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49ers Use No. 99 On K Jake Moody

April 28th, 2023 at 10:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The first kicker has come off the board. The 49ers used pick No. 99 – their second overall selection in 2023 – on Michigan product Jake Moody.

Moody becomes the first kicker to hear his name called in the top-100 since the Buccaneers chose Roberto Aguayo in the second round in 2016. Moody was widely seen as the top option at the position in the 2023 class, but the timing of his addition is notable on a few levels.

He spent five years with the Wolverines, and had a highly effective time there over the past two seasons in particular. Moody was a consensus All-American in 2021, taking home the Lou Groza award as the nation’s top kicker. He followed that up by leading the NCAA in both field goal makes (29) and attempts (35) this past season.

The fifth-year senior posted FG percentages of 92% and 83% over the past two years. He also made all 60 of his extra point attempts, and will be tasked with converting that success to the NFL level right away, considering how the 49ers have proceeded at the kicker position this offseason.

It came out last month that veteran Robbie Gould would not re-sign in San Francisco this year, putting an end to his six-year run with the team. Over the course of the 40-year-old’s career, he has yet to miss a kick in the postseason, something which will make his absence a notable one in 2023 as the 49ers look to make another deep playoff run.

San Francisco has the other two members of their special teams battery (punter Mitch Wishnowski and long snapper Taybor Pepper) under contract, so Moody will still be entering a situation with familiarity at those positions. Still, given the identity of who he is replacing – and the value of the pick used to select him – he will no doubt face considerable expectations as a rookie.

Vikings Send No. 87 To 49ers

April 28th, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers have entered the draft room. For No. 87 overall, the 49ers are sending the Vikings Nos. 102, 164 and 222. San Francisco selected Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown.

The 49ers were armed with a plethora of late selections this year, so it comes as little surprise that they have spent a few of them to move up the board. Their decision to do so has landed them one of the top options available at the position in this year’s class.

Brown was not joined by many other highly-touted safeties in terms of draftable prospects, explaining his fall to this point on Day 2. He put up impressive numbers in the past two years in particular with the Nittany Lions, however, which could set him up for a notable early role in the Bay Area.

The 5-11, 203-pounder racked up 10 interceptions and eight PBUs in 2021 and ’22, adding eight tackles for loss during that span. That production could allow him to line up at a number of spots at the NFL level, and there are vacancies to be filled in San Francisco’s secondary given the way the early free agent period played out.

The 49ers lost Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore to the Texans and Packers, respectively, last month. While San Francisco was able to re-sign Tashaun Gipson, the departures of the former two should allow for Brown to at least compete for rotational snaps as a rookie. Over the long term, he could easily find himself in a starting role down the road as a contributor on one of the league’s elite defenses.

49ers To Re-Sign WR Willie Snead

April 26th, 2023 at 8:47am CST by Sam Robinson

Willie Snead resided as a depth player for the 49ers last season. The team will keep the veteran pass catcher around in 2023, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reporting (via Twitter) Snead is back on San Francisco’s roster as of Wednesday morning.

The former Saints and Ravens slot receiver agreed to terms on a one-year deal. This reunion agreement comes just after the 49ers added veteran wideout Chris Conley.

San Francisco’s 53-man roster may not have room for both Snead and Conley, considering the team employs Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, 2022 third-round pick Danny Gray and return man Ray-Ray McCloud. But the 49ers will give Snead another opportunity to mix in as an insurance option.

Although Snead has multiple 800-plus-yard receiving seasons on his resume, those came in his first two seasons — back in 2016 and ’17 — in New Orleans. The veteran slot target also totaled 651 receiving yards with Ravens during their Joe Flacco-to-Lamar Jackson 2018 transition year. Snead, 30, spent three years in Baltimore but has bounced around since. After Snead spent the 2021 season with the Raiders and Panthers, the 49ers signed the former UDFA success story.

Snead played in four 49ers games last season, logging 30 offensive snaps and 38 on special teams. Barring an injury to one of the 49ers’ top weapons, it should be expected Snead will compete for a similar role this year.

