Latest On Colin Kaepernick, Broncos
TUESDAY, 6:15pm: While Kaepernick isn’t totally opposed to the idea of reducing his salary as part of a trade, he isn’t interested in a pay cut as significant as Denver has proposed, writes Mindi Bach of CSNBayArea.com.
A source tells CSNBayArea.com that the Broncos actually want to reduce Kaepernick’s salary to $7MM for 2017 in addition to 2016. Considering the Niners quarterback currently has the ability to earn more than $14MM in 2016 alone through base salary and bonuses, it makes sense that he wouldn’t have interest in a deal that would pay him about the same amount over the course of two years.
MONDAY, 6:43pm: The talks have stalled due to the issue with Kaepernick’s salary, but they’re not necessarily done for good, Mark Maske of The Washington Post tweets.
1:18pm: Colin Kaepernick is staying put in San Francisco, at least for now. The 49ers quarterback refuses to take a pay cut and the Niners are refusing to pay off part of his contract to help facilitate a trade with Denver, according to a source who spoke with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). 
Trade speculation involving Kaepernick swirled all weekend, with conflicting reports on whether or not the Broncos and 49ers were close to reaching a trade agreement. Although there was some disagreement on how close the two sides were on agreeing to trade compensation, virtually every report suggested that Denver would want Kaepernick at a reduced salary. Now we know that No. 7 is unwilling take a pay cut from his current $11.9MM figure, which is fully guaranteed. The Niners are also unwilling to eat a portion of that to ease the Broncos’ financial commitment.
Earlier today we learned that Kaepernick was spotted on a flight from Denver to the Bay Area, meaning that he is reporting to the 49ers. By reporting, Kaepernick is able to cash in on his $400K workout bonus, but he likely won’t be able to do much as he continues to rehab from injuries.
The Broncos’ quarterback depth chart currently consists of Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian and while they have said that they would be willing to head into the season with Sanchez as the starter, they have been exploring their options and heavily considering a Kaepernick deal. The 49ers, meanwhile, have Blaine Gabbert under contract and theoretically could afford to part with Kaepernick. Still, they have been steadfast in their desire to get value in return for the one-time superstar and unwilling to split the check.
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West Rumors: 49ers, Raiders, Las Vegas
The 49ers spoke with the Titans about moving up to the No. 1 pick in the draft, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Still, the 49ers are trying to assess exactly what a move from No. 7 to No. 1 would cost them and they’re also unsure of whether they really need to move up in the draft. San Francisco is believed to be targeting a quarterback and it’s possible that either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz will be there at No. 7.
Here’s more from the West divisions:
- More and more NFL owners are warming up to the idea of the Raiders playing in Las Vegas, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Meanwhile, owner Mark Davis is intrigued by the idea of moving to Vegas, but he’s unsure if fans will continue to fly in for games year after year. When asked about the possibility of the Raiders moving to Las Vegas in March, commissioner Roger Goodell didn’t close the door on the possibility of having an NFL franchise there.
- Indiana defensive tackle Darius Latham has an official visit with the Cardinals, Wilson tweets.
- Marshall safety D.J. Hunter has a private workout scheduled with the 49ers, a league source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
- Clemson safety T.J. Green announced (on Twitter) that he is in Arizona to meet with the Cardinals today.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Jordan Devey Signs ERFA Tender
- The 49ers announced on Monday that offensive lineman Jordan Devey has signed a one-year exclusive rights tender. The Niners acquired Devey from New England in August of last year and he went on to appear in 15 games with nine starts.
49ers Re-Sign Tony Jerod-Eddie
The 49ers have brought back a free agent on their defensive line, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Tony Jerod-Eddie has re-signed with the team. Rapoport adds that it will be a one-year, $1.3MM contract.
Jerod-Eddie, who turned 26 last week, was eligible for restricted free agency this season, but the 49ers opted to non-tender him rather than issuing him a qualifying offer. Early in the free agent period, a report indicated that, despite not tendering him a contract, the Niners remained interested in re-signing Jerod-Eddie. As it turns out, the team will save a little money by taking this approach, since the Texas A&M alum would have been in line for a $1.671MM tender as a restricted free agent.
