49ers OL Anthony Davis Coming Out Of Retirement
SATURDAY, 2:06pm: The NFL reinstated Davis from the reserve/retired list, opening the door for the right tackle to practice with the 49ers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
MONDAY, 7:50pm: The “sense” is that the 49ers want to keep Davis on the roster rather than trade him, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
MONDAY, 12:09pm: Anthony Davis took to Twitter to announce that he has submitted a letter seeking reinstatement to the NFL and the 49ers. Because Davis officially retired in 2015, some paperwork is required before he can take the field again. 
At different points over the last year, Davis has hinted that he wants to return to football. However, he has also bashed the 49ers, making it seem like he does not want to suit up again for San Francisco. If he does return to the NFL, the 49ers will still hold his rights.
Prior to the draft in April, Davis tweeted [sic], “The 49ers should Draft an Offensive Tackle in the top 10. #NFLDraft2016.” After that, he took an even more direct shot at the 49ers by writing, “I do not want to work with a front office or anyone else who seemingly doesn’t want to win as bad as I do.”
Davis, 26, was the 49ers’ first-round pick in 2010, coming off the board No. 11 overall. Prior to his retirement, he started 71 games at right tackle for SF, playing all 16 regular season contests in his first four years before being limited to seven games in 2014. Davis dealt with hamstring and knee issues, and also battled concussion problems, which may have contributed to his decision to step away from the game temporarily in 2015.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers, Joshua Garnett Agree To Deal
The 49ers and first-round guard Joshua Garnett have reached an agreement on a contract, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier Friday that the two sides were nearing a deal (Twitter link). With Garnett under contract, the Chargers’ Joey Bosa is now the last remaining holdout from the first round of this year’s draft.
As the 28th overall pick, Garnett should make upward of $9.3MM on his four-year pact, which includes a signing bonus in the $4.97MM neighborhood and a fifth-year option. Garnett was the second top-round selection the 49ers had this year. They grabbed ex-Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner with the seventh choice before trading back into the first round for Garnett. In order to do that, the 49ers shipped three picks – a second-rounder (No. 37), a fourth-rounder (No. 105) and a sixth-rounder (No. 178) – to the Chiefs for No. 28 and a seventh-rounder (No. 249).
A former Stanford Cardinal, Garnett’s play last year earned him the Outland Trophy, which is given annually to the best interior offensive lineman in the nation, and consensus All-America honors.
“In our minds, he was the best run-blocking lineman in this draft,” 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said of the 6-foot-5, 325-pounder.
Garnett, whose father is former NFL nose tackle Scott Garnett (a 49er in 1985), could end up as San Francisco’s Week 1 starter at right guard, as Roster Resource shows. The 49ers’ starter for most of 2015, Jordan Devey, was among Pro Football Focus’ lowest-ranked guards and is now a member of the Chiefs. Of greater concern, the interior of the 49ers’ O-line took a notable pre-draft hit when longtime stalwart Alex Boone signed with the Vikings as a free agent.
Here’s a look at the 49ers’ 11-player draft class:
- 1-7: DeForest Buckner, DL (Oregon)
- 1-28: Joshua Garnett, G (Stanford)
- 3-68: Will Redmond, DB (Mississippi State)
- 4-133: Rashard Robinson, CB (LSU)
- 5-142: Ronald Blair, DE (Appalachian State)
- 5-145: John Theus, T (Georgia)
- 5-174: Fahn Cooper, OL (Ole Miss)
- 6-207: Jeff Driskel, QB (Louisiana Tech)
- 6-211: Kelvin Taylor, RB (Florida)
- 6-213: Aaron Burbridge, WR (Michigan State)
- 7-249: Prince Charles Iworah, DB (Western Kentucky)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers Sign B.J. McBryde
- The 49ers have announced the signing of defensive lineman B.J. McBryde to a two-year contract. McBryde, undrafted out of UConn last year, previously spent time on the practice squads of Philadelphia and Green Bay.
Joey Bosa Will Not Report To Chargers Today
Chargers first round pick Joey Bosa will not report with his teammates today as he remains unsigned, according to Steve Wyche of NFL.com (on Twitter). The timing of bonus payouts and offset language are believed to be the sticking points in negotiations.