Latest On 49ers, WR Brandon Aiyuk

April 25th, 2023 at 12:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers have been a team to watch this offseason, primarily due to their quarterback situation. The future of wideout Brandon Aiyuk has been questioned as well, though, and was a topic addressed by general manager John Lynch.

“We’re trying to do something special this year and Brandon’s gonna be a big part of that,” Lynch said during a pre-draft press conference, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). “We feel like he made another big step last year and I think the best is yet to come. So we want him to be a part of it.”

Those comments come as little surprise given Lynch’s previous commitment to the former first-rounder. Aiyuk was mentioned as a trade target for a number of teams, but it was reported last month that San Francisco was expected to pick up his fifth-year option. Doing so would set him up for a $14.12MM cap hit in 2024, a relatively modest figure for a 1,000 yards receiver (which the 25-year-old proved himself to be with a career-year in 2022).

However, that decision would set up the 49ers to have an expensive receiver tandem (at least briefly) given the three-year, $71.6MM contract signed by Deebo Samuel last offseason. The team also has to tread carefully from a financial standpoint considering the impending mega-deal for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. Moving on from Aiyuk while he has one year remaining on his rookie contract would thus be logical in one sense, but the team’s lack of depth could sway them to remain committed for the future.

Other than Samuel and Aiyuk, the 49ers’ WR depth chart is devoid of players with an established track record of success. Complimentary wideouts Jauan Jennings and Ray-Ray McCloud aren’t under contract beyond this season, and San Francisco’s noteworthy 2023 draft capital only includes one top-100 selection (No. 99). That will likely preclude them from adding a rookie who will make a sizeable impact right away, pointing further to the benefit of retaining Aiyuk.

“At some point, yeah, you have to figure things out,” Lynch added on the point of absorbing expensive contracts into the team’s salary cap situation. “And I guess we’ll take that as it comes. But as of right now and into the future we’re really excited about Brandon Aiyuk and where he’s at.”

49ers Not Actively Shopping QB Trey Lance

April 24th, 2023 at 9:20pm CST by Ely Allen

Throughout the offseason, the 49ers have insisted that quarterback Trey Lance remains in their plans for the 2023 season despite the late season heroics of then-rookie Brock Purdy, who is considered to favorite to start for the team when he returns from injury. That notion was questioned last week when it was reported that teams had called on San Francisco to inquire about Lance. The most recent reports now say that, while calls were made, the 49ers are not actively shopping Lance, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.

49ers general manager John Lynch explained the reports on calls, telling reporters that the 49ers “listen to everything when it comes to trades.” This even includes San Francisco internally discussing available options such as Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers, but ultimately, Lynch said that he envisions Lance as a part of the team’s plan moving forward.

“I think there’s a lot of smoke, really, and that it hasn’t been extremely active,” Lynch explained. “And it’s not like we’ve put it out there that, ‘hey, we’re taking offers for Trey, call 1-800.’ It’s not been the process…I expect Trey to be here, and we’re excited about Trey’s ability to compete and what he can do for our franchise just as we were when we drafted Trey.”

Lynch went on to explain how Lance has done a really good job in striving to get himself healthy during the offseason. With Purdy recovering from an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and not expected to return very soon, Lance is working hard to make an impression in his window with the first-team offense. It’s been six weeks since Purday’s surgery and they don’t expect to even have a strong timeline for his return for another six weeks, giving Lance plenty of time to prove his worth.

Reportedly, Lynch also found it necessary to discuss the situation with Lance. With the rumor mill running rampant and the importance of the quarterback position, Lynch felt “it was necessary to have those conversations.”

“Trey and I have talked, and we’re on the same page, and Trey knows exactly where the situation is,” Lynch said. “His mindset is all about competing, and I think that’s exactly where his mindset should be.”

So, according to Lynch, the team is open to at least discussing all options on the table. That being said, the 49ers plan to retain Lance in 2023, and it would take a “substantial offer” to shake San Francisco from that plan.

