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West Notes: Raiders, CJ2K, Rivers, Rams

By | at August 18, 2015 5:15 pm

Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (on Twitter) spoke directly with the Raiders to shoot down a trio of rumors. The Raiders say they will not move to St. Louis, they will not move to San Francisco’s Levi Stadium, and owner Mark Davis will not sell the team. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC West..

  • Chris Johnson has $400K of his $870K salary with the Cardinals guaranteed, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. There are no other guarantees in the veteran running back’s deal. Unhappy with their choices behind Andre Ellington, the Cards inked Johnson to a deal on Monday.
  • Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said that he told both Johnson and Jermaine Gresham that they’re not “promised anything,” including a roster spot, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets.
  • All in all, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap thinks that the Philip Rivers deal is a very good contract for the Chargers. The Bolts, he says, avoided giving Rivers a monstrous signing bonus and they receive fairly favorable terms on the cash flows of the contract. Just days ago, Rivers and the Chargers shook hands on a four-year extension that is worth $84MM with $65MM guaranteed.
  • Rivers will now earn $32MM in 2015, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. He adds that $5.5MM of Rivers’ $22.5MM signing bonus is deferred until March 15th, 2016.
  • The Missouri Development Finance Board approved $15MM in tax credits this year for the proposed riverfront football stadium in St. Louis for the Rams, as David Hunn and Alex Stuckey of the Post-Dispatch write. Still, board Chairwoman Marie Carmichael said the money won’t be sent to new stadium planners until the board is assured the credits are a good deal for the state.
  • Carmen Policy says the Raiders and Chargers have agreed to shift divisions, if necessary, to make the Los Angeles project acceptable to the league, Michael R. Blood of the Associated Press writes.
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49ers’ Jerome Simpson Suspended Six Games

By | at August 18, 2015 3:46 pm

3:46pm: Simpson’s suspension was initially going to be for 10 games, but was reduced to six games through the appeal process, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

3:37pm: An offseason littered with bad news for the 49ers got a little worse for the club today. Niners wide receiver Jerome Simpson has been suspended six games for violating the NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse, the team announced today in a press release.

Simpson, who was suspended for three games to start the 2014 season, faces his latest penalty as a result of a July incident in Bloomington, Minnesota. The veteran receiver initially faced misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession, driving with an open bottle and violating limited license restrictions for that legal run-in last July.

“The probability of a suspension was known when we signed Jerome,” general manager Trent Baalke said, per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “Since joining the 49ers, Jerome has proven to be a great teammate. … Although he will not be able to participate in the first six weeks of the season, Jerome has done everything asked of him, both on and off the field. We are in full support of the NFL’s decision, and look forward to Jerome’s future contributions to our organization.”

While Simpson has had his share of off-field issues, he had productive seasons on the field in 2011 and 2013. The numbers the 29-year-old posted for the Bengals in ’11 (50 receptions, 725 yards, four touchdowns) were nearly identical to the ones he put up for Minnesota in ’13 (48 receptions, 726 yards, one TD).

Along with Torrey Smith, Simpson was one of the free agents brought in this season by Baalke and company to replace a slew of departing players, including receivers Michael Crabtree, Stevie Johnson, and Brandon Lloyd.

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Pats Acquire Asante Cleveland From 49ers

By | at August 18, 2015 11:21 am

11:21am: The 49ers got a player from the Patriots in the deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that offensive lineman Jordan Devey is headed to San Francisco in the swap.

11:07am: The Patriots, always on the lookout for tight ends, have added a new one from the 49ers, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who reports that San Francisco has traded Asante Cleveland to New England. The return for the Niners isn’t known, but it’s hard to imagine the team getting more than a late-round pick, perhaps one that’s contingent on Cleveland making the Pats’ roster.

Maiocco reported earlier today (via Twitter) that the 49ers had been getting calls from teams interesting in trading for a tight end, with those clubs targeting Cleveland and Derek Carrier in particular. Even after moving Cleveland, the Niners may decide to trade another tight end, since the team is still carrying seven players at the position.

With Rob Gronkowski and Scott Chandler heading a depth chart that already featured six tight ends prior to the acquisition of Cleveland, the Patriots have no shortage of players at the position either. However, we’ve seen the New England offense put a strong emphasis on tight end play in recent years, so it makes sense that the club would want to stockpile as much talent and upside there as possible. In Cleveland, the Pats are getting a player who spent time on the 49ers’ roster and practice squad last year, and has yet to record his first NFL catch.

