NFC Notes: Kaepernick, Saints, Eagles
Colin Kaepernick‘s days in a 49ers uniform could soon be coming to an end. The struggling quarterback’s contract gives the 49ers a chance to jettison him by April 1 before his salaries from 2016-18 become guaranteed, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Kaepernick is scheduled to make $11.9MM next year, $14.5MM in 2017 and $4.5MM in 2018. The only way that money would be guaranteed to Kaepernick before April 1 is if he suffers a career-ending injury this season. Given that, Florio believes the 49ers could bench the 27-year-old to preserve his health and prevent themselves from owing him big money going forward.
With the way his contract is structured, if the 49ers ride out this year with Kaepernick and his horrific play continues (6.27 yards per attempt, two touchdowns, five interceptions, 67.7 passer rating), the chances they’ll move on from him during the offseason appear good.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Despite the Saints’ ugly showing in a 39-17 loss to the Eagles on Sunday, quarterback Drew Brees is optimistic the team will get on the right track. “We feel like we have the right pieces in place,” Brees said, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “It hasn’t come together yet, but it will.” Time is running out for things to “come together” for the Saints, whose latest defeat dropped them to 1-4. Their next opponent is the NFC South rival Falcons, who are 5-0 and have left the Saints in the dust as far as the division race is concerned.
- Speaking of the Saints, their days of having a high-flying offensive attack are over, writes Larry Holder of NOLA.com. Holder believes that the Saints lack weapons both through the air on the ground.
- By knocking off New Orleans on Sunday, the Eagles at least temporarily saved their season, opines Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Philly moved to 2-3 and next faces the Giants, who currently sit atop the eminently winnable NFC East at 2-2. Everyone else in the division is 2-3.
Extra Points: 49ers, Chargers, Washington
With a busy slate of Sunday games around the corner, let’s round up a few Saturday evening odds and ends from around the NFL….
- The 49ers‘ decision to cut Shareece Wright today is bad news for San Diego, according to Nick Korte of Over the Cap. Korte tweets that, based on his compensatory pick formula, the move should result in an extra 2016 sixth-round pick for the 49ers, and a lost compensatory pick for the Chargers.
- Two new offensive coordinators – Adam Gase of the Bears and Geep Chryst of the 49ers – are struggling to turn around their respective units early this season. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune examines how Gase is dealing with the Bears’ injury woes, while Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle looks at the adjustments Chryst is making to try to help Colin Kaepernick get going.
- With Jim Harbaugh no longer in the picture in San Francisco, Kaepernick is being set up as the fall guy for the 49ers, opines Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- Washington will be bringing in former Titans defensive back Ri’Shard Anderson on Monday, according to agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Based on Tessler’s tweet, it’s not clear if Jay Gruden and company will be signing Anderson, or simply working him out — I’d assume the latter, since the team’s roster needs could change depending on how tomorrow’s game goes.
- This weekend’s game could be a turning point for Mike Pettine‘s career in Cleveland, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. After tomorrow’s contest against the Ravens, the Browns don’t face a team with a losing record until Week 12 (Baltimore again), so they’d face a significant uphill battle to salvage their season if they fall to 1-4.
49ers Jettison Shareece Wright
Shareece Wright asked the 49ers to part ways with him, and the team expedited the process by releasing the veteran cornerback after signing him this offseason, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
The fifth-year cornerback asked to leave San Francisco via trade or release due almost certainly to being inactive for the 49ers’ first four games, and the team released him and promoted guard Andrew Tiller from their practice squad to fill the roster spot.
Wright, grateful for this transaction (per his Twitter account), signed a one-year deal with the 49ers for a base salary of $850K, along with a $1.5MM signing bonus, but forfeited $100K (four $25K in-game roster bonuses) by being inactive in the 49ers’ initial four games, Florio adds. Wright carried a $3.2MM cap figure and will count $1.5MM against the 49ers’ cap in dead money this season.
A 28-year-old former USC standout whom the Chargers tabbed in the third round of the 2011 draft, Wright can collect the remainder of his base salary as termination pay, per Florio, and, should the free agent sign with another team, collect those checks on top of that.
After starting 27 games with the Chargers, Wright was running behind starters Kenneth Acker and Tramaine Brock, along with backups Dontae Johnson and Keith Reaser.
In his fourth season out of Syracuse, Tiller has played in just one game, doing so with the 49ers last year. He was originally a sixth-round pick of the Saints’ in 2012.
49ers To Be “Very Patient” With Kaepernick
49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has struggled mightily in 2015 and some have speculated that the club could turn to backup Blaine Gabbert if things don’t improve quickly. However, CEO Jed York tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that the team plans on being “very patient” with Kaepernick. The team, York says, wants to see if the QB can handle going through a bad slump and if he can rebound, that will be a promising sign for them with regards to his overall future.