OL Rumors: Taylor, Jags, 49ers, Cardinals

April 21st, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs‘ previous left tackle blueprint centered around giving up significant assets to move a right tackle to the left side. Andy Reid has confirmed the team’s plans to complete a similar project. After a March report indicated the Chiefs were planning to move Jawaan Taylor to left tackle to replace Orlando Brown Jr., the 11th-year Chiefs HC said the ex-Jaguars blocker will indeed begin his Kansas City run as Patrick Mahomes‘ blindside protector.

“Even though he was on the right side I think he can transfer over to the left side. He’s really a good athlete and I think he’s excited about that,” Reid said (h/t Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman) of Taylor. “Now, that doesn’t mean he can’t play the right side. If we got another left tackle, he could play the right side. He gives you flexibility. He could probably jump in at guard. He’s smart. He could probably play center.”

Taylor signed a monster contract — four years, $80MM, with $60MM guaranteed by March 2024 — to join the Super Bowl champions. If the four-year Jaguars right tackle starter stayed at that position, he would be the NFL’s second-highest-paid right-sider. Taylor primarily played right tackle at Florida as well. The Chiefs following through with their Taylor position switch gives them a need at Andrew Wylie‘s former spot; Kansas City’s 2022 right tackle is now in Washington.

Here is the latest O-line news from around the league:

  • Taylor’s former team has its top tackle coming off a season-ending injury. The Jaguars faced the Chiefs in January without left tackle Cam Robinson, who suffered a meniscus tear in December. As expected, the Jags have Robinson on track to be ready by training camp, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. Robinson will be readying for his seventh season as the Jags’ primary right tackle.
  • Rather than move Taylor to left tackle last year, the Jags plugged in 2021 second-rounder Walker Little to replace Robinson. While Little would be poised to start opposite Robinson, seeing as he picked up some starts after losing a training camp battle to Taylor last year, Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com pegs the Jags as being most likely to pick an O-lineman or cornerback in Round 1. Caplan mocks Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright to Jacksonville.
  • Colton McKivitz is the not only the clubhouse leader to replace Mike McGlinchey as the 49ers‘ starting right tackle, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes the team views the career backup as having a chance to provide a pass-blocking upgrade (subscription required). McGlinchey steadily received more praise for his run-blocking chops compared to his pass-pro work, though McKivitz has made five career starts. Then again, the 49ers got by with three interior O-linemen — Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford — that brought little experience to the mix. Second-year blocker Jaylon Moore should not be considered out of the mix, per Barrows, who ranks right tackle as the 49ers’ top position of need. But the recently re-signed McKivitz is the favorite. McGlinchey signed a five-year deal with the Broncos during the legal tampering period’s early hours.
  • While Jonathan Gannon did not seem to view center as a must-augment position, via ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss (on Twitter), the Cardinals seem likely to add an outside snapper after releasing Rodney Hudson. Arizona will add a center to the mix, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. Billy Price started 11 games for the Cardinals last season; the ex-first-rounder-turned-journeyman is no longer on the roster. The Cardinals do feature some continuity up front; they re-signed Will Hernandez and have starters D.J. Humphries, Kelvin Beachum and Josh Jones back ahead of OC Drew Petzing‘s first season at the helm.

Teams Calling 49ers On Trey Lance; Vikings Expressed Interest

April 19th, 2023 at 11:33am CST by Sam Robinson

11:33am: The 49ers are believed to have discussed Lance with the Vikings at the Combine, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds. With most of the league’s power brokers in one place, trade talks are common in Indianapolis. The Vikings have since restructured Kirk Cousins‘ contract, rather than extending him as they did last year. This naturally opens the door to discussions about Cousins’ post-2023 future. Hendon Hooker has also been mentioned as a possible longer-term option for Minnesota. For now, former 49ers backup Nick Mullens remains the Vikings’ QB2.

8:20am: With Brock Purdy avoiding Tommy John surgery and Sam Darnold having signed last month, Trey Lance sits in a much different position with the 49ers compared to his 2022 standing. As a result, trade rumors continue.