Jerod-Eddie was one of seven interior defensive linemen for the 49ers to receive at least 200 defensive snaps in 2015, and according to Pro Football Focus, he received the lowest grade of the group — PFF ranked him 107th out of 123 qualified players at the position. Still, Jerod-Eddie has some value in a part-time role, contributing 14 tackles and four passes defended last season.
The 49ers, who re-signed nose tackle Ian Williams earlier in the offseason, will keep their defensive line from last season essentially intact. The team also brings back Arik Armstead, Quinton Dial, and Glenn Dorsey, among others.
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Colin Kaepernick To Report To Niners
With the 49ers’ offseason workouts set to get underway today, Colin Kaepernick – the subject of several trade rumors within the last few weeks – is expected to be in attendance. Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News first tweeted on Sunday night that the quarterback would likely report, and as David Fucillo of Niners Nation details, Kaepernick was spotted on a flight from Denver to the Bay Area. He had been rehabbing in Colorado.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee has also reported that Kaepernick will report to the Niners’ facility on Monday, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeting that the signal-caller is set to attend a team meeting at 8:30 pacific time this morning, along with the rest of his teammates.
Of course, as Barrows has detailed and as Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets, reporting to San Francisco is something of a tactical move for Kaepernick, who is still recovering from multiple injuries and may not be able to participate much in workouts. The Niners QB is owed a $400K workout bonus on his current deal, which he may have forfeited by not showing up this week.
Trade speculation involving Kaepernick swirled all weekend, with conflicting reports on whether or not the Broncos and 49ers were close to reaching a trade agreement. Although there was some disagreement on how close the two sides were on agreeing to trade compensation, virtually every report suggested that Denver would want Kaepernick at a reduced salary, and it remains to be seen whether he would be willing to take a pay cut from his current $11.9MM figure, which is fully guaranteed.
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Kenyan Drake To Visit 49ers
- Alabama running back Kenyan Drake visited the Cowboys and Dolphins and will next head to San Francisco to meet with the 49ers, he told ESPN’s Vaughn McClure (link via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com). Drake was stuck behind the likes of Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry while with the Crimson Tide, but he averaged a lofty 6.4 yards per carry on 233 attempts and totaled 22 touchdowns (18 rushing, four receiving) during his four-year NCAA career.
Latest On Colin Kaepernick
As those who have closely followed the Colin Kaepernick saga know, the 28-year-old will collect a $400K bonus if he partakes in 90 percent of the 49ers’ offseason workouts. Those workouts begin Monday, and much has been made about whether Kaepernick will appear or stay away and continue to hold out hope for a trade. The Broncos – who are pursuing a deal for Kaepernick – begin their offseason workouts April 18, so Kaepernick could theoretically skip the 49ers’ program and recoup the $400K with Denver if it acquires him by then, as Mike Klis of 9News notes (on Twitter).
- Whether Kaepernick attends the start of 49ers workouts Monday could be crucial to both teams’ leverage, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes. If he’s a no-show, it will further demonstrate that his relationship with the 49ers is irreparable and potentially force them to settle for an underwhelming offer from the Broncos. On the other hand, should Kaepernick report, there’s a chance he and new 49ers head coach Chip Kelly will develop a rapport and ultimately lead No. 7 to continue his five-year career in San Francisco.
CBA Murky on Anthony Davis Bonus Money
- If Anthony Davis applies for reinstatement as is expected, the situation between the right tackle and the 49ers could become complicated, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Davis was forced to repay a portion of his signing bonus when he retired prior to last season, and if he returns, its unclear exactly how the situation will be handled. The CBA is murky on the issue, per Fitzgerald, but San Francisco could threaten to release Davis and recoup another $3MM.
