Baalke On Importance Of Stockpiling CBs
- 49ers general manager Trent Baalke has selected three corners in each of the past two drafts, and as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains, the San Francisco executive clearly understands the need to accumulate secondary depth. “I think you’re seeing that trend league-wide,” Baalke said. “There’s a premium put on those players. It’s going to be extremely important moving forward to create as much depth and competition at that position as you can.” Maiocco touches on several other topics within the piece, including what the 49ers will do with their nearly $50MM in cap space, and why the club is unlikely to reunite with veteran receiver Anquan Boldin.
49ers Not Ruling Out Anquan Boldin Reunion
- A report earlier this week indicated that the 49ers have not made an effort to re-sign wide receiver Anquan Boldin. However, general manager Trent Baalke said today that the door isn’t closed on a possible reunion between the two sides (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). While Baalke likes his team’s young receiving talent, the Niners are still exploring all their options.
49ers Sign Wynton McManis, Cut Kevin Anderson
- The 49ers waived undrafted Stanford linebacker Kevin Anderson while signing Memphis linebacker Wynton McManis, Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets.
49ers Haven’t Asked Bush, Boldin To Return
No huge surprise here, but the 49ers have not asked running back Reggie Bush or wide receiver Anquan Boldin to re-sign, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets. 
[RELATED: 49ers Exercise Eric Reid’s 2017 Option]
Bush, 31, announced in February that he is intent on playing in 2016. What isn’t clear, however, is whether there is strong interest from NFL teams in making that a reality. Bush later signed with the 49ers last season, but he played just five games before tearing his left ACL on the concrete at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis. It was a terrible ending to a year that never really got started – Bush ran for just 28 yards before his unfortunate spill.
As for Boldin, today’s news means that things have not changed since about three weeks ago when things were said to be quiet between SF and the veteran. Boldin’s visited Washington in late March (his only free agent visit to date), but he says that he will not rush to put pen to paper. In other words, if Washington made an offer to the 35-year-old, then it was for less money than Boldin feels he is worth.
Boldin had a down year in 2015, missing a couple games due to injury and finishing with 69 receptions for 789 yards and four touchdowns. However, someone taking an optimistic view on Boldin might argue that the Niners’ quarterback situation hurt his performance. Prior to the start of free agency, Pro Football Rumors rated Boldin as the fifth-best free agent wide receiver available.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers Hire Parys Haralson
- The 49ers announced today in a press release that former NFL linebacker Parys Haralson has joined the team as the director of player engagement. Haralson, who last played for the Saints in 2014, spent seven years in San Francisco as a player from 2006 to 2012, and worked out for the Niners last fall after being cut by New Orleans.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, draft guru Mel Kiper identifies 30 undrafted free agents to keep an eye on this summer. The Bills, Panthers, Bears, Broncos, Colts, Saints, Jets, 49ers each have two signees on the list, while the Buccaneers have an impressive four of the 30.
- The 49ers announced today in a press release that former NFL linebacker Parys Haralson has joined the team as the director of player engagement. Haralson, who last played for the Saints in 2014, spent seven years in San Francisco as a player from 2006 to 2012, and worked out for the Niners last fall after being cut by New Orleans.
Chiefs Claim Devey Off Waivers From 49ers
- The Chiefs claimed guard Jordan Devey off waivers from the 49ers, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Devey unexpectedly made his way into the Niners’ starting lineup to open the 2015 season. Although he was replaced down the stretch, the 28-year-old made nine starts and played nearly 400 offensive snaps for San Francisco in 2015.
49ers Sign DeForest Buckner, Draftees, UDFAs
The 49ers have confirmed the previously-reported signings of sixth-round draft picks Kelvin Taylor and Jeff Driskel, and announced nearly two dozen more roster moves to go along with those signings. In a press release, the Niners said they have waived four players from their 90-man roster, signed nine draft picks (including Taylor and Driskel), and added 12 undrafted free agents to the mix.
