Draft Pick Signings: 5/7/18
Here are today’s draft pick signings:
- The 49ers announced that they have signed defensive lineman Kentavius Street. The fourth-round pick (No. 128) out of North Carolina State appeared in 51 games (35 starts) during his collegiate career, compiling 9.5 sacks. He had one of his best seasons as a senior in 2017, finishing with 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 13 games. The rookie figures to compete with Cassius Marsh for reps behind Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas.
- The Chiefs signed sixth-round pick Tremon Smith to his four-year rookie contract today. The cornerback had a productive career at Central Arkansas, compiling 146 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 15 interceptions, and a pair of forced fumbles. Smith will have some competition for playing time, as he’s currently listed behind Kendall Fuller, David Amerson, Steven Nelson, Keith Reaser, and Will Redmond on the depth chart.
49ers Release Zane Beadles
The 49ers have released offensive lineman Zane Beadles, according to a team announcement. Beadles was scheduled to count for a little more than $4MM against the 2018 cap. By releasing him, the 49ers will save $3.5MM. 
By the sound of it, this could be more of a “see you later” than a goodbye. Within the team’s press release, GM John Lynch left the door open to a return.
“Zane is a consummate professional and has represented our organization with exceptional class,” Lynch said. “He is an unselfish guy who stepped up in a big way for our team last year and we can’t thank him enough for all his contributions to the organization and our community. Zane is just the kind of player and person we would always be open to welcoming back down the road, but releasing him now provides ample opportunity to find the right situation with his next team. We wish him and his family all the best as he moves forward in his career.”
Beadles, 32 in November, joined the Niners on a three-year, $11.75MM deal in 2016. Beadles started all 16 games in his first season with the Niners and saw time at center, left guard, and left tackle. Last year, he was mostly relegated to a reserve role as he played at left guard and right tackle.
Assuming Beadles does not return to SF, rising sophomore Erik Magnuson figures to step into Beadles’ super-sub role. Meanwhile, the Niners project to have three new starters on the O-Line in left guard Jonathan Cooper, center Weston Richburg, and first-round right tackle Mike McGlinchey.
NFLPA Backs Eric Reid Grievance
The NFLPA will be filing a non-injury grievance for Eric Reid against the Bengals and other parties, according to Mike Florio of PFT (Twitter links). Reid recently filed a collusion grievance against the NFL for blackballing him for his participation in anthem protests and the union is officially entering the ring in support. 
The Bengals find themselves in Reid’s crosshairs after asking him whether he plans to demonstrate during the anthem. Reid and the NFLPA believe that to be an inappropriate – and perhaps illicit – pre-employment question. The NFLPA also has filed a broader “system arbitration” based on the argument that teams are ignoring the absence of a league rule that mandates standing during the anthem, Florio hears.
Here is the complete statement from NFLPA, confirming the news:
The NFLPA has filed a non-injury grievance and a system arbitrator case on behalf of free agent safety Eric Reid. Prior to the start of the current NFL off-season, our Union directed the agents of free agent players who had participated in peaceful on-field demonstrations to collect, memorialize and report any relevant information about potential violations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement by teams. These cases were filed based upon the following:
– There is no League rule that prohibits players from demonstrating during the national anthem.
– The NFL has made it clear both publicly and to the NFLPA that they would respect the rights of players to demonstrate.
– The Collective Bargaining Agreement definitively states that League (NFL) rules supersede anyconflicting club rules.
– According to our information, a club appears to have based its decision not to sign a playerbased on the player’s statement that he would challenge the implementation of a club’s policy prohibiting demonstration, which is contrary to the League policy.
– At least one club owner has asked preemployment interview questions about a player’s intent to demonstrate. We believe these questions are improper, given League policy.
Our Union continues to monitor these developments.
It is surprising to see Reid without work at this stage of the offseason, from a football perspective. Then again, longtime starting safeties Tre Boston and Kenny Vaccaro are also unemployed as of this writing.
Last year, Reid started in 12 of his 13 games for the Niners and totaled 66 tackles and two interceptions.
49ers Meet With Terrell McClain
Terrell McClain‘s free agent tour continues. The defensive tackle will meet with the 49ers on Monday, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
McClain met with the Dolphins last week and left without a deal, though the door is still open in Miami. Meanwhile, the Falcons have some level of interest in McClain, but have yet to schedule a visit.
The veteran appeared in 12 games with two starts for the Redskins last year, but he did not make a mark in his first season in the nation’s capital. McClain graded out as one of the three worst qualified defensive tackles in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, though he did manage two sacks from the interior. The Redskins terminated McClain’s four-year, $12MM+ deal three seasons early, allowing them to save $3.25MM against the cap.
