West Notes: Lynch, Irvin, Nolan, Cardinals
Appearing on Dave Mahler’s radio show on 950 KJR, former Seahawks fullback (and current NFL Network commentator) Michael Robinson said “it’s fair to assume” that Seattle will part ways with running back Marshawn Lynch prior to next season, per Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk. Seahawks general manager John Schneider said last month that Lynch may retire, but the smart play for Beast Mode is probably to force the team to release him, as he wouldn’t have to return signing bonus money if he’s cut. If Seattle does release Lynch, they’d save $6.5MM against their 2016 salary cap.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the West divisions:
- Vinny Curry‘s recent extension with the Eagles is a good sign for Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin, opines Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Curry’s contract — five years, $47MM, $18MM guaranteed — could set a target for Irvin, who is heading for unrestricted free agency, and as Kapadia notes, is probably a more versatile player than Curry. Irvin did suggest last month that he’d accept less money to stay in Seattle.
- Longtime NFL coach Mike Nolan expressed interest in the 49ers defensive coordinator position earlier this year, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). Nolan, of course, served as San Francisco’s head coach 2005-08, but spent last season as the Chargers’ linebackers coach. He’s been linked to the Cowboys’ defensive backs position this offseason.
- Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill believes that with a “couple more pieces,” his club will be a Super Bowl contender in 2016, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Bidwill voiced his faith in Arizona’s “core players,” which makes it sound as though the club will target upgrades on the margins. Indeed, head coach Bruce Arians said last month that while the Cardinals will look for pass rush help this offseason, they don’t expect to make a big splash in free agency.
- In their efforts to complete a deal for a new stadium, San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer and Chargers owner Dean Spanos have spoken by phone this week, but have yet to meet face-to-face, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The two sides are expected to begin more formal talks soon, per Acee.
49ers Notes: Kapernick, Kelly, Norman
It’s anyone’s guess as to where Colin Kaepernick will be playing in 2016, says Tim Kawakami of The Mercury News writes. However, this much is clear: Kaepernick does not trust the Niners front office and the team’s top executives are not wild about him either.
Recently, a report out of New York indicated that Kaepernick could be a possibility for the Jets and Kawakami has heard for months that the Jets are a possibility for him. However, he has also heard that the Texans and Broncos could be other interesting potential landing spots, though he does not quantify either team’s level of interest. Of course, the Broncos have more pressing matters on their hands this week.
As we wait to see how things shake out with No. 7, here’s more out of SF:
- Three years ago, the Niners and Chiefs agreed to a deal that sent Alex Smith to KC in exchange for two second-round picks. At the time, however, Smith was at the zenith of his career while Kaepernick is trending downwards. Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee ran down possible landing spots for Kaepernick, including the Jets, Browns, Broncos, Texans, and Eagles. Of course, Kaepernick could wind up staying put as well, but Barrows notes that new coach Chip Kelly has only spoken with the QB once since he was hired.
- The Niners own the No. 7 pick in the draft this year and many have wondered if they could make a play for Cal product Jared Goff. However, he has yet to talk to anyone from the Niners. “I get this question a lot,” Goff told Jeff Faraudo of the Bay Area News Group. “I literally haven’t talked to anybody. Zero people I’ve talked to.“
- Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, a pending free agent, has an affinity for the Bay Area, as Cam Inman of The Mercury News writes. The 49ers have tons of cap space this spring, but it’s pretty unlikely that Norman will reach the open market. The Panthers have the right to hit the cornerback with the franchise tag.
- 49ers tight end Vance McDonald is hopeful that Kaepernick can get back to his old form under Kelly, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports writes. “I’m not saying we don’t all do it, but that guy just beats himself up over making a mistake harder than anyone else,” McDonald said. “I’ll be the first to always step up and say I’m right there in his corner. Any time he has a bad game or bad taste in his mouth or makes a bad play, I just want that guy to understand his potential because he can be a tremendous player.”
Colin Kaepernick Wants To Join Jets?
WEDNESDAY, 9:19pm; The Jets are not interested in Kaepernick, hears Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). Still, he says Kaepernick has wanted out “for some time” and new coach Chip Kelly apparently hasn’t done much to build a relationship with him.
TUESDAY, 5:42pm: Apparently, the coaching change in San Francisco hasn’t sold Colin Kaepernick on staying put. The athletic quarterback now wants to move on from the 49ers and he considers the Jets to be his preferred destination, sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. 
