Three Teams Call On Colin Kaepernick?
“They’ve asked, ‘Can he play? Does he want to play?’ “ Harry Edwards told USA Today’s Jarrett Bell. “The last question I can’t answer. The first question, absolutely. If Kaep makes up his mind, he wouldn’t only go in and make a team, he’d put pressure on somebody to start.”
Meanwhile, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation tell Mike Florio of PFT that no teams have made inquiries to the former 49ers QB or his reps. And, as noted by NBC Sports Bay Area, Kaepernick’s girlfriend also says the QB has not received interest from teams. There’s no way of knowing for sure, but it sounds like Edwards might not be as looped in as he claims to be.
- The No. 1 reason Kaepernick is unsigned is that he is not considered to be a starting-caliber player by any NFL evaluator anymore, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. Breer went on to explain a hypothesis that we’ve heard many times before: Kaepernick’s controversial views could be overlooked if he was a starting-caliber player, but teams do not want their backup QB to be a potential distraction for the team. For what it’s worth, we learned on Thursday that Kaepernick is supposedly back to his playing weight of ~230 pounds.
Latest On Colin Kaepernick
Not only does Colin Kaepernick remain unsigned, but it seems the quarterback has been unable to draw anything resembling real interest from NFL teams. There have been a myriad of theories floated around about what has led to his unemployment but a recent column from Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports disputes many of the knocks against Kaepernick. 
It has been said that Kaepernick’s vegan diet has caused him to lose too much weight, but a source familiar with his workouts tells Robinson that he has bulked back up to his playing weight of 230 pounds. He’s still on a meatless regimen, but Tony Gonzalez, Arian Foster, and Ricky Williams all succeeded in the NFL after adopting vegan or vegan-type diets, so it can be argued that concerns about the way he eats are without merit. In addition to that, the source says that he has fully recovered from all past surgeries.
Robinson also received further denials on rumors of Kaepernick asking for starting quarterback money, which would mean roughly $9MM or more. Sources close to the controversial QB say that he has not even spoken to any team about a salary, so any reports about him making a demand like that are bogus. Robinson adds that he has personally been unable to substantiate reports of Kaepernick making fiscal demands.
From a talent perspective, it’s hard to argue that Kaepernick isn’t deserving of a roster spot somewhere. However, it sounds like teams are avoiding him because they don’t believe there is enough upside to justify the dreaded specter of a media distraction.
49ers: NaVorro Bowman Isn’t Being Shopped
On the most recent installment of his podcast (SoundCloud link), former executive Michael Lombardi reported that the 49ers have made it known to rival teams that linebacker NaVorro Bowman is healthy and available via trade. Today, Niners GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan strongly denied such talk. 
“The report that we have been shopping NaVorro Bowman is completely false,” Lynch and Shanahan said in a statement issued to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. “From the time we joined the organization, NaVorro has been the consummate professional. It is evident he has been working very hard to prepare for the upcoming season and we have been impressed by what we have already seen on the field. We are looking forward to NaVorro’s future contributions to this team.”
Lombardi is generally well plugged-in on matters such as these and he was the first to report that San Francisco tight end Vance McDonald was on the block, a report that was later verified by Lynch and Shanahan. The duo now wants it known that Bowman is not being shopped to other teams, though denials such as these have to be taken with a grain of salt.
Depending on one’s perspective, a GM letting teams know that a player is available may be different than shopping him outright. And, for what it’s worth, the joint statement stops short of saying that Bowman will definitely be staying put. Lombardi, meanwhile, stands by his report (Twitter link).
Bowman’s deal runs through the 2022 season and calls for him to earn $7.5MM in salary and bonuses this season. In 2018, that number jumps to $9.45MM. The linebacker has four first-team All-Pro honors to his credit but missed the entire 2014 season and the majority of 2016 due to injury.
Jets Claim WR K.D. Cannon Off Waivers
The Jets have claimed former Baylor wide receiver K.D. Cannon off waivers from the 49ers, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. 
Cannon signed with San Francisco for an uncharacteristically high $45K bonus only to get cut days later. Now that the Jets have claimed him, they have assumed the burden.