In the past two weeks, the 27-year-old (28 in November) has completing just 22-of-44 passes while throwing five interceptions and no touchdowns. Weeks ago, head coach Jim Tomsula said that the club would not consider going from Kaepernick to Gabbert, but that seems like it could be a definite possibility if things do not turn around. The 49ers are 1-3 heading into a Sunday night matchup with the 2-2 Giants on the road.
The seven-year, $126MM extension Kaepernick signed last summer was, for all practical purposes, a $13MM signing bonus accompanied by seven one-year contracts. That means San Francisco could cut ties with the QB in the offseason without any real financial penalty. Kaepernick is set to carry a cap number of ~$16.8MM in 2016 and that number balloons to $19MM+ in 2017.
NFC Notes: Saints, 49ers, Barth, Eagles
The Saints won’t displace Zach Hocker right now, even after auditioning several kickers, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. Hocker missed a potential game-winning field goal on Sunday night against the Cowboys before New Orleans won in overtime, and missed a field goal and an extra point in the team’s Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay. However, he’ll get at least one more opportunity to hang onto the job going forward.
In yesterday’s workout for the Saints, Randy Bullock hit all of his field goal attempts, while Kai Forbath missed a 53-yarder but made up for it with a 55-yard make, per Garafolo. Kyle Brindza, recently released by the Bucs, also got a look from the Saints, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Head coach Jim Tomsula disputed the notion that the 49ers added inside linebacker Gerald Hodges because they’re unhappy with the way starter Michael Wilhoite has played. “There’s nothing there,” Tomsula said, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Tomsula went on to explain that the 49ers have liked Hodges since he came out in the 2013 draft. On Tuesday, San Francisco sent center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft choice to the Vikings for Hodges.
- Buccaneers kicker Connor Barth is happy to return to Tampa Bay, telling Fred Goodall of The Associated Press that the winding road he took back to the Bucs isn’t unusual for someone who plays his position. “You’ve got to look at as a business, and you’re kind of a consultant,” Barth said. “There are 32 jobs. It’s just a blessing to play and be one of 32 guys.” Barth was the club’s full-time kicker from 2009 to 2012.
- According to Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, Drew Brees was a key point of reference when Philadelphia decided this offseason to acquire Sam Bradford, an oft-injured quarterback with significant potential. Brees had been considered an injury risk due to a shoulder issue when the Saints first acquired him. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer has the details on Kelly’s Bradford/Brees comparison, along with the quotes from the head coach.
- After signing a five-year deal worth nearly $39MM in the offseason, Bears pass rusher Pernell McPhee is off to a hot start, and joked that he wants J.J. Watt money now, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Roberts, Saints, Ebron, 49ers
Responding to a suggestion from Peter King of TheMMQB.com that Washington wide receiver Andre Roberts could be a logical trade target for the Ravens, Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes that such a deal wouldn’t make much financial sense for Baltimore — or, presumably, any other team. Roberts is guaranteed a $2.75MM salary in 2015, the second season of a four-year contract, which is a significant amount of money for a player who has been banged up and unable to earn much playing time lately. That means Roberts is probably sticking in D.C. for now.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Kai Forbath‘s workout tour continues in New Orleans, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Forbath and Randy Bullock will be among the kickers auditioned by the Saints. Forbath has tried out for several teams in recent weeks, and was said to be the runner-up for clubs like the Texans and Eagles.
- Lions tight end Eric Ebron tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson (all Twitter links) that it could take up to three weeks for him to recover from the knee injury he sustained on Monday night, but he’s relieved that it won’t require surgery.
- Falcons head coach Dan Quinn hasn’t spoken to Roddy White yet about the receiver’s desire for more touches and a bigger role in the offense, but stressed that White is an important part of the team moving forward, says Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
- Coming off a 17-3 loss, the 49ers trading an offensive player for a defensive player – as the team did yesterday – might not make much sense on the surface, but Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks it was a good move.
49ers Acquire Gerald Hodges From Vikings
The 49ers have added a new defensive player to their roster, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that the Vikings are sending linebacker Gerald Hodges to San Francisco in a trade. In exchange for Hodges, Minnesota will receive center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft pick, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Hodges, 24, has been with the Vikings since being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. A Penn State product, Hodges started seven of 14 games for Minnesota last season, accumulating 65 tackles to go along with a half-sack and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
In San Francisco, Hodges figures to push Michael Wilhoite for playing time. Wilhoite, who was elevated to a starting role at inside linebacker alongside NaVorro Bowman following the unexpected retirements of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, has been inconsistent in his increased role during the first several weeks of the 2015 season.
Meanwhile, by acquiring Easton and a sixth-round pick, the Vikings add some much-needed depth to their interior offensive line, as well as landing a future draft asset. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reported earlier today (via Twitter) that the Niners intended to waive Easton, so San Francisco did well to include him in a trade instead and get something in return instead.