Meanwhile, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) hears from a source that the Patriots are cutting linebacker L.J. Fort today. We’ll have to wait for the official announcement on both transactions, but it looks as if Fort’s release could be the corresponding move for the acquisition of Cleveland.

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Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

By | at August 16, 2015 7:58 pm

The 49ers entered the 2014 season fresh off third straight trip to the NFC championship game and were expected to once again contend for conference supremacy and a Super Bowl. They stumbled to a disappointing 8-8 record, however, thus ending their three-year reign as an NFL superpower. What ensued was a bizarre offseason headlined by a diaspora of several figures who were integral to the 49ers’ recent success and could’ve been part of the solution going forward.

Notable losses:

Unexpected retirements contributed to the shredding of San Francisco’s roster during the offseason. Four of the team’s standouts – linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, defensive lineman Justin Smith and offensive tackle Anthony Davis – elected to step away from the sport.

Willis was a defensive captain for the Niners and perennially among the premier players in the league throughout his eight-year career, during which he totaled 100-plus tackles six times and made seven Pro Bowls. The normally durable Willis missed 10 games last year (he hadn’t missed more than three in any previous campaign) because of a toe injury, but he finished every season from 2007-13 anywhere from first to fourth among inside linebackers in Pro Football Focus’ grading system. Willis was a Hall of Fame-caliber defender who, at age 30, still had plenty to offer, and his void will be immensely difficult for the 49ers to fill.

Borland’s retirement came as an even bigger shock than Willis’, given that Borland only played one season in the league. The 49ers drafted the former Wisconsin Badger in the third round last year and he proceeded to pile up 107 tackles and a pair of interceptions in his rookie season. Borland’s play earned him a fourth-place ranking among 37 ILBs who played at least 50 percent of snaps in 2014, per PFF (subscription required). His presence would’ve helped make up for a lack of Willis, as it did last season when Willis was injured, but the 24-year-old decided to leave the game out of self-preservation.

“I just honestly want to do what’s best for my health,” Borland said. “From what I’ve researched and what I’ve experienced, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Like Borland, Davis – who appeared in and started 71 games for the 49ers between 2010-14 – also chose to retire because of health concerns.

“This will be a time for me to allow my brain and body a chance to heal. I know many won’t understand my decision, that’s OK,” the 25-year-old said in a statement.

Unlike Borland, though, Davis’ flight from football looks as if it’ll be more a hiatus than a real retirement. The 25-year-old tweeted in June that he’d “be back in a year or two,” and iterated that sentiment to NJ Advance Media earlier this week.

While it appears Davis will be back in the league at some point, the same can’t be said for the 35-year-old Smith. The longtime defensive line stalwart elected to step away after 14 productive seasons, the last seven of which were spent in San Francisco. He amassed 87 sacks during his career and was consistently one of the best D-linemen in the league with the 49ers, with whom he made five Pro Bowls and was named PFF’s top 3-4 defensive end three straight times (2009-11).

Prior to the above slew of retirements, some noteworthy contributors left the 49ers via free agency.

If Willis was the heart and soul of the 49ers’ defense, running back Frank Gore – who signed with the Colts – held the same distinction for their offense. Gore spent the first decade of his career with the 49ers and rushed for 1,000-plus yards eight times, including 1,106 last season, and finished with 250-plus carries in each of the last four years.

One of the offensive linemen who helped clear paths for Gore was guard Mike Iupati, who signed with NFC West rival Arizona. Iupati, 28, was a 49er for five seasons and made three consecutive Pro Bowls to close his career in the Bay. He earned a reputation as a dominant run blocker, ranking among PFF’s top five guards in that category two of the last three years.

The 49ers also said goodbye to a couple of well-known receivers, Michael Crabtree and Stevie Johnson. Crabtree, who signed with the Raiders in April, seldom lived up to pre-draft hype with the 49ers after going 10th overall in 2009. He was especially disappointing last season, when he found the end zone only four times and averaged a paltry 10.4 yards per catch on 68 grabs. Johnson was also a letdown with the 49ers, who acquired him from Buffalo last year. The Niners released Johnson after a 35-catch, three-touchdown 2014, and he subsequently signed with San Diego.