49ers May Take On Over $12MM Of Dead Money In A Kaepernick Trade
- Denver reportedly wants to pay Kaepernick $7MM of the $11.9MM he is guaranteed for 2016, with the 49ers kicking in the $4.9MM balance. As Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com reminds us, NFL teams cannot trade cash as a MLB or NBA team can. Instead, the Niners could turn part of Kaepernick’s salary into a signing bonus, pay it, and then trade him (Twitter link). If the 49ers were to go that route, the team would eat $12.29MM in dead cap room in 2016, per Spotrac (via Twitter). Although that is hardly an ideal scenario, it’s not as though the 49ers couldn’t afford it. According to Spotrac, the club has just shy of $57MM of cap space.
There are significant differences of opinion as to how close the 49ers and the Broncos are to completing a Colin Kaepernick trade, but there is already a considerable amount of potential fallout to consider if the deal is ultimately consummated. Let’s have a look:
- Denver reportedly wants to pay Kaepernick $7MM of the $11.9MM he is guaranteed for 2016, with the 49ers kicking in the $4.9MM balance. As Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com reminds us, NFL teams cannot trade cash as a MLB or NBA team can. Instead, the Niners could turn part of Kaepernick’s salary into a signing bonus, pay it, and then trade him (Twitter link). If the 49ers were to go that route, the team would eat $12.29MM in dead cap room in 2016, per Spotrac (via Twitter). Although that is hardly an ideal scenario, it’s not as though the 49ers couldn’t afford it. According to Spotrac, the club has just shy of $57MM of cap space.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk proposes a creative solution to the reported holdup in contract talks between the Broncos and Kaepernick. Florio suggests that Kaepernick should forfeit the $4.9MM difference between what he is owed and what Denver is willing to pay, and in exchange, Denver should wipe out the remaining four years of his “notoriously team-friendly contract.” Of course, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, while that solution has its merits, it would put the 2017 Broncos in the same position they are in right now. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com tweets that Kaepernick would certainly be justified in taking a paycut if the Broncos were willing to tear up the remainder of his contract.
Colin Kaepernick Trade Not Close?
A report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter yesterday indicated that the 49ers and Broncos had agreed to the parameters of a trade that would send Colin Kaepernick to the Broncos in exchange for a mid-round draft pick or two, with the only holdup being an agreement between Kaepernick and Denver on a reduced contract. However, subsequent reports from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee indicated that the two teams do not, in fact, have the parameters of a deal in place, and that while a trade could certainly happen, there are still a number of hurdles to clear.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk concurs with Rapoport and Barrows, writing that, “the notion that the only thing keeping a deal from happening is a deal between the Broncos and Kaepernick on a reduced contract is…a ‘real stretch.'” Florio’s source says “someone” planted the news that trade talks are much further along than they actually are because that “someone” wants a deal to get done and believes that reports indicating a deal is close will provide the push necessary to make it happen.
But Schefter continues to stand by his original report that the trade compensation is a “non-issue” and that the only obstacle is Kaepernick’s contract. And, according to Schefter’s latest story, Kaepernick and the Broncos have made progress on most of the signal-caller’s contract, which runs through 2020, with the upcoming 2016 season being the only sticking point. Schefter writes that the Broncos are willing to pay $7MM of Kaepernick’s $11.9MM 2016 salary, which became fully guaranteed on Friday, but they would like San Francisco to pay the remaining $4.9MM, something the Niners are reportedly unwilling to do. Kaepernick, understandably, has no desire to simply forfeit that $4.9MM to make a deal work.
Clearly, there is some disagreement among some of the NFL’s most prominent writers as to the imminence of a Kaepernick trade. There are some scribes, like John McMullen of Today’sPigskin.com, who believe that Kaepernick should forfeit the $4.9MM in order to facilitate a deal and land on a contending club, which could increase his salary in the long run. As McMullen writes, “a give back by Kaepernick in the short-term could be taking the proverbial one step back to eventually take two forward because a rejuvenated career means more money on the back-end.” But if Schefter’s report that Kaepernick and Denver have more or less ironed out the final four years of the quarterback’s deal, then the premises of McMullen’s theory don’t necessarily hold up, and although Kaepernick clearly wants to get out of San Francisco, spending at least one season in Chip Kelly‘s offense would hardly be the worst thing for him from a football standpoint.
Like the rest of the football world, we’ll just have to wait and see.
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