Joe Staley Won't Need Surgery
- Speaking of left tackle injuries, Joe Staley suffered an orbital bone fracture Sunday. But the 11th-year 49ers edge blocker received a bit of good news, with Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reporting (via Twitter) no surgery will be required. Still, this could end any Staley trade speculation and keep him in San Francisco for another full season.
Joe Staley, Jimmie Ward Sustain Injuries
Both Joe Staley and Jimmie Ward did not finish Sunday’s Week 8 game for the 49ers. The former suffered an eye injury that will require an overnight stay in Philadelphia, and the latter could be out for a while because of a broken arm.
Ward sustained a broken forearm in San Francisco’s loss, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). This stands to put Ward’s season in jeopardy. A starting defensive back in the 49ers secondary for the third season, Ward has finished two of his three previous NFL campaigns on IR.
The 49ers have not announced precisely what injury Staley is dealing with, but Rapoport notes the 11th-year tackle may have broken his orbital bone. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirmed this, tweeting Staley’s orbital bone is indeed broken. However, Schefter notes this is not believed to be a season-ending injury.
Staley’s injury occurred while on the other end of a Fletcher Cox block during an Eagles interception-return sequence.
Staley’s only missed three games since the start of the 2011 season. A report earlier today indicated the 49ers would be willing to move Staley, along with other veterans, before Tuesday’s trade deadline. This would stand to throw a wrench into any Staley deal. Staley’s said he would not like to be traded, despite the 49ers being in a full-scale rebuild.
Ward is under team control through 2018 via the fifth-year option.
49ers Willing To Deal Veterans, But Asking Price Considered Too High
- The Eagles are another club looking for offensive line help at the deadline, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who names the 49ers‘ Joe Staley as one possibility. Indeed, La Canfora writes in a separate pice that the 49ers are open to trading veterans like Staley, Carlos Hyde, and Eric Reid, but other teams say that the new regime in San Francisco values such players more highly than the market dictates, thereby making a deal unlikely.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/27/17
Today’s workout updates:
Buffalo Bills
- RB Marcus Murphy, Dare Ogunbowale, Jhurell Pressley, Jahad Thomas, Marquez Williams; CB Marcus Burley, Will Davis, Trevin Wade (Twitter link via Howard Balzer)
Los Angeles Chargers
- K Andrew Franks, Younghoe Koo, Jason Myers (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com)
New England Patriots
- DT Deandre Coleman (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New York Giants
- DE Ryan Delaire (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
- P Jeff Locke (link via Balzer)
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Staley, Seahawks
There’s trade talk surrounding Joe Staley as the deadline approaches, but the left tackle says that he wants to stay put with the 49ers.
“I’ve always wanted to play for the Niners, and the facts don’t change now,” Staley said (via Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group). “I’m just here to be better at my job. That’s where my focus is.”
The Eagles became a speculative suitor for Staley after after Jason Peters suffered a season-ending knee injury, particularly since Staley carries a reasonable salary all the way through 2019. The Niners say it would “take a whole lot” to part ways with him, but that just might happen with so many teams looking to strengthen the offensive line.
Staley, meanwhile, says he hasn’t gone to general manager John Lynch or coach Kyle Shanahan for clarification on his status.
“They know I want to be here,” Staley said. “What I’m concerned with is coming off a game where we didn’t do a good job in pass protection. We’ve got a hell of a challenge this week against the Eagles.”
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- We have details on Dwight Freeney‘s deal with the Seahawks, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The veteran will earn $1MM in base salary, plus $8K for each game he is on the 53-man roster. All in all, the deal carries a maximum value of $1.08MM. Freeney, 37, is expected to suit up on Sunday when the Seahawks host Houston.
- Don’t expect Seahawks teammate Michael Bennett to play as long as Freeney. When asked if he sees himself on the field at the age of 37, Bennett replied, “Hell no,” (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). Bennett turns 32 in November, so that doesn’t mean retirement is necessarily coming anytime soon. The defensive end is under contract through the 2020 season, his age-35 campaign, so that could be the cutoff he has in mind.
- The Cardinals formally placed Carson Palmer on IR, ruling him out for the next two months.
- The 49ers are changing Eric Reid‘s position in the midst of his contract year.
49ers Moving Eric Reid To Linebacker
Despite Eric Reid being midway through a contract year, he’s accepted a move to another position. The 49ers will shift the fifth-year defender from safety to linebacker.
Reid is being worked in at outside linebacker, and DC Robert Saleh said (via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group, on Twitter) he wouldn’t be surprised if the veteran becomes a starter on the weak side of the 49ers’ defensive second level.
The 49ers approached Reid about a conversion to linebacker after they released NaVorro Bowman, but the career safety made a point of asking the team if he had a role in San Francisco beyond this season. He was not given an answer.