San Francisco’s most notable transaction is the signing of defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, who becomes the highest-drafted player to ink his rookie contract so far. Buckner, a standout at Oregon, was snagged by the 49ers with the seventh overall pick in last week’s draft, and is in line for a four-year contract worth more than $18.19MM, including a signing bonus of approximately $11.43MM. His deal also features a fifth-year option for 2020.
Listed below are the other draftees signed today by the 49ers, in addition to Buckner, Taylor, and Driskel. Only first-round guard Joshua Garnett and third-round defensive back Will Redmond are still unsigned:
- 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)
- 6-213: Aaron Burbridge, WR (Michigan State)
- 7-249: Prince Charles Iworah, DB (Western Kentucky)
While the 49ers had plenty of space on their roster for their draft picks, the team didn’t have much extra flexibility to add more than a handful of undrafted free agents. As such, San Francisco has cut four veterans: offensive lineman Jordan Devey, kicker Corey Acosta, running back Kendall Gaskins, and quarterback Dylan Thompson.
Devey is perhaps the most notable name in this group — the 49ers didn’t make many headlines when they acquired him from the Patriots in a trade for tight end Asante Cleveland last August, but Devey unexpectedly made his way into the club’s starting lineup to open the season. Although he was replaced down the stretch, the 28-year-old made nine starts and played nearly 400 offensive snaps for San Francisco in 2015.
With a few spots cleared on their 90-man roster, the Niners officially added 12 undrafted free agents. Here’s the full list of those UDFAs:
- LB Kevin Anderson (Stanford)
- OL Alex Balducci (Oregon)
- S Jered Bell (Colorado) ($2.5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
- WR Devon Cajuste (Stanford)
- DL Demetrius Cherry (Arizona State)
- LB Jason Fanaika (Utah)
- LB Lenny Jones (Nevada)
- DL Darren Lake (Alabama) ($7K guarantee, per Wilson)
- K John Lunsford (Liberty)
- OL Blake Muir (Baylor)
- OL Norman Price (Southern Mississippi)
- WR Bryce Treggs (California)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers Sign Kelvin Taylor, Jeff Driskel
- Former Florida running back Kelvin Taylor, one of three players drafted in the sixth round last Saturday by the 49ers, has signed his four-year deal with San Francisco, per Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Taylor, the son of longtime Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, isn’t the only draftee locked up by San Francisco — the team also reached an agreement with sixth-round quarterback Jeff Driskel, per Aaron Wilson (Twitter link).
49ers’ Michael Wilhoite Signs RFA Tender
49ers linebacker Michael Wilhoite has become the latest restricted free agent to sign his contract tender from his team, according to a team release from the Niners. The one-year deal will set Wilhoite up to earn a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.671MM for the 2016 season.
Wilhoite, 27, started all 16 games for the 49ers back in 2014, but had been expected to transition back into a reserve role in 2015. However, after Patrick Willis and Chris Borland announced their respective retirements, Wilhoite was thrust back into the starting lineup at one of the Niners’ inside linebacker spots.
The former undrafted free agent, who made 12 starts last season before injuries cut his year short, was graded as the league’s worst linebacker out of 97 qualified players by Pro Football Focus. Based on his shaky performance and the presence of Gerald Hodges, who started down the stretch, Wilhoite won’t be assured of a spot in the lineup in 2016.
Wilhoite becomes the second-last restricted free agents to officially sign a contract this offseason, leaving only Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall unsigned. I examined the status of this year’s group of RFAs a couple weeks ago.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants A Possible Suitor For Anthony Davis?
- Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post explores whether it would make sense for the Giants to pursue a trade for disgruntled 49ers tackle Anthony Davis, who is a New Jersey native. David remains on San Francisco’s reserve/retired list and would need to be reinstated before any trade could be completed, but he doesn’t sound enthusiastic about the idea of returning to the Niners.