49ers' Reid, Lynch On The Outs?
It doesn’t seem likely that safety Eric Reid will be back with the 49ers in 2018, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. The veteran still views himself as a starter, but the Niners would probably only want him to return as a backup. Right now, the only way Branch sees Reid returning is if Jimmie Ward is penciled in at cornerback rather than safety.
Others on the outs in Branch’s estimation include defensive end Aaron Lynch and defenisve lineman Tank Carradine. Cornerback Dontae Johnson could conceivably return, but only in a backup capacity. The biggest name in the free agent bunch – Carlos Hyde – is expected to prioritize money in his next deal, so the cash-flush Niners will need to spend in order to keep him.
- The 49ers took care of one pending free agent on Wednesday when they agreed to a three-year extension with center Daniel Kilgore.
- Kilgore referred to his three-year contract with the 49ers as “a team-friendly deal in which we can go out and get some good free agents,” (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee). Exact financial terms of his contract are still unknown.
49ers, C Daniel Kilgore Agree To Extension
The 49ers announced they have signed center Daniel Kilgore to a three-year contract extension. The new deal will take him through the 2020 season. 
[RELATED: 49ers Likely To Re-Sign Brock Coyle]
Initially, it appeared that Kilgore would be riding the pine in San Francisco for the 2017 season. However, the Niners waived Jeremy Zuttah over the summer and Kilgore beat out free agent pickup Tim Barnes, allowing him to start all 16 games in the middle. The advanced metrics weren’t big on the 30-year-old (he ranked as just the 23rd-best center in the league, per Pro Football Focus), but the Niners were very high on his work.
Financial details of Kilgore’s deal are not yet known. If Kilgore’s contract is somewhere in the middle of the league’s centers, he could see an average annual value of around $4MM. Ben Jones is the 14th highest paid center in the NFL based on AAV and he earns $4.375MM/season on the four-year deal he signed with the Titans in 2016.
49ers Will Attempt To Re-Sign Brock Coyle
- The 49ers will look to re-sign linebacker Brock Coyle in the wake of Reuben Foster‘s arrest on suspicion of domestic abuse, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Coyle started 10 games last season alongside Foster, who the 49ers traded up to select with the No. 31 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Maiocco also opines the Niners general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan should explore middle linebacker options through free agency and the draft with Foster’s status uncertain heading into next season. Linebacker Malcolm Smith is also slated to return after missing last season with a torn pectoral. San Francisco will have either the ninth or 10th overall pick of the upcoming draft, pending a coin flip with the Raiders.
- With a need for help in the secondary, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer identifies Eric Reid and Lamarcus Joyner as potential upgrades for the Panthers through free agency. Reid, 26, would provide an immediate impact and some youth to Carolina’s safety corps which includes Kurt Coleman, 29, and Mike Adams, 36. Reid, a former first-round pick, had 16 tackles in 13 games with the 49ers last season. Joyner presents a veteran presence to work alongside cornerbacks Daryl Worley and James Bradberry, whom both will be entering their third year in the league, while also being able to contribute at safety where he spent nearly all of last season with the Rams.
- Tight end Vance McDonald was a late bloomer for the Steelers last season and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler speculates the 27-year-old may be worth retaining despite the $4.3MM cap hit it’ll take to keep him in 2018. McDonald had a career-high 10 catches and 112 yards receiving in the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Jaguars. He was acquired from the 49ers 12 days prior to the Steelers’ regular-season opener and appeared in 10 games, catching 14 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. Pittsburgh also has Jesse James at tight end, who started 14 games last season and tallied three touchdown catches.
- The 49ers will look to re-sign linebacker Brock Coyle in the wake of Reuben Foster‘s arrest on suspicion of domestic abuse, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Coyle started 10 games last season alongside Foster, who the 49ers traded up to select with the No. 31 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Maiocco also opines the Niners general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan should explore middle linebacker options through free agency and the draft with Foster’s status uncertain heading into next season. Linebacker Malcolm Smith is also slated to return after missing last season with a torn pectoral. San Francisco will have either the ninth or 10th overall pick of the upcoming draft, pending a coin flip with the Raiders.
49ers Interested In David Amerson
The 49ers are among the teams with interest in cornerback David Amerson, his agent tells Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. San Francisco has yet to schedule a visit, but that’s probably not far off. 
The Niners have a clear need at cornerback as Ahkello Witherspoon and Greg Mabin are their only outside CBs signed for 2018. Dontae Johnson, who started every game for SF last year, is eligible for free agency and Barrows writes that the team is not expected to bring him back. Johnson graded out as the third worst qualified cornerback in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
So far, Amerson has visited with the Bears and Texans and he reportedly has three more visits on the horizon. If the Niners are serious about adding the veteran, they may need to move quickly before another team signs him.
