Daniel Snyder Blocking Kirk Cousins Trade?
The Redskins haven’t given any indication they they’re willing to trade franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins to the 49ers (or any other club), and Washington may be holding onto its signal-caller thanks to owner Daniel Snyder‘s poor relationships with both Cousins and the Shanahans, Kyle and Mike, according to Kevin Jones of KNBR.
[RELATED: Dysfunction In Redskins’ Front Office]
Snyder reportedly still holds a grudge against the Shanahans after firing the pair following the 2013 campaign, per Jones, and especially dislikes that the duo’s prediction of a failed Robert Griffin III career ultimately proved true. As such, Snyder has no interest in “helping” Kyle Shanahan in any regard, including sending him a ready-made franchise quarterback in Cousins.
Snyder may also possess personal animus towards Cousins, as Jones describes a “weird” relationship between the two. After Cousins won the first game of his career in 2012 filling in for an injured RGIII, Snyder reportedly refused to congratulate or even acknowledge Cousins in the locker room following the contest, according to Jones. Although Snyder has since softened his stance, a degree of tension still endures.
Cousins will make nearly $24MM in 2017 under the terms of his second consecutive franchise tag, which he has yet to sign.
49ers Waive C Marcus Martin
The 49ers have been busy adding players today, and now they’ve subtracted one from their roster. The team announced that they have waived center Marcus Martin.
The former third-round pick started 24 of his 26 games over three seasons with the team. Martin only played in five games last season before being placed on the injured reserve. In college, the lineman started 33 starts over three seasons with USC.
Zane Beadles is the lone center remaining on the 49ers roster. Veteran Daniel Kilgore filled in at the position for much of last season. The team could also presumably look for more versatility from backups Andrew Tiller, John Theus, and Alex Balducci.
49ers Expected To Sign Kyle Juszczyk
The 49ers are expected to sign fullback Kyle Juszczyk, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a four-year contract worth $21MM ($10.5MM guaranteed), according to ESPN’s Treavor Scales (via Twitter). Juszczyk was my No. 1 rated free agent fullback this year and was pretty much universally regarded as the best FB out there.
Pro Football Focus graded Juszczyk as its No. 1 fullback in the NFL in 2016. The fullback has shown to be particularly elite in the passing game, with PFF appreciating his receiving and pass blocking skills. Of course, Juszczyk still ranks in the top-10 for rushing and run blocking.
The 25-year-old (26 in April) has 97 career receptions for 769 yards and five touchdowns. The former fourth-rounder has spent his entire four year career in Baltimore. He’s gotten more involved in the passing game over the past two years, including a standout 2015 campaign where the Harvard product caught 41 passes.
Free Agency Rumors: Vikings, Okung, Bills
Rounding up the latest free agency news:
- The Vikings are expected to express interest in offensive tackle Russell Okung when free agency starts, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. This doesn’t come as a big surprise since Okung has been previously linked to Minnesota.
- The Bills were in play for Brian Hoyer, but he will not be signing with Buffalo after the team retained Tyrod Taylor, sources tell ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link). The Jets and 49ers have strong interest in the veteran QB.
- The 49ers are now among the teams in the mix for fullback Kyle Juszczyk, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. The Ravens would like to keep him, but they are expecting to get outbid for the former fourth-round pick. The Bills are said to be in the lead for him and the Browns are also in pursuit.
- The Raiders working hard today on bringing back right tackle Menelik Watson, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. If he reaches the open market, however, the Broncos are among the teams that will pursue him, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets.
- The Raiders are trying to get a new deal done with inside linebacker Perry Riley, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
Vikings, 3 Others Pursuing Domata Peko
After playing 11 years with the Bengals, Domata Peko could be heading elsewhere. A healthy market exists for the 32-year-old defensive tackle, with the Vikings, Eagles, 49ers joining the Bengals in pursuit of Peko, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.
Tomasson reports the Vikings have reached out to Peko’s representatives regarding a possible free agent pact. Peko’s Bengals tenure overlapped with Mike Zimmer‘s time in Cincinnati, and Tomasson notes the Samoan is a favorite of the Minnesota coach. The Vikings have brought former Bengals Terence Newman and Emmanuel Lamur to the Twin Cities under Zimmer, and the team has some uncertainty at defensive tackle. Linval Joseph‘s counterpart, Sharrif Floyd, saw injury derail 15 games of his 2016 season.
The Eagles could be in the market for a new running mate for Fletcher Cox, with Bennie Logan taking part in the legal tampering period as a first-time UFA. The 49ers are planning to convert to a 4-3 scheme under new DC Robert Saleh, and although they have 5-technique ends DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, the rebuilding team could be hunting for depth on a team that doesn’t have much. The 49ers, though, may need Peko least among his primary suitors after adding Earl Mitchell as well.
Peko did not record a sack last season but registered a career-high five in 2015. However, he’s proven incredibly durable during his lengthy NFL run, having started in 16 regular-season games in each of the past seven seasons. He only graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 106 interior defender last season, playing 593 snaps. The Bengals have Pat Sims and Andrew Billings accompanying Geno Atkins on their defensive tackle depth chart.
49ers To Sign Pierre Garcon
The 49ers have agreed to sign wide receiver Pierre Garcon, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s expected to be a three-year contract that pays about $23MM over the first two years with a ~$12MM signing bonus, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. League sources tell Mortensen that Garcon will earn $16MM in the first year of the contract. 
As one of the best wide receivers on the open market, Garcon was expected to fetch a nice payday for himself. However, it’s perhaps a little surprising to see him land $16MM in effectively guaranteed money. Garcon will turn 31 in August and he hasn’t been used to stretch the field in recent years with DeSean Jackson running the bulk of the deep routes.
