49ers Eyeing Free Agent Linebackers
12:52pm: The 49ers are also considering longtime Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, who says the team has discussed the possibility of signing the veteran free agent. Barrows also notes that the club is looking at another FA linebacker, former Buccaneer Mason Foster.
10:04am: Earlier this offseason, the 49ers brought in one former Viking who has run into off-field legal troubles, when they signed wide receiver Jerome Simpson. Now, the team appears to be eyeing another player who fits that bill.
Former Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson had a private workout in Arizona this weekend separate from the veterans combine, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (all Twitter links). According to Anderson, representatives from a number of teams attended Henderson’s workout — one of those teams was San Francisco, and Henderson has lined up a visit with the 49ers later this week. Henderson’s meeting with the Niners was first reported by NFL Draft Diamonds.
The Niners are in need of linebacker help, particularly on the inside, after both Patrick Willis and Chris Borland unexpectedly announced this month that they’d be retiring from the NFL. A report in early March indicated that San Francisco was shopping Michael Wilhoite, who stepped in last year as a starter when Willis and NaVorro Bowman went down with injuries, but now it appears the team may keep Wilhoite around. The Niners figure to add some depth to complement Wilhoite and Bowman.
Henderson, 28, is a talented player, having racked up 112 tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions for the Vikings in just 14 games in 2013. However, he has been arrested multiple times for DUI-related incidents, and has been suspended by the league for his off-field behavior. The Maryland product didn’t play in the NFL in 2014 following his latest legal issues.
Chris Borland To Return Part Of Signing Bonus
After 49ers linebacker Chris Borland announced his retirement on Monday, questions arose regarding whether San Francisco would attempt to recoup a portion of his signing bonus, which the club has a right to do. Borland ended any speculation about the matter today, telling CBS’ Face the Nation that he would repay 3/4 of his bonus to the 49ers (link via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com).
“I’m only taking the money I’ve earned,” said Borland. “To me it’s just about health and nothing else. I never played the game for money or attention. I love football. I’ve had a blast. I don’t regret the last 10 years of my life at all. I’d do it over the exact same way.”
As such, Borland will pay the 49ers $463,077 — for salary cap purposes, that same amount will remain on SF’s books as dead money. The 23-year-old’s base salaries for the next three seasons, which were set to total less than $2MM, are wiped out due to his retirement. In total, Borland will have earned about $574K for his one year in the NFL.
Earlier this week, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examined the Borland/bonus issue, arguing that the Niners had to attempt to reclaim the money as a matter of precedent, comparing the situation to the NFLPA fighting on behalf every player, even those who have committed crimes.
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.