With Hodges no longer in the mix in Minnesota, rookie Eric Kendricks looks like a candidate to assume the Vikings’ starting middle linebacker role.
Terrelle Pryor Working Out For Niners
The 49ers will become the latest team to take a look at Terrelle Pryor, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that Pryor is working out for San Francisco today. Getlin adds that the former Ohio State signal-caller will audition as a wide receiver rather than a quarterback.
Pryor, making the transition from quarterback to receiver this summer, impressed Browns coaches in training camp. However, after the team set its 53-man roster prior to Week 1, Pryor was essentially the 53rd man, making him expendable when other holes needed to be filled, and resulting in his release.
Since then, Pryor has tried out for a handful of teams interested in seeing what he looks like as a receiver. The Patriots, Seahawks, Jets, and Steelers are among the clubs that have brought Pryor in for at least one workout.
Of course, even though the Niners view him as a receiver, Pryor’s workout in San Francisco may fuel various theories and speculation in the Bay Area about the quarterback position, given Colin Kaepernick‘s poor performance through the season’s first four weeks. As Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports writes, despite initially being billed as a $126MM extension, Kaepernick’s current contract doesn’t offer much long-term security — Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap also explained today why Kaepernick’s deal doesn’t assure him of the Niners’ starting job beyond 2015.
Still, while Pryor’s ability to throw the ball may be a bonus for any team that decides to take a flier on him as a receiver, there’s no indication that the Niners are looking to move on from Kaepernick at this point, and it’s unlikely that Pryor would be their first choice in that scenario anyway.
According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, linebacker Parys Haralson is also working out today for the 49ers.
NFC Notes: Alonso, Niners, Clausen
Four NFC teams remain undefeated, and two of those are NFC South squads, which is surprising, considering no team in that division posted a .500 record in 2014. As the Falcons, Panthers, Packers, and Cardinals prepare to put their 3-0 records on the line this weekend, let’s check in on the latest out of the conference….
- Discussing Kiko Alonso with reporters today, Chip Kelly mentioned that the linebacker isn’t an injured reserve candidate at this point, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com (via Twitter). While Shorr-Parks wasn’t the only reporter to interpret Kelly’s comments that way, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer isn’t so sure that’s what the Eagles head coach meant, as he explains (via Twitter).
- According to Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, Alonso will have his troublesome left knee scoped to determine the extent of the damage. If it’s minimal, the Eagles linebacker should be able to return to the field following some rehab. If the ACL graft is significantly damaged, Alonso may require season-ending surgery.
- The 49ers aren’t getting much out of their 2015 free agent class, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, pointing out that defenders Darnell Dockett and Philip Wheeler were released weeks ago, Jerome Simpson is serving a suspension, Reggie Bush has been injured, and Shareece Wright has been inactive for three games (and wants to be traded or cut).
- With Jay Cutler expected to miss another game this weekend, Bears quarterback Jimmy Clausen should get four quarters to prove why he still deserves a roster spot, opines David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. If Clausen can’t perform capably in a home game against Oakland this week, the Bears should look to upgrade the position, in Haugh’s view.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies 20 players with big money on the line this year, including Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, Bears running back Matt Forte, and Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, among others.
NFC Notes: Panthers, Brooks, Parkey
Although defensive end Charles Johnson is expected to miss multiple games due to a hamstring injury, the Panthers aren’t considering placing him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina acquired Jared Allen this week to help boost the pass rush in Johnson’s absence, and according to agent Ken Harris, the Panthers were one of five teams that he and his client identified as potential landing spots (link via David Newton of ESPN.com). Carolina was “by far” their No. 1 choice, per Harris.
Let’s round up several more items from across the NFC….
- 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks wasn’t present in court today, but his lawyer put in a plea of “not guilty” for his client on a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, reports Damian Trujillo of NBC Bay Area (Twitter link). Brooks seems likely to face discipline from the NFL sometime after the legal process plays out.
- Cody Parkey‘s groin injury is more serious than it initially sounded, with the Eagles kicker telling reporters today that he tore three muscles in his groin. While he landed on the IR today, Parkey fully expects to be kicking again for the Eagles again in 2016 (Twitter links via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
- The Bears may not be done making trades this season, but the Cowboys haven’t discussed the possibility of acquiring a player like Matt Forte or Alshon Jeffery, says Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- No outside free agent got a larger contract from the Saints than the $16MM deal C.J. Spiller signed this offseason, and head coach Sean Payton admits that he needs to get the running back more involved in the offense, according to Christopher Dabe of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, who was taken out of Monday night’s game against the Chiefs, re-aggravated his high ankle sprain, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Adams is expected to miss some time, though it’s too early for an exact timetable. As for tight end Andrew Quarless, he has a sprained MCL, and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, per Rapoport (Twitter link).