The 49ers currently project to start Earl Mitchell and DeForest Buckner at defensive tackle with Sheldon Day, D.J. Jones, Chris Jones, and seventh-round pick Julian Taylor in support. The Niners are unlikely to carry more than three reserve DTs, so McClain’s arrival would crowd that group even further.
Brandon Beane On Bills’ First-Round Trades
Brandon Beane enjoyed a complicated night on his first draft as Bills GM. And he detailed the extensive process in an expansive piece by Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News.
The Bills were ready to give the Broncos an extra first- and second-round pick, Beane confirms of Mike Klis of 9News’ report that emerged on draft weekend. Denver and Buffalo’s GMs agreed to the swap at around 7pm CT on draft night — one that would have sent Buffalo’s Nos. 12 and 22 picks and one of its second-rounders to Denver in exchange for the No. 5 overall choice and a third-round pick — but John Elway told Beane the deal would be off if a certain player was still on the board.
Beane wondered if that player was Denzel Ward, but when a text message came alerting Beane that Bradley Chubb might fall past the Browns at No. 4, he began to worry about his plans to acquire Josh Allen.
“I was really nervous when Cleveland got on the clock. You’ve got your channels where you’re getting information outside of the draft room. Somebody told me, it’s down to Ward or Chubb,” Beane said, via Skurski. “Earlier in the day, people felt like they were probably going to go Chubb. That was my first four. I did say it was going to be Chubb, and we’ll go to Denver. I was wrong. Not until (the Browns) were on the clock did I get the text from somebody that said, ‘Hey, Ward may go here.’ I said (expletive).”
“I was a little bummed when Elway told me, ‘Hey, this is our guy.’ I felt like what I had to offer John was better than anybody else could offer. I felt like I was bidding against myself, basically.”
Beane became leery of the Dolphins and Cardinals moving up to No. 7 for Allen, whom Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller reported was their No. 1-rated quarterback, but he would no longer be willing to part with the No. 22 pick like he was in talks with the Broncos at No. 5. And he wasn’t willing to trade the Bills’ 2019 first-rounder.
“(Assistant GM) Joe (Schoen) would say, ‘(the Buccaneers) want this and this,’ and it included 22, and I said no,” Beane said. “It was just too much. I would have done 22 at five. I wasn’t doing it there. Because I knew nobody could be offering that. … That was the biggest obstacle I faced during the whole thing. Everybody wanted next year’s one leading up to the draft, and I wasn’t doing it.”
Beane and Schoen then approached the 49ers at No. 9, but John Lynch was zeroed in on Mike McGlinchey. However, Jason Licht called Beane back and said he would accept the offer of both of Buffalo’s second-round picks. The Bills collected a seventh-rounder from the Bucs as well.
“He said, ‘I’ll do it for the twos, but we’ve got to do it right now,’ ” Beane told Skurski. “I said alright, I need another pick, though. I need a player. I don’t care what it is, just give me your last pick, whatever it is. He said, ‘Alright, done.
“(The Broncos taking Chubb) was a blessing in disguise. I was tight after Denver’s pick. I was trying not to show it to the room, but I was tight. Joe and I, we were very tight.”
In passing on the chance to acquire additional first- and second-round picks, the Broncos are betting big on Chubb. Beane said he also spoke with the Giants and Browns about the Nos. 2 and 4 picks, and Skurski reports the only trade Beane would have made pre-draft was with the Giants at No. 2.
Skurski adds the Bills finalized their quarterback hierarchy following their April 13 Sam Darnold workout. Miller reported this week Darnold was the Bills’ top-rated quarterback, so it would have made sense for a trade to the second slot. Although, Darnold was still connected to the Browns at No. 1 at that point. The Bills were rumored to be targeting a top-five pick for weeks prior to the draft, but the Giants and Browns wanted more than Beane was willing to offer, per Skurski.
As for the Bills’ second Round 1 trade, Beane contacted the Packers at No. 14 and Raiders at No. 15. Green Bay ended up accepting a New Orleans offer that did include a 2019 first, and Oakland did not want to trade down again, per Skurski. Edmunds was the target because of the Bills’ situation at linebacker, Beane said, and the Ravens quickly agreed to a deal at No. 16.
“(Edmunds) was sticking out on our board, and it’s a need,” Beane said. “If a guy is sticking out on our board, and it’s really not a need, you might not do it. But with the hole we had there, and where he was on our board, it was a no-brainer. Even if we could have got to 14, we would have done it.”
49ers Sign Three Draft Picks
The 49ers signed a trio of rookies this morning. The team announced that they’ve officially inked defensive back Tarvarius Moore, wideout Richie James Jr., and defensive tackle Jullian Taylor to four-year deals.