I had Garcon ranked as the seventh-best available wide receiver on the market, behind Alshon Jeffery, Terrelle Pryor, Kenny Stills, Kenny Britt, DeSean Jackson, and Brandon Marshall. However, I slotted him ahead of Jackson and Marshall on my Top 50 list, which rates players by earning power. So far, that prediction is looking good. Marshall signed a two-year, $12MM deal with the Giants on Wednesday morning.
Garcon drew substantial interest on the open market but will reunite with former Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan. He had his best statistical year in Shanahan’s final season at the controls, going for 113 catches, 1,346 yards and five touchdowns in 2013.
Garcon played out his entire five-year, $42MM Redskins contract and proved not to be a Peyton Manning creation. His production increased at times after moving from Indianapolis to Washington. Garcon posted 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and ’16 and surpassed 700 in both 2014 and ’15. Last season, Kirk Cousins‘ near-5,000-yard season included 79 Garcon receptions and three touchdowns.
Photo courtesy of PFR on Instagram.
49ers Targeting Pierre Garcon
After re-signing one of Kirk Cousins‘ favorite offensive weapons, another could be on his way out. The 49ers have set their sights on signing Pierre Garcon, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Garcon, of course, offers familiarity with Kyle Shanahan‘s system, making him a logical fit in San Francisco. The Niners are also in need of a quality receiver after cutting Torrey Smith loose. As of this writing, the Niners’ only receiver of note is Jeremy Kerley, who was re-signed to a multi-year deal.
This past season, he had 79 catches for 1,041 yards with a 69.1% catch rate. Shanahan knows what Garcon is capable of, having served as the Redskins coordinator during his masterful 2013 season. In that year, he had a league-high 113 receptions for 1,346 yards and five touchdowns. Garcon doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as just a possession receiver and Shanahan allow him to show his full range of skills, even as he nears his 31st birthday.
The Redskins only just reached out to Garcon’s reps this week, so we’ve had the sense that he would be going elsewhere this month.
49ers Release Antoine Bethea
After spending the past three years in San Francisco, safety Antoine Bethea will hit the open market. The 49ers have announced the release of the 32-year-old. Already flush with cap space, the 49ers will add another $5.75MM in moving on from Bethea.
An 11-year veteran who spent the first eight seasons of his career in Indianapolis, Bethea has impressively started in all 162 of his appearances since entering the NFL in 2006. He’s also a two-time Pro Bowler, with one nod having come with San Francisco in 2014, and has posted 16-game seasons in eight of the past nine campaigns. The lone exception was 2015, when Bethea only logged seven appearances. He returned to health last year to log 110 tackles and a forced fumble, though his performance ranked a below-average 66th among Pro Football Focus’ 89 qualified safeties.
Bethea doesn’t have age on his side, but given his durability and playmaking prowess (19 career picks), he could draw interest on the market. He’ll join a group of free agent safeties that also includes Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, Barry Church and ex-Colts teammate Darius Butler, among others.
Latest On Market For A.J. Bouye
We figured that cornerback A.J. Bouye would be one of the most sought-after free agents, and that sentiment has certainly been confirmed today. ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars, Bears, Buccaneers, and Titans have been linked to the defensive back.
The Jets and Eagles were among the teams previously mentioned as potential landing spots, and the Texans are also reportedly interested in re-signing him. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle clarifies (via Twitter) that the Eagles will indeed have interest in Bouye, but they’re not expected to “emerge as a serious player” for his services. Wilson also adds the 49ers, Browns, and Colts as teams that are expected to be “extremely competitive” when it comes to signing Bouye. Considering that long list of suitors, Wilson says there’s a good chance Bouye sticks around the AFC South.
Meanwhile, Wilson tweets that all of the offers for Bouye have averaged at least $12MM annually.
The 2013 undrafted free agent played sparingly during his rookie season, but he established himself as one of the team’s most reliable corners over the past three seasons. Bouye arguably had his best season in 2016, compiling 63 tackles, one sack, and one interception.
Among the teams listed above, Bouye would seemingly be able to slide into every starting lineup. Brice McCain (Titans), Aaron Colvin (Jaguars), Brent Grimes (Buccaneers) are among the defensive backs who could be pushed out of the lineup if their respective teams sign Bouye.
PFR listed Bouye above Logan Ryan as the best available free agent cornerback. Meanwhile, our own Zach Links anticipates that the 25-year-old will be the highest-earning free agent this offseason.
49ers Not Interested In Mike Glennon
Mike Glennon‘s stock is apparently on the rise, but you can cross one quarterback-needy team off of his list. The 49ers are not interested in him, a source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. 
Glennon, 27, has attempted just eleven passes the past two seasons as Jameis Winston’s clipboard holder. Despite the possibility of rust, teams like the Bears are apparently ready to take the bidding to previously unforeseen heights. The Jets were also mentioned as a potential landing spot in January. The 49ers were previously linked to Glennon, but they won’t be among the clubs to push his market.
The former third-rounder started 13 games in 2013, completing 59.4-percent of his passes for 2,608 yards, 19 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
The Buccaneers reportedly offered Glennon a contract worth $8MM a season, which would have made him the highest-paid backup quarterback in the NFL.
Because of his potential earning power, I have Glennon ranked as the No. 13 free agent on our updated Top 50 Free Agents list. He’s also my No. 1 rated quarterback in terms of ability, but Tyrod Taylor could unseat him from that perch if he’s released in the coming days.