Contract Details: Bush, Richardson, Guy
Here are some details about contracts signed or agreed to within the last few days:
Reggie Bush, RB (49ers): One year, $2.2MM base value. $500K signing bonus. $1.1MM guaranteed. $100K workout bonus (via CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora on Twitter).
Trent Richardson, RB (Raiders): Two years, $3.45MM base value. $600K fully guaranteed. Can earn extra $400K in per-game roster bonuses (notes ESPN’s Adam Caplan on Twitter)
Lawrence Guy, DE (Ravens): Two years, $2.3MM base value. $500K to sign. (via Baltimore Sun reporter Aaron Wilson).
West Notes: McDonald, Thomas, Mays
Multiple teams are interested in former 49ers starting defensive lineman Ray McDonald, according to SFGate.com’s Eric Branch. The 49ers released McDonald, who played eight seasons in San Francisco with the last four coming as a starter, last December after his arrest for suspicion of felony domestic violence.
The 30-year-old McDonald’s pursuit of a career elsewhere will probably have to wait until his case is resolved, agent Tom Condon told Branch.
In other news across the league’s Western divisions …
- The latest surprising setback to the 49ers’ linebacking corps comes from an offseason injury, not retirement. Backup outside linebacker Chase Thomas showed up at Stanford’s pro day limping after tearing his ACL at an offseason workout at the university, Branch reports. The Stanford alum played five games with the 49ers last year, oscillating between the practice squad and the 53-man roster. According to Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman, Thomas will be the ninth 49er forced to recover from an ACL tear this offseason, joining notable names NaVorro Bowman, who missed all of last season after suffering his tear in the 2013 NFC championship game, Darnell Dockett and running back Kendall Hunter.
- Journeyman linebacker Joe Mays will visit the Chargers, Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez notes on Twitter. Mays spent the 2014 season in the Chiefs‘ 3-4 defense after previously suiting up for the Eagles and Broncos. The 5-foot-11 inside linebacker who’s three months away from 30 missed half of last year due to wrist surgery.
- Former Bills starting tackle Chris Hairston is also visiting the Chargers today, ESPN’s John Keim said (via Twitter). A fourth-round pick in 2011, Hairston started 15 games his first two seasons and played in 16 last year as a reserve.
Extra Points: 49ers, Hardy, Peterson, Rivers
49ers CEO Jed York appeared on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday to discuss a number of different topics, including the surprise retirement of Chris Borland (via SFGate.com):
“We respect it, and I love Chris. He’s a great kid. And it’s certainly a surprise to us and I think to some of his teammates. But you have to respect the decision. If he fears for his health and safety going forward, I don’t ever want somebody to go out there and do something that they’re not comfortable doing. And I would never try to talk somebody out of retirement. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for him, but we respect him and we wish him the best.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Greg Hardy spurned the Buccaneers for the Cowboys earlier today, but as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, it may have been the organization that rejected the player. “At the end of the day, we didn’t feel good about it,” said general manager Jason Licht.
- Count Larry Fitzgerald among those who’d like to see Adrian Peterson wearing a Cardinals jersey next season. The veteran wideout told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that adding the All-Pro running back would be a “game-changer” for the organization. “Obviously, he’s an MVP-caliber player,” Fitzgerald said. “Everybody knows that. Any team he ends up with — or if he stays with the Vikings — is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ballclub.”
- Following news that Philip Rivers wouldn’t consider a new deal with the Chargers until the end of the 2015 season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the organization has no intention of letting the quarterback depart (via Around The NFL on Twitter). Rapoport notes (on Twitter) that both sides have plenty of leverage during negotiations.
- CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Bills actually signed wideout Percy Harvin to a three-year, $24MM deal, but the contract voids to a one-year, $6MM pact. As WGR550’s Joe Buscaglia points out on Twitter, this saves the organization $2MM in 2015 cap through “signing bonus proration,” meaning the player’s cap hit for this season will be $4MM as opposed to $6MM. Furthermore, if the Bills decide to void the contract following 2015 (which they’re expected to do), they’ll get hit with $2MM in dead money.
49ers To Sign Reggie Bush
WEDNESDAY, 5:38pm: The 49ers have officially announced the signing. The team confirmed it will be a one-year deal, but the value is still unknown.
MONDAY, 6:13pm: Bush’s deal is for one year, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link), who adds that it’s still not known how much Bush will earn.
SATURDAY, 1:07pm: The 49ers have agreed to a deal with running back Reggie Bush, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bush was released by the Lions earlier this offseason, after spending just two seasons with the team. Bush had one of his best seasons as a runner in 2013, surpassing 1,000 yards for only the second time in his career. However, injuries caught up to him last season. He was only able to play in 11 games and failed to reach even 300 yards on the ground.
Bush should provide a complement for bruising tailback Carlos Hyde, and will bring a weapon in the passing game and as a third down back.