Defensively, the 49ers lost their two starting corners from last year and a quality role-playing linebacker in free agency. Corners Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox joined Washington and Tennessee, respectively, after combining for nine interceptions in 2014. PFF (subscription required) ranked Culliver 13th out of 74 corners who played at least 50 percent of snaps last year, while Cox ended up 24th. Linebacker Dan Skuta also left for bigger money elsewhere, signing for $20.5MM with the Jaguars. The six-year veteran was a 49er from 2013-14 and wasn’t exactly a household name with them, but he managed to draw positive grades from PFF both seasons. He also contributed career bests in sacks (five) and forced fumbles (three) last year.

As if the 49ers didn’t take enough of a beating during the winter and spring, the coup de grace may have come earlier this month. After yet another run-in with the law – this time an arrest on hit-and-run, DUI, and vandalism charges – the 49ers parted ways with star linebacker Aldon Smith. The 49ers drafted Smith seventh overall in 2011 and he emerged as a pass-rushing demigod, accumulating a whopping 44 sacks in 50 games. However, his on-field prowess was blighted by off-field problems. The 25-year-old was arrested three different times on suspicion of drunken driving while with the 49ers and garnered a nine-game suspension last season for an April 2014 incident with a TSA agent at Los Angeles International Airport.

Notable signings:

The biggest splash the 49ers made in free agency was the signing of wideout Torrey Smith. The 26-year-old mixed big-play ability with durability in Baltimore from 2011-14 and parlayed that combo into a $40MM contract. Smith has never caught more than 65 passes in a season, but he averaged 15.7 to 17.4 yards per catch each individual season with the Ravens and is coming off an 11-touchdown showing – his best so far. Just as impressive, perhaps, is the fact that Smith hasn’t yet missed a game in his career.

Accompanying Smith as a newly added skill player is running back Reggie Bush, who joins second-year man Carlos Hyde in the backfield as the 49ers try to replace Gore. Bush, a 10-year veteran, signed with the 49ers after a pedestrian 2014 with the Lions (550 total yards and two TDs on 116 touches). To Bush’s credit, he was an adept No. 1 back from 2011-13 with the Dolphins and Lions, respectively, as he exceeded the 215-carry mark three years in a row and the 1,000-yard plateau twice, and his averages ranged from 4.3 to 5.0 yards per attempt. Further, the 30-year-old has long been a threat in the passing game (466 career receptions), and should give quarterback Colin Kaepernick a capable target out of the backfield.

Defensively, the 49ers’ only noteworthy pickup in free agency was lineman Darnell Dockett, who was with Arizona from 2004-14. Dockett missed all of last season with a torn ACL and, at 34, his best days are likely behind him. Nevertheless, the three-time Pro Bowler has 40.5 career sacks and should aid the 49ers’ pass rush. Just don’t expect him to contribute against the run.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 first-round pick (No. 17; DL Arik Armstead), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 117; TE Blake Bell), and a 2016 fifth-round pick from the Chargers in exchange for a 2015 first-round pick (No. 15; RB Melvin Gordon).
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 165; P Bradley Pinion) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 244; OL Trenton Brown) from the Colts in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 151; DT David Parry).
  • Acquired a 2016 sixth-round pick from the Cowboys in exchange for a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 246; TE Geoff Swaim).
  • Acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick from the Browns for P Andy Lee.

Extensions and restructures:

Draft picks:

  • 1-17: Arik Armstead, DL (Oregon): Signed
  • 2-46: Jaquiski Tartt, S (Samford): Signed
  • 3-79: Eli Harold, OLB (Virginia): Signed
  • 4-117: Blake Bell, TE (Oklahoma): Signed
  • 4-126: Mike Davis, RB (South Carolina): Signed
  • 4-132: DeAndre Smelter, WR (Georgia Tech): Signed
  • 5-165: Bradley Pinion, P (Clemson): Signed
  • 6-190: Ian Silberman, G (Boston College): Signed
  • 7-244: Trenton Brown, OL (Florida): Signed
  • 7-254: Rory Anderson, TE (South Carolina): Signed

Considering how their offseason went, it would obviously help the 49ers’ cause if at least a couple of their rookies stepped in and acquitted themselves well immediately. That includes ex-Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead, whom the team took in the first round. But the 6-foot-7, 292-pounder was viewed as a raw (albeit highly talented) prospect pre-draft and has work to do to climb up the 49ers’ depth chart, as the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows wrote Friday.