While Chip Kelly should have the final say on who the 49ers‘ starting quarterback will be in 2016, team management would reportedly like to see Kaepernick get another opportunity. The 49ers front office apparently views Kaepernick’s $11.9MM base salary as reasonable for a starting quarterback, and believes he has the potential to bounce back under Kelly. However, it’s not yet clear how Kelly currently feels about Kaepernick’s upside, even though he has been said to be a fan of the QB in the past.
No. 7 still has five years left on his hefty $114MM extension, but there are plenty of opportunities for the 49ers to escape that deal without major penalty. Following two seasons where he guided the 49ers to the NFC title game, Kaepernick signed a team-friendly extension that called for his salaries from 2015-17 to be guaranteed for injury only.
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles have been vocal about wanting to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, but it’s not a slam dunk that they will given the number of teams that are in need of help under center. Of course, if the Jets want him, they’ll have to either work out a trade with the Niners or wait until he is cut. The 49ers must make a decision to keep, trade or cut Kaepernick before April 1 when his 2016 base salary of $11.9MM becomes guaranteed. San Francisco would save $8.5MM by cutting Kaepernick, who is scheduled to have a $15.9MM cap charge this season.
NFC West Notes: Kaepernick, Irvin, Fitzgerald
A New York Daily News report on Tuesday suggested that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick would prefer to leave San Francisco this offseason, with the Jets named as his potential destination of choice. Kaepernick is still recovering from surgeries on his thumb and knee, and the 49ers don’t have to make a decision on his future until April 1st, so there likely won’t be any resolution to the QB’s situation anytime soon.
There’s little doubt that Kaepernick would prefer a fresh start, but even if he prefers to join a team like the Jets, he doesn’t control his own fate, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. As Maiocco points out, new head coach Chip Kelly will be the one deciding whether or not Kaepernick remains a Niner — if Kelly wants Kaepernick on the roster, he’ll stay on the roster. While it’s possible that Kaepernick will ultimately be traded or released, a new coaching staff in San Francisco could help give him the fresh start he seeks.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- Even if the Jets don’t want Kaepernick, they could use his reported interest in them as leverage in negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) opines. If the 49ers still haven’t made a decision on their quarterback by the time free agency opens on March 9th, it’ll be interesting to see how that situation affects the Jets — if at all.
- Vinny Curry‘s new deal with the Eagles should provide a good “data point” for Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin and his contract talks, tweets Corry. Seattle turned down its fifth-year option on Irvin, so he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency this winter.
- Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald is entering the final season of his contract, and it’s possible it will also be the final season of his NFL career, though he has yet to directly address the issue. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic discusses that possibility.
- The 49ers have added J.P. Crowley Hanlon, who worked under Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, as an assistant to the coaching staff, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
Extra Points: Manning, Hayne, Raiders, Eagles
The 49ers tried to lean on then-defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s familiarity with Peyton Manning as a recruitment tool when they, the Titans and Broncos were finalists for the then-free agent’s services, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Fangio, the Bears’ current DC and then the 49ers’ defensive boss, was the Colts’ defensive coordinator under Jim Mora from 1999-01 and recalled the back-and-forths he had with the wunderkind quarterback during their time in Indianapolis. The two would verbally jostle in practices if Manning felt the defense was playing the wrong coverage, and Fangio would counter that the practices weren’t geared only to Manning success.
Fangio thought a 49ers talented defense that had the team on the cusp of Super Bowl XLVI the season prior would be the then-36-year-old quarterback’s ticket to another championship.
“When we were talking to him about coming to the 49ers,” Fangio told Branch, “I told him we’d let him win in practice if he signed.”
Manning will play in the 49ers’ stadium Sunday, doing so in a non-preseason setting for the first time since since joining the Broncos.
Here’s the latest from around the league as the Pro Bowl’s conclusion leaves just one game remaining in the 2015 season.
- Trent Baalke still sees a place for ex-rugby standout Jarryd Hayne on the 49ers even after a regime change, Michael Chammas of the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald reports. “[Chip Kelly is] excited to get his hands on him, the whole coaching staff is. We’ll find out in short order who fits and who doesn’t fit,” Baalke told Chammas. The Sydney-based reporter notes Hayne’s 2016 season will determine if he returns to the National Rugby League after that, with the 28-year-old being waived by the 49ers last season and re-signed to the team’s practice squad. “I think that there were enough signs that he was still ways away in respect to development, that we felt there was a good chance he would make it through waivers and we’d be able to put him on our practice,” Baalke said of the soon-to-be-28-year-old running back.