Teams are looking into the former No. 3 overall pick. Several have contacted the 49ers about Lance’s availability, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). While the 49ers are not believed to be the ones making the calls regarding a potential Lance trade, the topic is coming up days ahead of the draft.

Lance’s value has obviously cratered compared to where it was two Aprils ago, when the 49ers traded two future first-rounders to move up for the North Dakota State standout. He has made four starts in two seasons, not posing a serious threat to Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie and suffering a fractured ankle last season. Lance underwent two surgeries but is expected to be ready by the time the 49ers begin on-field work next month. With teams viewing Purdy as San Francisco’s likely future starter, the subject of Lance’s availability is coming up.

Two seasons remain on Lance’s rookie contract, which can run through 2025 if the fifth-year option is exercised by May 2024. Lance’s trajectory does not make that a likely scenario in San Francisco, but if the 49ers receive a viable offer, Lance’s option decision could become another team’s responsibility soon. It certainly depends on what the 49ers consider a worthwhile proposal, and Rapoport adds (via Twitter) no trade is imminent.

John Lynch said last month the team still has Lance in its plans, but Kyle Shanahan said securing the 49ers’ 2023 starting job will be more difficult for the former Division I-FCS star than it was in 2022. The 49ers essentially handed Lance their starting job last year, putting Garoppolo on the trade block. The team’s decision to circle back to Garoppolo on a revised deal ended up saving its season, with Lance going down in Week 2. Purdy’s performance in relief of Garoppolo months later placed Lance on shakier ground, and the 49ers signed Darnold to a one-year, $4.5MM deal ($3.5MM guaranteed) early in free agency. Darnold’s 55 career starts place him as a threat to Lance’s status as Purdy’s primary backup, and a scenario in which the ex-Jets and Panthers starter begins the season under center for the 49ers — as Purdy completes his rehab odyssey — is not difficult to envision.

Of course, Purdy is still going through UCL rehab. He might not receive full clearance until the regular season begins. Considering the injury trouble the 49ers have experienced at quarterback during the Shanahan-Lynch run, trading Lance months before Purdy is cleared would represent quite the risk. Darnold has not exactly proven durable to this point, either.

The 49ers selling low on Lance would make their 2021 trade-up decision — one widely believed to have been made with Mac Jones as the target — look worse. This will be a topic to monitor ahead of the draft, however.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/23

April 17th, 2023 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Teams with returning head coaches are now free to begin offseason workouts, leading to this high number of RFA and ERFA tenders being signed. Bryant and Reaves signed the low-end tender, while the Packers gave Nijman a second-round tender. Bryant and Reaves are tied to $2.62MM salaries; Nijman is attached to a $4.3MM number. Nijman has both played left and right tackle, settling in at the latter spot after the Packers moved Elgton Jenkins back to guard last season. ERFAs are two years from unrestricted free agency; RFAs are one year away.

An August shoulder injury cost Williams his 2022 season, but the former second-round pick was trending in the wrong direction with the Patriots. New England chose Williams 45th overall in 2019 but used him as a starter only once. New Vikings DC Brian Flores was no longer with the Pats when they drafted Williams, 25, but the team will take a flier on the Vanderbilt alum.

49ers To Sign WR Chris Conley

April 17th, 2023 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chris Conley will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot for a fifth team soon. After visiting San Francisco late last week, the veteran wide receiver agreed to terms with the 49ers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This is a one-year agreement. It will mark Conley’s first trip out of the AFC. While still best known for his time with the Chiefs, the 2015 third-round pick has since nearly completed the AFC South cycle. Over the past four seasons, Conley played for the Jaguars, Texans and Titans. Both Conley and Laquon Treadwell worked out for the 49ers last week.