FA Rumors: Moore, Rubin, Jennings, Selvie
If Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News were in charge of the Cowboys, he would have tendered a contract offer to cornerback Sterling Moore. Cowboys coaches didn’t see enough from Moore in 2014 to want him back, apparently, but at a cost of $1.542MM, he could have given them inexpensive depth at the position. Moore, who visited the Steelers earlier this week, is in San Francisco today meeting with the 49ers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Here’s more on a handful of free agents around the NFL:
- The Seahawks are still in the market for defensive line help and they’ll host Browns free agent defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin today, Rapoport tweets. Back in December, Rubin said that he wanted to stay in Cleveland for life. So far, nothing like that has materialized.
- Wide receiver Greg Jennings told Stephen A. Smith on Sirius XM/Mad Dog Sports Radio that he’d be open to a reunion with the Packers, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. Jennings said that he’d never “tear down” a bridge, but Demovsky notes that Jennings might have done that already with some harsh comments towards the Packers and Aaron Rodgers upon joining the Vikings.
- We heard earlier this week that the Vikings have interest in defensive end George Selvie, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that Minnesota appears to have backed off a little, while the Buccaneers are now “very much” in the mix for Selvie.
- Free agent offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds is paying a visit to the Rams, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). St. Louis has holes at multiple spots on its offensive line, and Reynolds is capable of playing both guard and tackle.
- Washington, the Vikings, and the Bengals are all vying to sign free agent safety Taylor Mays, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A source tells Tomasson that Cincinnati “desperately” wants to re-sign Mays, who is considering his options.
- The Ravens have maintained interest in potentially re-signing defensive lineman Lawrence Guy, who is visiting the Jets tomorrow, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Former Dolphins defensive end Rakim Cox has been invited to the veterans combine, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Bills, Percy Harvin Agree To Deal
MARCH 18th, 12:55pm: The Bills officially announced that they have signed Harvin, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
MARCH 13th, 5:44pm: Harvin will land with the Bills, not the 49ers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per Rapoport, Harvin’s deal with Buffalo will be for one year and “roughly” $6MM.
4:38pm: Nothing official has been announced yet for Harvin and the Bills, and according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link), the 49ers are trying to make a last-minute play for the wideout.
2:27pm: The Bills and Harvin have agreed to a one-year contract, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
2:10pm: The Bills continue to try to lock up Percy Harvin, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is “working toward striking [a] deal” with the free agent wideout. We heard this morning that Harvin was trying to decide whether or not to take a couple more visits or to simply accept an offer, perhaps from Buffalo.
Harvin was acquired by the Jets from the Seahawks back in October in the most surprising in-season trade of 2014. However, the veteran receiver and return man didn’t have a huge impact in New York, totaling 29 receptions for 350 yards and a touchdown in his eight games with the Jets. Harvin also averaged just 24.8 yards per kick return, with no TDs.
Having been recently released by the Jets, Harvin looks like a good bet to stick in the AFC East. If he and the Bills don’t reach an agreement, it’s possible the Patriots will make a push for him — an afternoon report suggested New England is a good bet to land a free agent like Harvin or Reggie Bush, and the Pats would make sense for Harvin, who reportedly has some interest in playing with a solid quarterback for a year to help increase his value.
While they don’t have that Pro Bowl-type quarterback that could help restore Harvin’s value, the Bills have added some interesting pieces so far this offseason. The team acquired LeSean McCoy in a deal with the Eagles, and is hoping to land tight end Charles Clay in free agency.
Of course, a team’s quarterback isn’t the only factor Harvin will consider. A source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) earlier this week that the 26-year-old doesn’t want to be a “gadget guy” anymore and wants to play something closer to a traditional wide receiver role. Throughout his career, he has had coaches “lie” to him and tell him that he would play a typical wide receiver, only to have him involved more in unorthodox plays.
49ers Sign Erik Pears
WEDNESDAY, 11:23am: It’s a two-year, $4.7MM deal with $1MM fully guaranteed, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
SUNDAY, 2:28pm: The 49ers have officially signed Pears, the team announced today in a press release.
SATURDAY, 1:36pm: The 49ers have agreed to terms with free agent offensive lineman Erik Pears, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). He had visited the 49ers on Thursday. The signing was originally announced by Pears’ agent Jeff Sperbeck (via Twitter). The contract will be a two-year deal.
Pears struggled at right guard for the Bills in 2014, and had previously played offensive tackle. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com sees Pears’ his versatility as an asset, noting he could play left guard or as a swing tackle for the 49ers.
Draft Notes: Gordon, Hundley, McKinney, Lions
Two clubs who could be in need of a running back will meet with Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon, a consensus top-two back in next month’s draft, as both the Cowboys and the Jaguars have lined up visits with the former Badger, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News and Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), respectively. The Cowboys, who hold the 27th overall pick, are aiming to replace DeMarco Murray, while Jacksonville, who would probably target Gordon at the top of the second round, could use another back to team with Denard Robinson.