Thanks to all the offseason departures San Francisco endured at linebacker, third-rounder Eli Harold will have an opportunity to make his presence felt quickly and replace Aldon Smith on the right side. Harold, who has shared reps with third-year man Corey Lemonier this summer, combined for 15.5 sacks during his final two season at Virginia and has impressed his new head coach so far.

“Eli Harold, he came in beeping (like on radar),” Jim Tomsula said last week, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “Again, rookie going through it, we’ve all seen it, the ups and downs. He hasn’t had the downs, but we are still early on in this thing. But Eli is doing a really good job. He’s an energetic guy. I think everybody sees what we saw in him and why we drafted him.”

Other:

In 2011, the 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh as their head coach after seven strong years in the college ranks. The Niners were in the midst of an eight-year playoff drought when Harbaugh took the job, but his arrival brought dramatic improvement in the form of a superb 44-19-1 regular-season mark and three playoff berths. However, his relationship with CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke deteriorated and became particularly discordant in 2014. That led to a divorce between the sides in December, and Harbaugh went back to college to coach Michigan.

To take over for Harbaugh, the 49ers hired from within and chose Tomsula. The 47-year-old had run the 49ers’ defensive line since 2007 and was their interim head coach for one game back in 2010 (a 38-7 win over the Cardinals).

Tomsula continued the in-house theme with his coordinator hires, promoting Eric Mangini (defense) and Geep Chryst (offense). While Mangini was an offensive consultant with the 49ers in 2013 and their tight ends coach last season, the majority of his coaching career has been spent on defensive staffs. He took Vic Fangio‘s old job, while Chryst grabbed the reins from Greg Roman. Chryst, who was last an O-coordinator with the Chargers in 1999-2000, was previously San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Colin Kaepernick, QB: $15,265,753
  2. NaVorro Bowman, LB: $7,654,000
  3. Joe Staley, LT: $7,600,000
  4. Ahmad Brooks, OLB: $7,055,000
  5. Vernon Davis, TE: $6,967,920
  6. Anquan Boldin, WR: $6,909,000
  7. Aldon Smith, OLB: $4,854,875
  8. Antoine Bethea, S: $4,750,000
  9. Ray McDonald, DT: $4,609,971 (dead money)
  10. Phil Dawson, K: $4,134,000

While it’s unwise to write teams off prior to the season in the parity-driven NFL, it’s hard to imagine the 49ers improving on their .500 record from last year after their calamitous offseason. They’re likely to have a difficult time staying afloat as part of a division that houses a Super Bowl favorite (Seattle) and a pair of potential playoff contenders (Arizona and St. Louis).

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

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NFC Notes: Davis, Ertz, Giants, Cowboys

By | at August 15, 2015 2:32 pm

Here is some of the latest news emerging from NFC franchises.

  • Anthony Davis is already teasing a comeback, per his Twitter account. According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, Davis plans to return to the NFL for the 2016 campaign. The 49ers hold his rights for the next five seasons due to the contract extension the 25-year-old right tackle signed in 2013.
  • Last night, we heard Zach Ertz will miss the preseason after undergoing surgery, but Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders if Chip Kelly expecting him back for Week 1 is realistic. Bowen, who notes the injury is believed to be a partial groin tear, remains skeptical Ertz will be up to speed by the time the Eagles debut Sept. 14. Ertz told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Enquirer (Twitter link) his groin bothered him for a while and he reinjured it Wednesday.
  • Byron Maxwell will shadow No. 1 receivers this season with the Eagles, and it’s a chance to give the team an elite cornerback for the first time in years, writes Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. “I was on the right in Seattle, but it’s an opportunity, and I’m looking forward to it; I really am,” Maxwell told Frank. “Once you start following guys, your name is up there, so that’s how I’m looking at it.“
  • In light of the Giants‘ accelerating injury rate in the secondary, they will likely explore adding cornerbacks to patch the corps together, Jordan Raanan writes (on Twitter). In addition to the four players lost to injuries Friday night, Prince Amukamara remains sidelined for the coming weeks with a groin malady.
  • Washington trading for Vernon Davis is not an option in an effort to repair their ransacked tight end contingent, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim. The ESPN Washington-based reporter also points out he’s been told Zach Miller will not be in the team’s plans for this fix. PFR’s Luke Adams profiled Washington’s quandary at tight end, which stems from Niles Paul being lost for the season, recently.
  • The Cowboys are working out three running backs — Michael Hill, Ben Malena and Zach Bauman — with top ball-carriers Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar limited with injuries, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Of this trio, only Hill, a journeyman who was the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II’s Heisman equivalent) in 2012, has seen regular-season game action. Washington waived him last month.
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Extra Points: A. Davis, BJGE, J. Jones, Rice