It’s unusual for a quality free agent to pop up in early February, but that’s exactly what happened when the Raiders cut Amerson right after the Super Bowl. Teams that are looking to fortify their CB group could sign Amerson now and take one item off of their checklist when free agency opens up in mid-March. Signing Amerson would inhibit a club’s ability to spend on bigger fish, but that’s not a big deal for the Niners who have $74.5MM in cap room to work with.
Latest On Reuben Foster
On Sunday, Reuben Foster was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on charges relating to domestic violence. On Monday, The Mercury News’ Robert Salonga and Cam Inman report that his girlfriend accused Foster of physically dragging her during an argument in a home in Los Gatos. 
According to their sources, the incident left the woman injured but the extent of those injuries were not disclosed. She also told police during a 911 call that he owned semiautomatic rifles, and officers recovered a SIG Sauer 516 short-barreled rifle. Foster was booked on suspicion of domestic violence, making criminal threats, and possessing an assault weapon. He was later released after he posted $75,000 bail.
If found guilty of domestic violence, Foster could face one to four years in jail. Another year or more could be tacked onto that for the assault weapon, Inman reports.
This is Foster’s second arrest within the last month. The 2017 first-round pick was arrested on second-degree marijuana possession charges in mid-January. That arrest figures to void some of Foster’s guarantees. This one could well affect his availability for the 2018 season. A six-game suspension is in play for Foster, even if he’s not ultimately convicted.
Foster went into the team facility and met with team officials today following his arrest, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported (Twitter link). He adds that a resolution will not happen quick, as the team plans to go through a fact-finding process.
The current San Francisco power structure has acted swiftly in the past when dealing with domestic violence incidents. Although charges against Tramaine Brock were later dropped, the 49ers cut the productive cornerback the day after he was arrested last April. It’s extremely unlikely they’ll take this route with Foster, however, given his standing within the organization. But the second-year player is now probably on much thinner ice with his team.
The rookie played in 10 games in 2017, making 72 tackles. The 49ers traded back into the first round to draft him at No. 31 after the Alabama product fell from a high first-round pick due to injury concerns.
Reuben Foster Released From Jail
- The NFL is going to look into the matter of Reuben Foster‘s arrest, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Police responded to a disturbance call made at 9:15am Sunday, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. The 49ers linebacker was released from jail at around 8:35pm CT on $75K bail, per Barrows. He was booked on charges of domestic violence and possession of an assault rifle, Barrows reports.
Reuben Foster Arrested On Domestic Violence-Related Charges
Reuben Foster is currently being held in Santa Clara County Jail after being booked Sunday on charges relating to domestic violence, Sarah Ravani and Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle report.
The 23-year-old 49ers linebacker remains in jail, according to the Chronicle writers. Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News tweets Foster is being held on $75,000 bail. The 49ers are aware of the arrest and gathering information, per Branch (on Twitter).
In addition to the domestic violence allegation, Foster was also booked on suspicion for possessing an assault rifle, Robert Salonga of the Mercury News reports (via Twitter).
This is Foster’s second arrest within the last month, although this one appears far more serious.
The 2017 first-round pick was arrested on second-degree marijuana possession charges in mid-January. That arrest figures to void some of Foster’s guarantees. This one could well affect his availability for the 2018 season. A six-game suspension is in play for Foster, even if he’s not ultimately convicted. Branch tweets it’s unknown if league discipline will be levied for the January marijuana arrest.
Foster’s draft stock fell because of injuries and potentially his being kicked out of the Combine last year. While the 49ers look to have drafted a high-ceiling talent, with Foster playing well when available during his rookie season, the former Alabama stalwart has some potentially significant off-field baggage to surmount.
The current San Francisco power structure has acted swiftly in the past when dealing with domestic violence incidents. Although charges against Tramaine Brock were later dropped, the 49ers cut the productive cornerback the day after he was arrested last April. It’s extremely unlikely they’ll take this route with Foster, however, given his standing within the organization. But the second-year player is now probably on much thinner ice with his team.
Matt Barrows On 49ers' FAs
- The 49ers recently signed QB Jimmy Garoppolo and DE Cassius Marsh to contract extensions before they could hit the open market, and Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at the rest of San Francisco’s free agent class to determine who might be next in line for a new contract. Some of the more prominent names on the list include center Daniel Kilgore, with whom the team has had contract discussions, Carlos Hyde, who may be on his way to a team that features more of a power-running approach, and DE Tank Carradine, whose talents may also be better-suited to a different scheme.
49ers Accepted Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo Offer “In 10 Minutes”
Kyle Shanahan said he met with Bill Belichick at the 2017 Combine and asked the Patriots’ top decision-maker about Jimmy Garoppolo‘s availability, and the then-rookie 49ers coach was told the then-Pats backup quarterback was not on the block.