“I asked them explicitly, ‘Can you at least tell me if I’m going to be here next year to play this position?’ They told me no,” Reid said, via Inman. “Right now I just trust the film I have at safety is good enough to enter free agency with, and now I’ll get some film at linebacker, as well.
Jaquiski Tartt usurped Reid at the strong safety position, and the 49ers will go with a Tartt-Jimmie Ward pairing on their back line. Both Ward and Tartt are under contract through 2018. Reid, the last of the 49ers’ defensive starters from their run of NFC championship game appearances, is playing this season on a fifth-year option. The LSU product has started 60 games at safety since 2013. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
The 49ers have seen rival teams make these types of conversions in recent years. The Cardinals slid Deone Bucannon from safety to inside linebacker, and the Rams did the same for Mark Barron — the latter of which is now one of the highest-paid non-rush ‘backers in the game. Barron now plays on the outside in the Rams’ 4-3 scheme, providing a blueprint for Reid. Ray-Ray Armstrong has started five games on the weak side this season, but the 49ers are at least ready to slot the 220-pound Reid in on passing downs.
Reid returned to action earlier this month after missing three games due to a knee injury. He missed the 49ers’ final six 2016 contests due to a biceps malady.
Jamaal Charles Hopes To Play 2 More Years
After knee injuries threatened to end his career, Jamaal Charles has resurfaced as a quality complementary part for the Broncos this season. And he doesn’t plan on making it his last.
The 30-year-old running back said Thursday (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, on Twitter) he wants to play two more seasons.
Charles signed a one-year deal with the Broncos in April but mentioned (via James Palmer of NFL.com, on Twitter) two teams told him he should retire after examining him. Jhabvala mentioned the Seahawks and 49ers examined his knees prior to the Broncos doing so (Twitter link). This is the first reported 49ers interest in the former All-Pro running back.
The Broncos have deployed Charles as an off-the-bench complement to C.J. Anderson, and the NFL’s career yards-per-carry leader is averaging 4.7 per tote through six games. Denver’s offense has struggled lately, but Charles has done well to show he can still contribute after receiving just 12 carries for the Chiefs last season. He underwent procedures on both of his menisci in 2016 after a second ACL surgery stopped his 2015 season. Palmer notes the Broncos are set to increase Charles’ workload soon after maxing him out at 10 touches on three occasions this season.
Charles is playing on an incentive-laden contract this season and stands to be a 2018 free agent. Even as running backs continue to be devalued as UFAs, the soon-to-be 31-year-old runner would seemingly generate interest regarding a possible 11th season in 2018 if he can make it through this year healthy. Despite being in Year 10, Charles only has 1,373 career carries. That’s eighth among active running backs, despite several players ahead of Charles on that list having begun their careers after his began in 2008.
49ers Unlikely To Trade Joe Staley
- Offensive tackle Joe Staley‘s name is often tossed out near the NFL’s trade deadline, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says it would “take a whole lot” for the club to move the veteran lineman, per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link). As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes, the Niners have surely discussed trading Staley, especially now that a contending club such as the Eagles is down a left tackle in Jason Peters. Staley, 33, is still playing well — No. 19 offensive tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus — and is signed through the 2019 season at extremely affordable rates.
49ers Re-Sign CB Leon Hall
49ers fans didn’t even get a chance to miss Leon Hall. Days after getting cut, the veteran cornerback has been re-signed, the team announced. In related moves, the Niners have cut defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and tight end Logan Paulsen. They also confirmed the signing of defensive lineman Datone Jones. 
Hall was handed a pink slip on Oct. 19, but the Niners are calling on him once again after cornerback K’Waun Williams suffered a quadriceps injury. This time around, the veteran is hoping for a longer stint with the team. Hall was first signed on Oct. 10 and did not see live action in his two weeks on the roster. He did, however, collect on two game checks and participate in four practices.
Paulsen was signed late last week to fill the spot vacated by Hall’s release. Today’s switcharoo will put Paulsen on the free agent market since he is a vested veteran and not subject to waivers.
49ers Sign DE Datone Jones
It’s been a hectic season so far for defensive end Datone Jones as he’s now signed with his third team this season after agreeing to terms with the 49ers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Nevertheless, Jones brings much needed depth to a position that has already seen the losses of Arik Armstead and Tank Carradine for the season.
It’s been quite a ride over the past few months for the defensive lineman. The former first round pick was cut by Vikings during the preseason and was just released by the Lions so that the team could bring in young quarterback Brad Kaaya.
At 27 years old, Jones has just not been able to find his footing in the NFL. Since entering the league in 2013, the most sacks he’s recorded in a single-season was the 3.5 that he collected during rookie campaign. The Packers decided to move on from Jones this past spring after the defensive end produced just 22 tackles and one sack in 15 games last year. San Francisco represents Jones’ latest chance to turn around his career, though he’ll have to battle to even get playing time with the likes of Aaron Lynch, Solomon Thomas and Elvis Dumervil ahead of him on the depth chart.