By | at August 13, 2015 9:51 pm

When Anthony Davis announced his decision to step away from the 49ers, it wasn’t exactly classified as his retirement. Unlike Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and Chris Borland, San Francisco’s former right tackle still plans to return to the NFL at some point, suggesting that he’ll probably take a year off before returning to the league.

“Yeah, I will come back,” Davis told Brian Dohn of Scout.com. “I want to rest. I feel like right now I could go into a camp and play, but I want to rest. … I’m getting my hands right, seeing specialists, foot specialists, making sure I’m on the right track to play another five or six years if I wanted to.”

According to Davis, it’s not accurate to say that he’s taking the 2015 season off to recover from a concussion — it’s more about getting his whole body right, and giving himself a rest.

Let’s round up the rest of today’s odds and ends from across the NFL….

  • BenJarvus Green-Ellis is looking for a new NFL home, and the free agent running back tells Dan Graziano of ESPN.com that he’s “optimistic” about getting that call. “Obviously, each team that’s in the market is in the market for a certain type of back,” Green-Ellis said. “But I know somebody out there has a need for what I can do. More than anything, I’m excited to get back out there and hit somebody.”
  • We haven’t heard much recently on Julio Jones’ contract talks, but Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) that it’s the most “professional and team cognizant contract approach” to a contract negotiation he’s seen.
  • When asked about Ray Rice, Texans owner Bob McNair said that the veteran free agent probably wouldn’t fit in his locker room, adding that the four running backs already on the roster are better players, tweets Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.
  • Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has a more legitimate gripe about his deal than Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor, opines Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Brown has outperformed his contract at wide receiver while there has been no real change in the strong safety market. Earlier today, a source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Chancellor was under the impression that he would have his contract reworked upon establishing himself as one of the best at his position.
  • Free agent wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers has been suspended for the first two weeks of the season, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). That could help to explain why Rogers remains unsigned in mid-August.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/15

By | at August 13, 2015 7:02 pm

Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL..

  • The Buccaneers announced today that they’ve waived punter Spencer Lanning, as Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com tweets. In 2014, only two punters had more attempts than the 93 punts Lanning made for the Browns. However, Lanning’s performance wasn’t great, so Cleveland cut him after trading for Andy Lee in June, at which point he was claimed by the Bucs. Today’s move leaves Tampa Bay with two punters still on the roster.
  • The Falcons announced that they’ve waived rookie safety Damian Parms, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Defensive back Ryan White has re-signed with the Packers, as Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette tweets. White was in camp with Green Bay last summer.
  • The Bills removed Justin Brown from the injured reserve with an injury settlement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson adds (via Twitter) that the Titans did the same thing with safety Cody Prewitt, removing him from their roster.
  • The 49ers have also waived a player with an injury settlement, cutting offensive lineman Ben Gottschalk from their IR, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
  • The following players landed on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists after clearing waivers, per Wilson (Twitter link): DT Ricky Havili-Heimuli (Falcons), TE Clay Burton (Bills), WR Caleb Holley (Bills), DT Chris Whaley (Cowboys), CB Jason Wilson (Cowboys), and RB Tyler Gaffney (Patriots).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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West Notes: A. Davis, Rivers, Foles, Sendlein

By | at August 12, 2015 2:37 pm

When former 49ers right tackle Anthony Davis announced his decision to leave the team earlier this offseason, it wasn’t considered a permanent retirement. Davis has since expressed a desire to return to football in 2016 after a year away, but coach Jim Tomsula isn’t thinking about a reunion just yet, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes.

“First of all, I’m not thinking about the playing side with Anthony,” Tomsula said. “He’s taking care of Anthony. I’m excited about hearing that he’d like to come back with football. I think that speaks volumes of where he’s at and how he’s feeling. That’s a different time and a different place. It does make you feel good. Obviously, things are going in the right direction for him.”