- Ryan Clady earlier today said he’d be willing to rework his contract to help the Broncos, which would increase his chances of being on the team for a ninth season. Entering his age-30 campaign off of two season-ending injuries in three seasons, Clady intimated to Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press he’s ready for offseason work after undergoing surgery in June 2015, but said the Broncos may want him to skip OTAs to be ready for training camp. A former first-team All-Pro, Clady tore his ACL during OTAs last season, prompting the Broncos to sign current left tackle Ryan Harris as an emergency replacement.
- The NFL doesn’t see Oakland coming up with a viable stadium plan in the near future, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. The Raiders are scouring the Pacific Time Zone for other avenues and haven’t discussed a new stadium since the owners’ meetings Jan. 12.
- Sam Bradford faces a complex decision on whether to return to the Eagles, and the Texans will be their primary competition, should the seventh-year former No. 1 overall pick reach free agency, the Philadelphia Daily News writes. Paul Domowitch writes the Kelly trade target will depart due to the Texans having a superior defense and Doug Pederson‘s arrival negating the familiarity edge for the Eagles, while John Smallwood notes the Broncos could be in play, should they decide Brock Osweiler won’t be enough to keep them in the Super Bowl conversation. Overall, 11 of the 19 Daily News staffers polled, however, indicated Bradford would be back on the Eagles in ’16.
Levi’s Stadium An Option For Raiders?
The Raiders participated in discussions about sharing Levi’s Stadium with the 49ers, but when former owner Al Davis died in 2011, the notion to have both Bay Area teams as tenants halted.
But experts and stakeholders told Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today reports now would be the time to reconsider this idea, with the Raiders pushing hard for a new stadium in Oakland, or entertaining discussions with Las Vegas, San Diego, and waiting on the Chargers to officially decide on Los Angeles.
“It certainly was not (Davis’) first choice, but he did understand the economic efficiency of sharing a building,” former Raiders chief executive Amy Trask told Schrotenboer. “… Al was not as adamantly against it as is current ownership. My conversations with Al went something like this: I would update him on my discussions with the 49ers, and he would immediately say, ‘Hey, I’m not sharing that stadium.’ And then after a beat or two, he would say, ‘Show me the numbers.'”
Mark Davis and the Raiders’ current power structure do not share Al Davis’ pragmatism when it comes to sharing Levi’s Stadium with the 49ers, but the NFL financially supported the $1.2 billion stadium that’s set to host Super
Bowl 50 on the basis that two teams would play there, USA Today reports. The NFL confirmed it allotted $200MM to assist with Levi’s Stadium’s cost on this condition.
“Levi’s Stadium was built to accommodate two home teams,” Jamie Matthews, mayor of Santa Clara and chairman of the public stadium authority that owns the stadium, told USA Today. “We already have the locker rooms built for two home teams. We set up the LED lighting so they could change the whole feel of the stadium with the flick of a switch. All the environmental work on it has been completed, and all the work permits. If we had a second team, they could move in tomorrow.”
This would seem a logical solution for the Raiders, who this week discussed playing 2016 on another one-year lease at 50-year-old O.co Coliseum as they’ve done for the past two years. But Mark Davis remains vehemently opposed to sharing the new stadium with the 49ers, and the lack of progress between these two sides led the Raiders to enter the Carson, Calif.-based project with the Chargers, USA Today notes. With that no longer being a viable avenue, waiting out the Chargers seems to be the franchise’s next step.
One sticking point are the stadium’s red seats, but that’s a negotiable item, Schrotenboer writes. Another is the Raiders being a subtenant of the 49ers’, which would also be the case in Inglewood.
A second team joining the 49ers would mean the teams splitting the stadium’s rent, which is set to increase from only $24MM to $25MM for this coming season, USA Today reports. City records also note the 49ers collected more than $83MM in revenue, with only 10% of that going to the stadium authority to assist with the structure’s cost, per Schrotenboer.
“I think the Raiders really want to do their own thing,” sports consultant Mark Ganis told USA Today. “They want their own stadium in the East Bay, but as a free agent they have a lot of places they can go.”
The Raiders and the city of Oakland have not engaged in formal discussions on a new Bay Area stadium since the NFL owners’ meetings in Houston earlier this month.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
West Notes: Raiders, Chargers, Kubiak, Stewart
In the news plenty this week for their flirtations with other cities, the Raiders haven’t engaged in any formal talks with Oakland about a new stadium, Matthew Artz of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Although the Raiders have discussed another one-year lease to play in their current home, O.co Coliseum, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf confirmed no negotiations on a long-term playing site have occurred since relocation meetings took place Jan. 12 in Houston.