The 49ers did not have a quarterback on their roster at that point and were pessimistic about former Shanahan pupil Kirk Cousins‘ availability as well.
“At that time, the only guys we thought were franchise quarterbacks that were being mentioned were Kirk and Jimmy,” Shanahan told Albert Breer of SI.com in an expansive interview. “And I knew Kirk wasn’t going to be a possibility. And I remember asking Bill personally down at the combine about Jimmy, and very quickly he told me that wasn’t a possibility. So we moved on from that. He told me he wasn’t going to trade him.”
However, Shanahan confirmed to Breer the Patriots contacted him on Oct. 30 with a Garoppolo offer. The Patriots’ trade-process timeline is murky, but on the 49ers end, it didn’t take long to finish this agreement.
Shanahan went to John Lynch and the duo decided to accept New England’s proposal of a second-round pick for the contract-year passer, Breer reports. Shanahan indicated to Breer he was shocked when informed Garoppolo was now available, and while he was concerned about having to make a decision about a long-term contract based on a small sample size, Lynch reassured him they would use the franchise tag to buy them time if necessary.
“There really was,” Shanahan said when asked if there as a moment of shock when the Patriots called him. “We were 0–8. We’d just gotten our asses kicked by Philly. I came in on a Monday and that was the last thing I was thinking about. And that ended up popping up. It’s different, because it’s a big deal; we want those draft picks. We know have a ways to go; we want to build this organization the right way. And what worried me was having to decide long-term on a guy in just a few games.”
The 49ers did not need to use their contingency plan, signing Garoppolo to a record five-year, $137MM extension. The Patriots’ about-face on Garoppolo ended up being a franchise-changing moment for the 49ers, who may not have been as quick to match a Browns would-be offer of the Texans’ first-round pick. But Cleveland did not have a chance to deal for Garoppolo during the small time window he was available, with the call coming to Shanahan and the first-year San Francisco power structure deciding in minutes to pull the trigger.
Shanahan’s Cousins exploration did not deter a Garoppolo deal, with the 49ers having moved on after their new quarterback’s 5-0 start. But they were interested in Cousins last offseason. Now that Cousins is expected to be available, the 49ers are set at sports’ marquee position.
The now-second-year HC, however, told Breer they hadn’t closed the door on Cousins even after trading for Garoppolo. This extension will close the door on the Cousins-to-San Francisco rumors, likely for good.
“Yeah, of course, it was there,” Shanahan told Breer about the franchise’s Cousins interest after the Garoppolo trade. “Everyone knows how I feel about Kirk. And for anybody who knows how I feel about Kirk, I think this shows how I feel about Jimmy, the fact that we ended up doing this. I’m not a guy who’s going to get excited and just go with the momentum, at all. I usually do the opposite, question it to make sure I’m absolutely confident, and not go with the momentum or the excitement.
“Talking about Kirk, understanding where he could be in the next year, for me to feel this way about Jimmy? It says a lot about Jimmy.”
Reactions To Jimmy Garoppolo Contract
On Thursday, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo signed the richest contract in the NFL when the 49ers inked him to a five-year, $137.5MM deal. The Niners’ new signal-caller talked to reporters on Friday and said he wanted to get a deal done as fast as possible.
“This is where I want to be, honestly,” he said. “It’s only going to help our team going forward, going into free agency, and it’s 75 degrees out here. It’s not a snowstorm like Chicago.”
San Francisco’s chief contract negotiator Paraag Marathe said the deal was a simple one. “John [Lynch] and Kyle [Shanahan] decide if he’s the man. If he’s the man, then we pay the man.” Though they were aggressive with the deal, 49ers general manager John Lynch said they were “going to be aggressively prudent” going forward, the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows writes.
Here’s a look at some of the others reactions to the deal:
- Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said Garoppolo could’ve gotten more from the 49ers by “forcing two or three years of the tag, especially since 2021 and 2022 would have been the first two years of a market-value contract, not the below-market back end of a five-year deal.”
- Andrew Brandt of The MMQB is a fan of the deal for the 49ers (Twitter link). He says that despite the leverage Garoppolo held in the situation, San Francisco still made out with a “two years and we’ll see” deal.
- Marathe also said the team has between $62-63MM in cap space, NBC Sports’ Mike Maiocco tweets. Though Lynch said the team will be conservative, San Francisco is set up to spend big if it wants to make an immediate push.
- ESPN’s Dan Graziano also thinks this is a steal for the 49ers. “But beyond this year, the only remaining guarantee is $7.5 million of his $17.2 million 2019 salary. … Basically, the Niners, who were projected to have about $100 million in cap space this year, used $37 million of it by front-loading this deal now, when they can afford to pay anything.”