An auxiliary pass catcher in the Chiefs’ Alex Smith– and Patrick Mahomes-led offenses, Conley put together his best season with the Jags in 2019. Given a two-year, $4.6MM deal that offseason, the 6-foot-3 wideout showed viability without Andy Reid‘s assistance by catching 47 catches for 775 yards and five touchdowns for the Gardner Minshew-piloted Jacksonville offense. Conley, 30, has since bounced around the league, making it less than a lock he will be part of the 49ers’ 53-man roster come September.

The Georgia alum spent last year with three teams, moving from Houston to Kansas City and Tennessee. Conley’s Chiefs return did not produce any game action, and he caught four passes in seven games with the receiver-depleted Titans. Conley did eclipse 300 receiving yards for the 2021 Texans, however.

Beyond their Deebo Samuel–Brandon Aiyuk duo, the 49ers have Jauan Jennings on an ERFA tender and former third-round pick Danny Gray going into his second season. Gray caught just one pass as a rookie, but the team obviously still has the ex-SMU speedster in its plans.

NFC Draft Rumors: Bucs, Commanders, 49ers, Seahawks

April 15th, 2023 at 3:18pm CST by Ely Allen

Every year, pundits and analysts debate the value of drafting a running back in first round. The Buccaneers are the latest to enter into this forum as they are reportedly considering doing just that, according to Buccaneers staff writer/reporter Brianna Dix.

The player in question for Tampa Bay is Texas running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson is far and away the consensus top running back on the board. In three years with the Longhorns, Robinson totaled 3,410 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. While not his main mode of attack, he can hurt in the passing game as well, as evidenced by his 60 catches for 805 yards and eight touchdowns over his collegiate career.

No running backs were taken in the first round of last year’s draft, with Breece Hall being the first off the board in the second round, but two years ago, we saw two running backs taken on Day 1. Despite durability being a main cause of concern for rookie rushers, Najee Harris rewarded the Steelers with a league-leading 381 touches and a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. Travis Etienne unfortunately had to sit out his rookie season, but his debut season with the Jaguars in 2022 was nearly as impressive as Harris’s rookie year, despite only starting 12 games.

Beyond last year, we’ve seen the Chiefs move past Clyde Edwards-Helaire in favor seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco. We’ve seen a first-team All-Pro honor for Josh Jacobs in Las Vegas. We’ve seen the rollercoasters of Saquon Barkley and Sony Michel‘s careers, as well as the disappointment of Rashaad Penny‘s. The debate continues on into 2023. There has certainly been both hits and misses with first-round running backs, but where will Robinson fall in that storyline?

Here are a few other draft rumors from around the NFC:

  • The Commanders have made it clear that they believe in second-year quarterback Sam Howell to take over the starting job in 2023, leading many to believe that taking a passer on Day 1 is off the table. According to ESPN’s John Keim, though, if a strong prospect like Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker is still available in the second or third round, Washington may not be able to pass them up. For the first round, though, it appears that the team has done their homework on the 2023 NFL Draft’s batch of offensive linemen. Jordan Reid, also of ESPN, specifically mentions Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones as a name that has been linked to the Commanders.
  • The 49ers received a healthy amount of compensatory draft picks, including three third round picks. It’s a good thing, too, because without them, San Francisco’s first 2023 draft pick wouldn’t come until late in the fifth round. Surprisingly, despite needs at both offensive line and defensive back, Matt Miller of ESPN is hearing that the 49ers have done more work studying tight ends that any other team in the league. The team has lauded the depth of this year’s draft class, and Miller notes that this is a historically great tight end class. He mentions Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker, South Dakota’s Tucker Kraft, and Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz as potential options for San Francisco at the end of Day 2 who could end up working with George Kittle in the tight end room.
  • The Seahawks can go in a couple of different directions in the first round with both the No. 5 and 20 picks. They may keep their eyes on the available quarterbacks, if they fall in love with any, to sit for a year or so behind Geno Smith and Drew Lock. What Miller really sees them doing is taking advantage of a potential early run of quarterbacks to nab one of the draft’s top defensive linemen like Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter. If they don’t like any of their options at defensive line either, Miller reports that Seattle is reportedly in love with Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
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