Goodwin, Bryant — who stands 6’2″ — could give the 49ers a larger red-zone weapon than they currently possess (both Garcon and Goodwin are 6’0″ or shorter). Bryant, 29, certainly comes with risk, as he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards receiving since 2014, while his 12.1 yards per reception in 2017 was the lowest average of his career. But he can still post up opposing defensive backs near the end zone, and would be a tantalizing option for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
While a number of teams — including the Packers and Cardinals — have been tangentially linked to Bryant since he was released by the Cowboys, no club aside from the Ravens has been directly interested in the former first-round pick. In fact, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com has reported many teams are unwilling to consider Bryant even at the minimum salary. Bryant hadn’t been expected to land a new deal until July, so the clock is now ticking on the veteran wideout.
In a recent Pro Football Rumors poll, readers agreed with Freeman’s NFL sources that Bryant will ultimately land in San Francisco, with the Patriots finishing as a strong second choice.
Offset Language Holding Up Top 10 Picks
There are 15 unsigned rookies left, and seven of them are in the top 10. The holdup for this year’s highest selections is offset language, a league source tells Mike Florio of PFT. 
Players with offset language who are cut before the end of their rookie contract have the remaining guaranteed money reduced by whatever they earns elsewhere. Without offset language, players get to double dip. Top 10 picks expect to complete their rookie contracts, but it’s an important issue for agents nonetheless.
The following top 10 players are without deals and there’s a common thread in the representation for most of them:
- Browns, 1-1: Baker Mayfield, QB (Jack Mills and Tom Mills)
- Giants, 1-2: Saquon Barkley, RB (Roc Nation Sports)
- Jets, 1-3: Sam Darnold, QB (CAA)
- Browns, 1-4: Denzel Ward, CB (CAA)
- Bills, 1-7: Josh Allen, QB (CAA)
- Bears, 1-8: Roquan Smith, LB (CAA)
- 49ers, 1-9: Mike McGlinchey, T (CAA)
As Florio notes, CAA also represents No. 6 overall pick Quenton Nelson. The new Colts guard agreed to terms back in May on a deal that contains offset language, but also includes large guaranteed training-camp roster bonuses in 2019 through 2021. The presence of those bonuses effectively offsets the presence of offsets and could be a good middle ground solution for the agency’s remaining unsigned top 10 picks.
There’s no sign of real acrimony between any of these players and the teams that drafted them, but Joey Bosa‘s situation in 2016 serves as a reminder that offset language can become a real issue that can lead to a training camp holdout.
NFL Suspends 49ers LB Reuben Foster
The NFL has suspended 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster for the first two games of the regular season. Foster will miss contests against the Vikings and Lions before returning to the active roster on Sept. 17. 
[RELATED – Could The 49ers Sign Dez Bryant?]
Foster’s suspension comes as a result of violating the NFL’s conduct and substance-abuse policies. He’ll also be fined for violations stemming from weapons and drug charges. Although he will not serve jail time for any of his off-the-field missteps, the league reserves the right to discipline players for actions that are barred by the NFL.
“Our organization understands and supports the League’s decision,” GM John Lynch said in a statement. “Although we are disappointed that Reuben will not be with our team for the first two games of the season, we will continue to work with him on making better decisions and eliminating unnecessary distractions. We are encouraged to see Reuben take responsibility for his mistakes, and hopeful that he has learned from them as well.”
Just weeks ago, Foster was facing jail time for accusations of domestic abuse against his former girlfriend. Had he been convicted, Lynch said he would have been booted from the team.
Foster, meanwhile, says that he accepts the league’s decision and took accountability for his actions.
“I accept the League’s decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team,” Foster said in a statement released by the Niners. “I have a responsibility to the 49ers, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted.”
On the field, Foster has been a solid contributor for the Niners. As a rookie in 2017, he recorded 72 total tackles in ten games (all starts). In November, he earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors.
Poll: Which Team Will Sign Dez Bryant?
Dez Bryant, to our knowledge, has not drawn a significant offer since turning down a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens. As his market stagnated, Bryant’s camp leaked word that he would not be signing until July. Well, here we are.
We’ve heard very little about Bryant over the last four weeks, so it’s anyone’s guess as to where he’ll land. And, if it’s anyone’s guess, it might as well be our guess. Before we ask you predict where Bryant will land, let’s run down some of the possible contenders: 
49ers – Bryant has openly lobbied for an opportunity with the Niners and there’s reason to believe that could become a reality. The 49ers stayed away from the wide receivers at the top of this year’s free agent market, but Bryant’s price tag figures to be a lot lower than that of Sammy Watkins or Allen Robinson. With more than $45MM in cap room – good for third-highest in the NFL – the Niners certainly have the space to take on a player of Bryant’s caliber. And, because they have an eye on the future, they could be willing to give Bryant the one-year platform deal he is seeking. The 49ers have some talent at wide receiver including Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin, but none of the receivers expected to make the roster are above 6’0″. Bryant – billed at 6’2″ – would give provide them with a tall red zone target.