“I recognize that the Raiders have a powerful brand and that they will always have options outside of Oakland,” Schaaf said. “And, I remain committed to proving to them that Oakland has the most to offer them.”
The Raiders have been since connected to San Antonio, San Diego and, most recently, Las Vegas in their desperate attempt to leave Oakland and secure a new stadium. But Los Angeles will still be their most likely landing spot if the Chargers reach a deal with San Diego on a stadium agreement. They remain second in line to share the Inglewood stadium with the Rams if the Chargers end up succeeding on their leverage move in San Diego.
Any Chargers deal for a publicly aided new stadium will likely need to be finalized by this summer, Artz writes, in order to get the initiative on the November ballot. If not, the Raiders’ Los Angeles path clears.
“If the alternative is no deal in Oakland … or going to this fabulous new facility and not having to put any equity into it, it would be very hard for a reasonable businessman to turn that down,” stadium consultant Marc Ganis told Artz.
Here is the latest news on the Raiders and some of the other Western-division franchises.
- In a memo sent to all 32 teams, the league notifies franchises that they shouldn’t assume the Raiders will be barred from moving to Las Vegas and no such restrictions exist on teams moving to a particular city, Vincent Bonsignore of InsideSoCal.com reports. Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk notes such a move would be extremely unlikely to receive the 24 required votes from fellow owners.
- In a long profile of top Chargers counsel Mark Fabiani, who will presumably be involved along with Dean Spanos when the two sides resume negotiations, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Peter Rowe hears the Chargers were disinterested about the new stadium site when the sides last talked. This, of course, was before the owners designated Stan Kroenke‘s Inglewood site as Los Angeles’ new football epicenter. “[Fabiani] told us the Chargers were agnostic when it came to the stadium’s new location — it really didn’t matter to them. He told us to settle on a site, spend your time analyzing these two sites and then come up with a financial plan. That’s what we did,” said Tony Manolatos, spokesman for San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer’s stadium task force, “and then he was criticizing us every step of the way.” Prior to the owners’ decision, this stance, county supervisor Ron Roberts told Rowe, was designed to make it look like the Chargers were “unloved” in San Diego.
- Spanos overplayed his hand in his all-out pursuit of Los Angeles, Nick Canepa of the Union-Tribune writes. With talks set to likely increase between the Chargers and San Diego after being dormant for months, Canepa writes the city’s business power structure need to put their weight toward making the team’s preferred downtown stadium happen.
- When Mike Shanahan left his post as the then-Super Bowl champion 49ers OC in early 1995 to become the Broncos’ head coach, the 49ers wanted to give their OC job to then-33-year-old Gary Kubiak, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Kubiak instead accepted the same position with Shanahan in Denver and held that job for 11 seasons, which eventually led to his return in 2015.
- Officially questionable, Broncos safeties T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart each vowed to play in Super Bowl 50. While Ward’s ankle injury isn’t expected to keep him out, Stewart may have a harder time playing effectively. The first-year Broncos safety’s sprained MCL’s made it difficult thus far for lateral movement, with the former Ravens back-line bastion being able to only run in a straight line in his week off from practice, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Stewart told media, including Pat Graham of the Associated Press, “Without a doubt in my mind, I’m playing.”
Extra Points: Rodgers, Jets, Jaguars, 49ers
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in the days following the team’s Jan. 16 playoff loss to Arizona, Jason Wilde and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com report. A source indicated that the procedure was a “clean-up of an old injury.” Rodgers should be ready for the Packers’ offseason program in April, according to Wilde and Demovsky. Rodgers told Wilde that he’s “doing well” and “recovering on schedule” (Twitter link via Demovsky).
More from around the NFL:
- The Jets still have faith in quarterback Geno Smith, according to owner Woody Johnson. “Geno, I think, had a pretty good year,” Johnson said Friday, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “We will see in the summer how he (does) but I think the coaches are pretty optimistic about what he has learned and maturity. We know he can throw a ball. I think he has taken it to a new level and we will see how it plays out.” Smith, whom the Jets chose in the second round of the 2013 draft, appeared in 31 games in his first three seasons and put up poor numbers. The 25-year-old has one more season left on his contract, and he’s likely to back up Ryan Fitzpatrick again. Of course, the club first has to re-sign Fitzpatrick, a pending free agent, which it’s expected to do.