[RELATED: Jets, Rookie Darron Lee Agree To Deal]
While Bosa’s battle with the Bolts over his rookie contract has been known for some time, few expected this dispute to drag into training camp. The No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft seems serious about getting what he wants in his rookie deal and he is out to prove his point as he stays home today.
Bosa is obviously a big part of the Chargers’ plans for this season and his absence is undoubtedly frustrating for the team. Recently, in a PFR exclusive, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas gave an in-depth look at Bosa and the rest of San Diego’s rookie class:
“Bosa is scheduled to start at left defensive end, where the Chargers let former second round pick, Kendall Reyes, also leave the complex to join Weddle in Baltimore. After a promising rookie year that saw Reyes tally 5.5 sacks, nine stops for loss and nineteen QB pressures, Reyes failed to impress during his three years as a starter, making two sacks and 32 hits through fifteen assignments with the first unit last year.
While Bosa only sealed the deal with five sacks in 2015, he did record fourteen QB chase-downs, including eight on third-down snaps and two on fourth-down plays. While he was effective as a pass rusher in 2014, he really has yet to develop an array of pass rush moves, relying more on his length and raw power to beat blocks on his path to the quarterback. He is known more for that power, but as he matures, he needs to be more efficient with his swim- and rip-move techniques. In any event, he can be an impact player for the Chargers in 2016 – once he gets his contract sorted out.”
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, guard Joshua Garnett stands as the only other remaining first-round holdout. Rapoport (on Twitter) hears that there probably won’t be a holdout from the No. 28 overall pick and a deal should get done shortly.
Photo courtesy of PFR on Instagram.
49ers Notes: Ramsey, Davis
As shown on Roster Resource, Ramsey would have faced an uphill battle to make the Niners’ roster given the number of defensive linemen they have under contract.
- Anthony Davis has been taking jabs at the 49ers for the better part of a year now, but agent Drew Rosenhaus says all of the animosity is in the rear view mirror. “I do believe that he has patched things up with the organization,” Rosenhaus told PFT’s Mike Florio. “He has been in contact with the organization and I also believe with the coaching staff and they’ve rebuilt that relationship. So whatever damage took place in my estimation has been repaired.” Davis submitted the necessary paperwork to come out of retirement earlier this week. One report indicated that the Niners are “wary” of getting involved with the mercurial offensive lineman again.
49ers defensive lineman Kaleb Ramsey retired from football today, as Cam Inman of The Mercury News writes. Ramsey, a draft pick of the 49ers in 2014, was sidelined for all of his rookie year with an Achilles injury. In 2015, he was on San Francisco’s practice squad and was also hit with a four-game suspension for a PED violation.
“The 49ers took a chance on drafting me and made my NFL dreams come true,” Ramsey said in a statement. “Unfortunately, my career has been cut short, as I have made the decision to step away from the game to concentrate on other priorities in my life.”
As shown on Roster Resource, Ramsey would have faced an uphill battle to make the Niners’ roster given the number of defensive linemen they have under contract.
49ers Notes: Gamble, Davis
- Although the 49ers are reportedly more interested in keeping offensive tackle Anthony Davis than trading him, the club is “wary” of Davis’ reinstatement and could be questioning his commitment to football, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). San Francisco is somewhat worried that Davis will be challenged in his return to the everyday grind of the NFL, and the team’s staff will watch him closely as camp and the preseason progresses. Davis, a former first-round pick, is far more talented than the Niners’ incumbent right tackle, Erik Pears, so the club doesn’t have much to lose by letting Davis attend training camp and compete for a starting position.
The 49ers have hired Tom Gamble as assistant general manager, the club announced today. Gamble is in his second stint with San Francisco, as he worked alongside GM Trent Baalke in the club’s front office from 2005-2012 before re-joining the team in January 2015 as a senior personnel executive. Notably, current 49ers head coach Chip Kelly brought Gamble with him to Philadelphia as his top personnel man, but Gamble was ousted following the 2014 campaign.
Darnell Dockett To Retire As A Cardinal
1:55pm: Dockett will sign a one-day contract to retire as a Cardinal, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link).
1:30pm: Former Cardinals and 49ers defensive lineman Darnell Dockett plans to announce his retirement on Monday, sources tell Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Dockett, 35, has not played in the NFL since the 2013 campaign.