Moore is the most notable name on the list, as the Southern Mississippi product was selected in the third-round (95th overall) of last week’s draft. The rookie played safety in college, but the 49ers are planning on switching him to cornerback. Moore is 6-foot-2 and ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, giving the team hope that he’ll be able to stick around at his new position. During the 2017 campaign, the safety compiled 87 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 passes defended.
James Jr., who was selected in the seventh round, set a number of Middle Tennessee State records during his collegiate career, finishing with 243 receptions for 3,249 yards and 23 touchdowns. He sustained a pair of broken collarbones during his time in college, including one last season. This injury ultimately led to James Jr. deciding to turn pro.
Taylor, a seventh-round pick out of Temple, compiled 41 tackles in 2017, his only season as a full-time starter.
49ers Moving Third-Round CB To S
- The 49ers plan to move third-round pick Tarvarius Moore from cornerback to safety, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee notes. The Southern Mississippi alum ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, and his 6-foot-2 frame also makes John Lynch believe he could stick at corner. Interestingly, 5-9 safety D.J. Reed — an outside corner at Kansas State — will compete with K’Waun Williams for the slot job, per Barrows, but also practice at safety. San Francisco’s brass is clearly unafraid to shuttle its defensive backs around, having Jimmie Ward ready to potentially switch positions for the fourth straight offseason.
- Would-be third-year DB Dexter McCoil broke a bone in his foot training independently, leading the 49ers to waive him with an NFI distinction, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. A 16-game Charger participant in 2016 and having played eight games with the 49ers last season, McCoil is facing a four- to six-week recovery period, per Maiocco.
49ers Open To Elvis Dumervil Reunion
- Elvis Dumervil is currently without a team after the 49ers did not pick up his option. The 49ers did not draft an edge defender this year, and John Lynch indicated Dumervil — his teammate for two seasons with the Broncos — could be brought back and may not need a full offseason in what would be his 13th year. “Yeah, I think it could be,” Lynch said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) of a possible reunion with the 34-year-old pass rusher. “I’m sure a lot of (teams) are looking at it as such. Elvis isn’t a guy who at this stage of his career really needs to be around in an offseason. He’s a professional. He takes tremendous pride in how he trains, how he eats and all those things. So he’ll be ready.” Lynch mentioned the 49ers plan to evaluate some younger players for pass-rushing roles, though, so it could be a while before a possible reunion commences. Dumervil made $4.5MM with San Francisco last season and registered a team-high 6.5 sacks.
49ers To Decline Laken Tomlinson’s Option
The 49ers are not exercising fifth-year option on left guard Laken Tomlinson, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. However, he adds that the team still views him as a starter. With that in mind, the Niners will try to keep him around on a deal that will cost less than the $9.6M option. 
Tomlinson, 26, was made the No. 28 pick in the 2015 draft by the Lions. He started the first two years of his career at left guard for the Lions and served in the same capacity for the Niners after coming over in a trade last summer. Tomlinson missed the 2017 season opener, but played in the next 15 games.
Last year, Tomlinson earned the best marks of his career from Pro Football Focus. He graded out as the league’s No. 32 ranked guard, per PFF, which shows that he is clearly a starting caliber player. Still, the Niners believe that they can lock him up at a lesser rate going forward.
For now, he’s under contract for one more season as a part of an overhauled Niners offensive line. The Niners project to start three newcomers – guard Jonathan Cooper, center Weston Richburg, and first-round tackle Mike McGlinchey – along with Tomlinson and left tackle Joe Staley.
Eric Reid Files Grievance Against NFL
Former 49ers safety Eric Reid has filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. He adds that Reid has hired attorney Mark Geragos, who has also represented Colin Kaepernick. In a statement, the NFLPA expressed support for Reid and indicated that the union will also explore other avenues in the legal process to support his fight. 
Reid entered free agency as one of the best safeties available, but there hasn’t been much of a market for him so far. The NFL veteran personally believes that his participation in anthem protests has kept him from finding work.
“The notion that I can be a great signing for your team for cheap, not because of my skill set, but because I’ve protested systemic oppression, is ludicrous. If you think is, then your mindset is part of the problem too,” Reid tweeted in March.
Before the start of free agency, I ranked Reid as the 23rd best player available on our top 50 list with the caveat that Reid’s protest participation could hurt him. That does appear to be the case, as lesser free agents at his position have already found NFL homes for 2018. However, it should also be noted that Reid is not the only talented safety who is out of work. Kenny Vaccaro and Tre Boston are also floating in free agent limbo despite years of starting experience.
For his part, Reid believes that football evaluators are interested in signing him, but owners of teams are standing in the way of a deal. It’s unclear how Reid’s legal action will impact his bid to land with a club.