Cannon, 21, declared for the draft after only three years at Baylor. In his final season with the Bears, Cannon posted 87 receptions for 1,215 yards and 13 touchdowns.
It was said that Cannon did not show a whole lot of hustle in rookie minicamp with the Niners and his weak showing led to a quick pink slip. Now, he’ll try to stick with the Jets. The Jets parted ways with Brandon Marshall this offseason and Robby Anderson could be in legal trouble, so they are covering their bases by taking a closer look at this young wide receiver.
Latest On Colin Kaepernick
There are some within the 49ers organization that believe Colin Kaepernick may focus on social justice issues on a full-time basis rather than play football, Peter King of The MMQB writes. However, Dave Zirin of The Nation (on Twitter) has personally spoken to Kaepernick and the quarterback says that he is not moving on from football. He adds that the controversial QB is working out every day with the hope of landing a camp invite. 
[RELATED: 49ers Release RB DuJuan Harris]
So far, there has been no real interest in Kaepernick’s services this offseason. If Kaepernick has not even received an offer for a non-guaranteed deal enabling him to compete in training camp, then one has to imagine that his polarizing politics are keeping him out of the NFL. On top of that, some teams are apparently concerned about his vegan diet and his commitment to football, It’s not clear if Kaepernick has managed to bulk up this offseason or if he’s even looking to add pounds to his thinned out frame.
In 2016, Kaepernick threw for 16 touchdowns against four interceptions. He also averaged 7.2 yards per passing attempt (up from 6.2 in 2015) and finished second among QBs in rushing yards (468, on a lofty 6.8 per carry).
49ers Sign Three, Cut One
San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks Claim RB Mike Davis Off Waivers
Mike Davis is staying in the NFC West. The Seahawks have claimed the running back off waivers from the 49ers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Expect To Retain Richard Sherman]
The Seahawks selected Oklahoma running back Chris Carson with one of the final picks in the draft but they’re still looking into reserve options to slot behind Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls, and C.J. Prosise. Troymaine Pope, 2016 fifth-round pick Alex Collins, J.D. McKissic, Terrence Magee, and Tre Madden are also vying for a roster spot.
The 49ers informed Davis of his release last week. Davis, a fourth-round pick in 2015, hasn’t done a whole lot in his two NFL seasons. Last year, he suffered a broken hand midway through the season and never returned to action even though he was slated to be the team’s one IR-DTR player. Between 2015 and 2016, he has averaged just 2.0 yards per carry on 54 attempts for the 49ers.
10 Centers The Saints Could Pursue
Saints center Max Unger went under the knife to help fix an issue with his foot, and that surgery will cause him to miss the start of the season. With no exact timetable in place for his return, the Saints will likely consider out-of-house options to help fill the void.
With some help from PFR’s Dallas Robinson, here are centers that New Orleans could look into acquiring:
- Nick Mangold (free agent): Mangold remains on the open market and he stands as the most obvious choice for the Saints to consider. The Saints would be hard-pressed to find anyone with a resume as impressive as Mangold’s and the seven-time Pro Bowler probably wouldn’t cost all that much at this stage of the offseason. At the same time, there’s a reason why he is still available here in May and word of clubs asking him to change positions isn’t exactly encouraging.
- Jason Kelce (Eagles): Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com was quick to connect the dots on Monday morning after word of Unger’s injury broke. The Eagles reportedly have had Kelce on the trading block for some time now and the Saints would now be a logical landing spot for him. The Eagles beat writer suggests that a Kelce deal could see running back Mark Ingram going to Philly, but I personally have a hard time seeing that happen. If the Saints are unable to meet the Eagles’ asking price for Kelce, however, they might be able to swing a deal for another interesting option on their roster.
- Stefen Wisniewski (Eagles): If the Eagles were to trade Kelce, Wisniewski or guard Isaac Seumalo would be the top candidates to step into the starting role. However, Wisniewski himself would make lots of sense as a stopgap for the Saints. Wisniewski was a starter for five straight years with the Raiders and Jaguars before landing with the Eagles as a reserve. In addition to that starting experience, he also offers experience at guard, so he could be used at multiple spots once Unger returns to action. Pro Football Focus ranked him 39th among 72 eligible guards last season with strong marks for his pass blocking skills.