Bills – Outside of No. 1 WR Kelvin Benjamin, the Bills have tons of question marks at the position. Bryant is the best wide receiver still available (or, at least, the biggest name left), so he could make some sense as the player to supplant the unreliable Zay Jones as the team’s No. 2 WR. Bills GM Brandon Beane didn’t sound enthusiastic when talking about Bryant back in April, but he didn’t explicitly rule him out either.
Cardinals – After losing both John Brown and Jaron Brown, the Cardinals could be interested in adding some talent to their wide receiver group. Then again, they may already feel comfortable with J.J. Nelson, rookie Christian Kirk, and free agent addition Brice Butler behind Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals have upwards of $13MM in cap space, according to the NFLPA, so they have the cash necessary to sign Bryant if they want him.
Cowboys – When the Cowboys released Bryant earlier this year, they were not aware of Jason Witten‘s impending retirement. Months later, could they circle back to Bryant in order to fortify their lackluster WR group? Probably not, but we’ll put them on the board anyway and let you decide.
Eagles – After Bryant was released, he indicated that he wanted to play in the NFC East in order to face the Cowboys pay twice in 2018. The Eagles, in theory, could make some sense now that Torrey Smith is out of the picture and Alshon Jeffery is out for the offseason with a shoulder injury. However, the Eagles already have a new veteran in Mike Wallace and their $6MM in cap space might not be enough to land Bryant, even if they wanted him.
Packers – The Packers have been speculatively linked to Bryant over the last few months. Some see a potential fit, but others, such as Aaron Rodgers, do not. The Packers are now without Jordy Nelson, but they drafted three wide receivers while retaining Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Geronimo Allison, so there might not be any room in the inn.
Patriots – The Patriots will be without Julian Edelman for the first four games of the year, which could lead them to consider Bryant. They also have a history of signing older big-name wide receivers with reputation problems, including Randy Moss and Chad Johnson (some worked out better than others), so the possibility of adding the mercurial Bryant cannot be discounted. On the other hand, they have plenty of weapons to get them through the opening month of the season in Chris Hogan, Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Phillip Dorsett, and Cordarrelle Patterson, not to mention Malcolm Mitchell and speedy rookie Braxton Berrios, who may or may not make the final cut. There’s also a tight end by the name of Rob Gronkowski who should be able to catch an extra pass or two while Edelman is out.
Saints – With a wide receiver group of Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., free agent addition Cameron Meredith, third round pick Tre’Quan Smith, and Brandon Coleman, is there room for Bryant? Not necessarily, but there also wasn’t a clear spot for Adrian Peterson in New Orleans before the Saints signed him last year. The Saints have a little more than $7MM in cap space, which could be enough to sign Bryant depending on his market at this stage of the offseason and his desire to play for a contender.
Redskins – Former teammate Orlando Scandrick has advocated for Washington to sign Bryant and the Redskins would give him the opportunity to face the Cowboys twice per year. The problem, however, is that the Redskins seem pretty set at the top of the order with Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, and Paul Richardson.
Titans – The Titans have talent at wide receiver, but Rishard Matthews‘ support staff is decidedly inexperienced. With Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor, and Tajae Sharpe all yet to celebrate their 24th birthday, could the Titans consider Bryant? In theory, he would add some experience to the group, but he might not be a great influence on the younger guys.
Click below to make your choice and defend your decision in the comment section:
Latest On DB Brandon Bryant
Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant is making his case to NFL scouts in advance of the NFL’s supplemental draft. On Monday, 40 scouts from the Rams, Browns, Falcons, Jets, Giants, 49ers, Redskins, Colts, Steelers, Saints, Jaguars, Texans, Raiders, and Ravens watched Bryant audition, Chase Goodbread of NFL.com tweets. 
There may have been even more clubs on hand to watch Bryant work out, according to Tony Pauline of Draft Insider (on Twitter). Pauline hears there were “about 20 teams on hand” and he hears his 40-yard-dash times ranged from the high 4.3’s to the low 4.4’s. He also conducted five separate one-on-one meetings on Sunday.
Bryant established himself as one of the top safeties in the SEC in his time with the Bulldogs. Across three years, Bryant compiled 157 tackles and five interceptions in 37 games. This year, after Mississippi State hired Joe Moorhead as their new head coach, Bryant announced he was going pro.
This year’s supplemental draft will take place on July 11. Other entrants include former Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal and Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander.
Info On 49ers' Tarvarius Moore Pursuit
As a result, the prospect wasn’t invited to the NFL draft combine. However, he went on to run 4.32-second 40-yard dash time at his school’s pro day, catching the eye of many NFL talent evaluators, including the 49ers.
“I remember talking about it,” Adam Peters, the 49ers vice president of player personnel, told Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. “We were all kind of p—- that he ran that fast because now we would have to take him a little higher.”
Barrows writes about the journey the 49ers took en route to selecting the defensive back with one of their third-round picks. While Moore is considered somewhat of a rookie sleeper considering his late rise up the rankings, it’s notable that several teams had focused in on the prospect in the days prior to the draft.