[RELATED: Cardinals want to extend Calais Campbell]
Dockett spent ten seasons in the desert, starting 156 games for Arizona as an undersized defensive tackle while posting 40.5 sacks, good for seventh on the Cardinals’ all-time list. The former third-round pick registered a career-high nine takedowns during the 2007 season, one of three years he was selected to the Pro Bowl — Dockett was also named a second-team All Pro in 2009.
Among defensive lineman who played from 2004-2013, Docket ranks ninth in Pro Football Reference’s approximate value metric. He helped lead Arizona to two playoff berths, including the 2009 postseason when the club made a postseason run to the Super Bowl only to lose to the Steelers.
In the summer of 2014, Dockett tore his ACL during training camp and was forced to miss the entire regular season. The Cardinals released him in the spring of 2015, and Dockett signed with the division rival 49ers. He didn’t make the 53-man roster, however, and was cut that September.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Alex Boone: Gabbert Will Win Starting Job
- Current Vikings guard Alex Boone spent the first seven seasons of his professional career with the 49ers before signing with Minnesota this offseason, and he tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Blaine Gabbert will beat out Colin Kaepernick for San Francisco’s starting quarterback job. Boone said, “To be honest I think that Blaine did a great job last year, and from what I know of Blaine, I think he’s probably gonna take the reins. I mean I think he’s a good guy, he knows what he’s doing out there, and he just has the support of the group so I think that’s one of the things to look forward to.” Boone’s comments, of course, are in keeping with recent reports from the Bay Area.
West Notes: Broncos, Lynch, Sanchez, 49ers
The Broncos appear to want rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch to play at some point during the upcoming season, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. While it would still be an “upset” if veteran Mark Sanchez doesn’t win the starting job, Denver management would like to see Lynch see live action when the regular season begins. As Klis suggests, Lynch is thought to be relatively raw developmentally and his learning curve might be steep, so it would behoove the club to let Lynch take some snaps during the year. However, the Broncos aren’t likely to turn to Sanchez if the team is playing well, so the only chance for Lynch to see the field might be if Denver starts the season slow.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- The best contract on the Broncos‘ roster belongs to cornerback Chris Harris, opines Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, who adds the Harris will earn $6.5MM over a five-year period than will teammate Aqib Talib (and Harris is probably the better defensive back). Denver pulled a “con job” on Harris and his camp, writes Fitzgerald, tagging on option years at the end of the deal, while employing a bonus structure that would allow the club to earn a salary cap credit if the options aren’t exercised. On the flip side, the worst contract in the Mile High City is that of offensive tackle Donald Stephenson, who agreed to a three-year, $14MM deal over the offseason. Clearly (given those terms), this pact isn’t very onerous, and Fitzgerald notes that general manager John Elway has become so adept at financial negotiations that the Broncos simply aren’t carrying many poor contracts.
- After struggling against opposing quarterbacks in 2015 (and ranking 30th in defensive passing DVOA), the 49ers didn’t use any of their ample cap space to pursue outside additions to their secondary. But as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes, San Francisco has used seven draft picks on defensive backs over the past three years, so the club has made a significant investment in improving its back end. Tramaine Brock looks like he’ll grab hold of one starting corner job in 2016, while former first-round safety Jimmie Ward is nearly a lock to serve as the Niners’ nickel corner, and could compete for time on the outside as well. Meanwhile, third-rounder Will Redmond, who tore his ACL last October, is a candidate to open training camp on the non-football injury list, and is unlikely to see much playing time during his rookie season.
- Earlier today, Troy Renck of Denver7 suggested that safety Omar Bolden — recently released by the Bears — could wind up back with the Broncos, noting that his release was not injury related. At the very least, Bolden could help out on special teams in Denver, as he was one of the club’s primary kick returners over the past four years.
Blaine Gabbert Seen As "Better Fit" Than Colin Kaepernick
- Many in the 49ers organization see Blaine Gabbert as a better fit for Chip Kelly‘s offense than Colin Kaepernick, writes ESPN.com’s Michael Wagaman. As a result of this report, Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com says it’s “fair to wonder” whether Kaepernick is only on the roster because the team ultimately “misjudged the trade market.”
- Meanwhile, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com believes the 49ers should start “kicking the tires” on a Kaepernick trade (Twitter link).
[SOURCE LINK]