- Joe Hawley (Buccaneers): The Buccaneers are moving Ali Marpet to center and he could very well wind up as the starter. There’s also Evan Dietrich-Smith and guard/tackle Ken Pamphile to consider for the No. 1 job and that could make Hawley expendable. The 28-year-old (29 in October) has been the Bucs’ primary center for the last two years, but he could be on the outside looking in after camp concludes. This offseason, he re-signed with the team on a two-year, $5.5MM deal with just $1MM guaranteed. It’s an affordable deal that the Saints could easily wiggle out of next year, if need be. Alternatively, the Bucs may want to dangle Dietrich-Smith in New Orleans’ direction.
- Tim Barnes (49ers): Barnes just showed up in San Francisco, but indications are that the Niners will use Jeremy Zuttah as their starting center in 2o17. Before getting cut this offseason, Barnes spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the Rams’ starter. Another Niner, Daniel Kilgore, could have appeal for the Saints.
- Cameron Erving (Browns): The Browns are planning to move Erving to right tackle now that J.C. Tretter is in town, but perhaps the Saints would be interested in seeing what he can do in the middle. Then again, he was shifted to right tackle last year after performing poorly in 12 games at center.
- Matt Slauson (Chargers): Slauson isn’t guaranteed to start this year thanks to the presence of Max Tuerk, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney. All three players are rookies (Tuerk didn’t play in 2016 thanks to his knee injury) but the team is high on each of them. In theory, Slauson could be shifted over to guard with Tuerk starting in the middle, but it’s also possible that Feeney starts at right guard over him. Slauson would be a valuable swing reserve for Los Angeles, but the Bolts might also be willing to trade him thanks to their glut of O-Line options.
- Joe Berger (Vikings): Vikings coach Mike Zimmer sees third round rookie Pat Elflein as a center, and that could potentially make Berger expendable. Berger, 35 later this month, has started 68 games over the course of his career. He graded out as the 12th best guard in the entire NFL last season, according to PFF. He earned an even stronger overall score in 2015 when he primarily played in the middle. Berger still has plenty in the tank, so it would be harder to pry him away than some of the other names on this list.
49ers To Release RB DuJuan Harris
The 49ers are parting ways with running back DuJuan Harris. Harris took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to bid farewell to San Francisco: 
[RELATED: 49ers Waive WR K.D. Cannon]
“Its been real! I’m blessed for the memories and it was great being a part of this legendary organization. All love, see y’all later!,” Harris wrote.
The 49ers re-signed Harris to a one-year deal in late March, but the running back depth chart has become quite crowded since then. A pair of moves in April brought Tim Hightower and Kapri Bibbs into the fold and the selection of Utah running back Joe Williams in the fourth round only contributed to the logjam.
Harris, 28, first joined the 49ers in 2015 when he was plucked from the Ravens’ practice squad. This past season, he averaged 3.6 yards per carry on 38 attempts in ten games. He also added eight receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown.
49ers Waive WR K.D. Cannon
The 49ers have waived wide receiver K.D. Cannon, according to David Smoak of ESPN-Central Texas (Twitter link). Cannon’s agent has confirmed the former Baylor wideout’s release, tweets Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
[RELATED: 49ers Waive RB Mike Davis]
Cannon had been viewed as one of the premier undrafted free agents following last week’s draft, and San Francisco handed him a $5K signing bonus and guaranteed $40K of his 2017 base salary in order to land him. But Cannon apparently didn’t show enough during the 49ers’ rookie minicamp to stick on the roster, and Maiocco speculates the club may be clearing roster space in order to ink tryout players.
Cannon, 21, declared for the draft after only three years at Baylor. In his final season with the Bears, Cannon posted 87 receptions for 1,215 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 49ers’ $45K guarantee likely means Cannon drew a significant amount of interest as an undrafted free agent, so there’s a good chance he’ll be claimed off waivers by a rival team.
San Francisco has been aggressive in signing UDFAs, as running back Matt Breida, safety Malik Golden, and tight end Cole Hikutini all received at least $15K in guaranteed money. Colorado linebacker Jimmie Gilbert, meanwhile, garnered a whopping $62K guaranteed.