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two West divisions:

  • If the Chargers don’t work out a new contract with Philip Rivers before the season begins, the team is “fully prepared” to use the franchise tag on him in 2016 and – if necessary – 2017, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. According to La Canfora, the two sides have made significant progress in extension negotiations, but there are still at least one or two issues holding up a potential agreement.
  • La Canfora also passes along several details on Nick Foles‘ extension with the Rams, reporting that the deal includes $13.8MM in fully guaranteed money. The contract could void in 2017 if Foles meets certain team and individual goals, and he could also make up to $4.5MM in incentives based on individual and team achievements (all Twitter links).
  • Center Lyle Sendlein‘s one-year deal with the Cardinals is worth $1.4MM with $500K fully guaranteed, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. With playing time incentives, the center could earn close to $2MM, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said, “I’m not ready for retirement and I have a lot of football left in me.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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Three Teams Interested In Signing Aldon Smith

By | at August 11, 2015 8:04 pm

Officials from three different teams say that they have interest in signing ex-49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). However, those officials still have concerns about the athlete and acknowledged that there are some serious hurdles to cross before putting pen-to-paper with Smith.

Those teams that spoke with Cole want to see the toxicology report from Smith’s arrest to ascertain whether he was drinking or possibly under the influence of other substances. Ultimately, those details could dictate how much legal trouble he’ll be in and that in turn will influence the level of punishment he receives from the NFL.

Smith, 25, was arrested by Santa Clara police on hit and run, DUI, and vandalism charges, though when he was released from jail last week, the outside linebacker disputed the fact that he had been driving under the influence. The incident is the latest in a series of off-field run-ins for Smith, who has had DUI arrests in the past, and missed nearly half the 49ers’ games over the last two seasons after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014.

When he’s healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, Smith recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 as a starter in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team. However, his off-field issues have limited his production since then.

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Extra Points: Eagles, Raiders, 49ers, Colts

By | at August 9, 2015 8:35 pm

Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis spoke Sunday on the statuses of two of the team’s injured linebackers, Kiko Alonso and DeMeco Ryans.

Regarding Alonso, who suffered a concussion Tuesday and has missed four practices: “Kiko’s fine,” said Davis, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’ve been coaching linebackers my whole career. It’s just part of that position, when it sneaks up on you nowadays, we have great protocol. It’s not an issue. Kiko’s doing great. He won’t miss a beat.”

Davis was more guarded when discussing Ryans, who is recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon for the second time in his nine-year career.

 “DeMeco is a pro all the way through and is taking strides ahead of where most people would be, but he still has a little ways to go,” Davis said.
Ryans has participated in all seven of the Eagles’ training camp practices, but next Sunday’s preseason opener against the Colts will be a much bigger litmus test.
“Any time you’re coming back from injury, you have to get in the game to see where you are,” said Ryans, who got hurt last November. “Go to the ground, tackle somebody, stand up, make sure everything is still intact. And mentally, I think that’s the last hurdle, going out and getting back in a game.”
More on Philly and the rest of the NFL:
  • The Eagles’ right guard situation could take some time to sort out, writes Jeff McLane of the Inquirer. The team has a vacancy there after cutting three-time Pro Bowl left guard Evan Mathis and replacing him with former RG Allen Barbre. John Moffitt, Matt Tobin, Andrew Gardner and Julian Vandervelde are competing for the job.
  • 49ers defensive coordinator Eric Mangini is using his linebackers’ flexibility to his advantage as he tries to find a way to fill the void left by Aldon Smith, whom the team cut earlier this week because of off-field issues. “A guy like Aldon is not a guy that you just can replace,” Mangini said, per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “He’s got a unique skill set. But one of the things that we focused on defensively is building flexibility, in terms of what we can play, and then building flexibility with who’s going to play there.” The lion’s share of reps at Smith’s former spot have gone to Corey Lemonier and Eli Harold, writes Gutierrez.
  • The Raiders could have the biggest interior defensive line in the NFL when Dan Williams and Justin Ellis, who combine to weigh 665 pounds, line up side by side. The two have been paired together often in camp, writes Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com. “To be able to have those guys in the front, we feel like you shouldn’t run the ball on us,” safety Charles Woodson said. “If they put those guys up there, we should be a very stout defense. That’s what we’re counting on.”
  • Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is bullish about the team’s secondary, which helped the defense finish a respectable 12th overall against the pass in 2014. “I think we have an excellent group. We got playmakers and smart guys that communicate well and play well together. I’m excited for that group,” Pagano said, according to USA Today.
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