- The Jaguars made a significant splash last offseason when they signed free agent tight end Julius Thomas, formerly of Denver. This offseason, the Jags could target another Broncos free agent – defensive lineman Malik Jackson – writes Gene Frenette of Jacksonville.com. Jackson, 26, finished the regular season 17th out of 123 qualifying interior D-linemen by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required).
- 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman isn’t worried that new head coach Chip Kelly‘s fast-paced offense will keep the team’s defense on the field too much, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. “Nah, I think people are blowing it out of proportion,” Bowman told Around the NFL on Friday. “I think any defense you play in, if your offense is getting off the field quicker than you gotta get off the field quicker. You gotta hold yourself to that standard.” Bowman’s words aside, it’s worth noting that the Kelly-led Eagles finished the 2015-16 regular season with 1,148 defensive plays, the most in the league.
West Notes: Chargers, Kaepernick, Manning
Those familiar with the proposal put on the table in Houston earlier this month for a Rams/Chargers partnership tell Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times that it makes more sense for the second team – the Chargers – to be a tenant instead of a co-owner for the Rams’ stadium project. As such, if the Chargers end up moving to Los Angeles, it will probably be as Stan Kroenke‘s tenant.
As Farmer and Fenno explain, the proposal that surfaced in Houston has remained relatively unchanged for the last two and a half weeks, so the current situation is viewed as “less of a back-and-forth negotiation than a choice confronting the Chargers.”
As we wait to find out what the Chargers decide, let’s check in on some items from around the NFL’s West divisions…
- Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, 49ers CEO Jed York pointed to the team’s salary cap room as one reason why it’s viable for Colin Kaepernick to remain in San Francisco in 2016. “This is a fresh start for everybody,” York said, per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “Colin needs to get back healthy, be ready to come in and compete, and we’ll see where it goes.”
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com examines Peyton Manning‘s options if the future Hall-of-Famer decides to continue his career in 2016. Corry believes the Rams look like a logical suitor for Manning if the Broncos decided they didn’t want to keep him.
- Chip Kelly has added another assistant to his coaching staff, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the 49ers have hired Colts safeties coach Roy Anderson as their defensive backs coach.
- Former Bears assistant Skip Peete is joining the Rams as the team’s new running backs coach, a source tells Thayer Evans of SI.com. Peete has previously served as the RBs coach in Oakland, Dallas, and Chicago.
- After undergoing surgery for Papillary Type 2 last spring, Seahawks defensive tackle Jesse Williams, who spent the 2015 season on the non-football illness list, tweets that he has been cleared to return to action. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times provides some details on Williams, who is eligible for exclusive rights free agency.
West Notes: Von Miller, Cardinals, 49ers
If Von Miller were to reach the open market, he would likely be looking to become the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who points to Ndamukong Suh‘s six-year, $114MM deal with the Dolphins as the one Miller would like to match or exceed. As Cole notes, there would be plenty of teams with interest in the outside linebacker if he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
However, the odds of Miller hitting the open market look pretty slim. Even though the Broncos have other key free agents that could be candidates for the franchise tag, including Brock Osweiler and Malik Jackson, Denver is expected to use that tag on its star pass rusher, says Cole. That doesn’t mean Miller won’t sign a long-term deal this offseason, but it would have to be either with the Broncos or with a team willing to give up two first-round picks to land him, so his leverage will be limited.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions:
- The Cardinals‘ top priority this offseason will be improving their pass rush, and GM Bruce Arians said on Arizona Sports 98.7 that he doesn’t expect to make an impact addition in free agency, says Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. That means that the team will likely target a pass rusher early on in the draft.
- Within his article, Urban notes that if a player like Miller were to avoid the franchise tag and reach free agency, it could change the Cardinals‘ stance. While that’s unlikely to happen, I wonder if Arizona might be willing to consider an offer sheet for the Broncos pass rusher even if he gets franchised — parting with two first-round selections wouldn’t be as significant a blow for a team like the Cardinals, whose first-rounders won’t be particularly high picks. Teams are typically hesitant to pursue other teams’ franchised players, not wanting to part with those picks, and I doubt the Cardinals would seriously go after Miller if he’s franchised. For a pass rusher of his caliber though, it’s at least worth considering.
- While the 49ers have the cap space and low payroll necessary to be very aggressive in free agency, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap doesn’t expect the team to splurge in March. Within his preview of San Francisco’s offseason, Fitzgerald suggests it would make sense for the Niners to lock up defensive lineman Ian Williams to a three-year contract and cut linebacker Ahmad Brooks.