Let’s take a look at some more pre-draft news…
- After Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, there aren’t many draft options at the quarterback position. One player in the mix to be third QB, however, is UCLA’s Brett Hundley, who says he’s already met with both the Eagles and the Jets, and plans to set up more visits, tweets SiriusXM NFL Radio.
- The 49ers lost linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland to retirement in the past week, and they’ll look to the college ranks to fill that positional void. The club will meet with Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney, who will also visit the Broncos, Texans, and Cowboys, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link).
- The Lions hosted a pair of defensive prospects today, as both Oregon State cornerback Steven Nelson and Oklahoma defensive tackle Jordan Phillips visited the Motor City, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com in a pair of articles.
Reaction To Chris Borland’s Retirement
In the 49ers’ statement concerning Chris Borland‘s retirement, GM Trent Baalke expressed his thanks to the young linebacker. “While unexpected, we certainly respect Chris’ decision,” said Baalke. “From speaking with Chris, it was evident that he had put a great deal of thought into this decision. He was a consummate professional from day one and a very well respected member of our team and community. Chris is a determined young man that overcame long odds in his journey to the NFL and we are confident he will use the same approach to become very successful in his future endeavors. We will always consider him a 49er and wish him all the best.”
Let’s take a look at some more reaction to tonight’s shocking announcement…
- Borland is retiring due to concussion concerns, but he also suffered from shoulder injuries in college and at the end of last season. Multiple scouts told John Middlekauf of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link) that Borland’s shoulder issues were “no joke,” so perhaps those ailments also played a role in his decision.
- Indeed, many clubs thought Borland’s career would be cut short due to those shoulder injuries, adds Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
- Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) believes Borland could move into coaching, calling him a “very smart player who loves the game.”
- Though Borland’s announcement might not lead other players to retire in their primes, Andrew Brandt of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter) thinks it could make players less inclined to hide concussions and other head injuries.
- If the 49ers are looking for a replacement at linebacker, they should contact the Ravens about Arthur Brown or the Eagles about DeMeco Ryans, tweets Miller.
- Middlekauf (via Twitter) wonders if San Francisco could attempt to recoup a portion of Borland’s signing bonus, which they’re probably entitled to do. The 49ers would be going after less than $500K, however, so I doubt they’d risk the public relations headache of doing so.
Chris Borland Retires
10:25pm: The 49ers have confirmed Borland’s retirement.
9:11pm: 49ers linebacker Chris Borland will retire after just one NFL season due to concerns about repeated head injuries, according to Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru of ESPN’s Outside the Lines. Borland notified the 49ers about his decision on Frid
ay.
“I just honestly want to do what’s best for my health,” Borland told Outside the Lines. “From what I’ve researched and what I’ve experienced, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.
“I feel largely the same, as sharp as I’ve ever been, for me it’s wanting to be proactive,” he continued. “I’m concerned that if you wait till you have symptoms, it’s too late. … There are a lot of unknowns. I can’t claim that X will happen. I just want to live a long healthy life, and I don’t want to have any neurological diseases or die younger than I would otherwise.”
As the ESPN scribes note, Borland will become the highest-profile NFL player to leave the game because of concussion concerns. Player safety, and specifically head injuries, has been on the NFL’s plate for awhile, but the issue has mostly been related to former players. The league has instituted new sideline concussion protocols, but the retirement of Borland — a player entering his prime, and having only played a single season — will surely shed new light on the issue.
Prior to San Francisco’s fourth preseason game, Borland wrote a letter to his parents indicating that he believed his career might be cut short because of head injuries. His concerns “gathered steam” throughout the season, and once the year concluded, Borland met with researchers and former players before he made his final decision. He’ll continue to undergo tests to “maintain his well-being” and contribute to further concussion research.
A third-round pick in last year’s draft, Borland was a revelation at linebacker after taking over following injuries to Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. In only eight starts, the Wisconsin product racked up more than 80 tackles, showing himself to be an excellent run-stopper. In his limited snaps, Borland ranked as the fourth-best inside linebacker in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The 24-year-old Borland will become the second San Francisco linebacker to retire in the past week, as the veteran Willis also hung up his cleats. Moreover, defensive lineman Justin Smith is also contemplating retirement, corners Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver were lost to free agency, and embattled end Ray McDonald isn’t expected to return. As such, the unit, and new coordinator Eric Mangini, will certainly face an uphill battle in 2015 as the team as a whole looks to move past its subpar 2014 season.
Borland is the third young NFL player to retire in the past seven days, as linebacker Jason Worilds and quarterback Jake Locker also called it quits last week. Each of those players cited a lack of passion for the game when retiring, however, so Borland’s explanation will surely stir more headlines and discussion.