San Francisco 49ers News & Rumors

49ers Interview Raiders’ Gerald Alexander For DC

March 1st, 2024 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

A fifth candidate for the 49ers’ defensive coordinator job has emerged. After identifying Chiefs DBs coach David Merritt as an option, the NFC champions are eyeing another AFC West assistant.

The 49ers met with Raiders safeties coach Gerald Alexander on Friday, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. Alexander has been an NFL DBs coach since 2020, spending time in Miami, Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. Alexander took the job in Las Vegas this offseason; he was with the Steelers in 2023.

The Raiders just announced Alexander as part of their finalized coaching staff last week, bringing him aboard to work under retained DC Patrick Graham. This is not Alexander’s first shot at a DC job, however. He interviewed for the Jaguars’ post in 2022.

Alexander, 39, spent the past two years as the Steelers’ assistant defensive backs coach. An ex-Dolphins assistant under Brian Flores, Alexander followed his former boss to Pittsburgh in 2022. Flores stopped through Pennsylvania as linebackers coach that year, coming over after filing a discrimination lawsuit. Flores moved on and became the Vikings’ DC, but Alexander stayed on Mike Tomlin‘s staff. Unless the 49ers hire him, Alexander will work under Graham in Vegas.

A former NFL DB who started for the Lions and Jaguars, Alexander spent the 2010s coaching in the college ranks. That period ended with a three-year stay in the Bay Area, when he served as Cal’s DBs coach. Via PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker, here is how the 49ers’ pursuit of a Steve Wilks replacement looks:

Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Interviewed
Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

49ers Eyeing Extensions For WRs Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings

February 29th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

Brandon Aiyuk is the latest foundational homegrown 49ers player in line for a second contract with the team, and the possibility of one has long been a talking point. General manager John Lynch has offered a range of responses when asked about the subject previously, but he offered a notably firm response at the Combine.

Aiyuk has proven himself to be one of the league’s top young receivers over the past two seasons in particular. He enjoyed a career year in 2023, continuing to serve as a major factor in San Francisco’s passing attack while helping lead the team to the Super Bowl. The 25-year-old is on the books for $14.1MM in 2024 due to the 49ers’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option, but a multi-year deal is an obvious priority for the organization.

“He’s served us very well as a franchise, and I think we’ve got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us,” Lynch said of Aiyuk when speaking at the Combine (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “Brandon is someone we want to keep around for a long time.”

Those remarks contrast to a degree with Lynch’s previous stance on the subject. The veteran executive noted the 49ers “can’t just be reckless” with their cap situation and the complications a new Aiyuk deal would create. San Francisco has fellow offensive stalwarts Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel under contract for multiple years, and Nick Bosa‘s historic extension will lead to major spikes in his cap hits down the road. A new deal for quarterback Brock Purdy (as early as next offseason) will of course include a major raise compared to his rookie pact.

Entering his age-26 season, Aiyuk will be able to command a new contract near the top of the receiver market; as such, he could join the list of 14 wideouts currently averaging at least $20MM per year. While retaining the Arizona State alum will therefore be a pricey endeavor, the 49ers are also interested in retaining fellow receiver Jauan Jennings. The latter is a pending restricted free agent, but Lynch noted it is his intention to keep him in place for at least 2024.

Jennings could be in line for the second-round RFA tender, which would cost $4.89MM and yield second-round compensation if he departed via an offer sheet. San Francisco could tender him at the original-round level ($3.12MM), but in that case an unmatched offer sheet would lead to only a seventh-rounder as compensation. Lynch noted a multi-year deal could be on the table, though, which would avoid the possibility of Jennings departing and ensure his place as a complimentary member of the offense for years to come.

Like all teams, the 49ers find themselves with added flexibility in 2024 thanks to the salary cap increase. The cap ceiling is set at $255.4MM, a much higher figure than teams were originally anticipating. That could make new deals for Aiyuk and Jennings more manageable in the short term, although they will still be expensive propositions in the former’s case in particular. It will be interesting to see how much urgency the 49ers proceed with on the extension front in the near future.

QB Rumors: Brady, 49ers, Purdy, Dalton, Eagles, Maye, Jones, Giants, Jackson, Ravens

February 28th, 2024 at 4:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Shanahan confirmed Brock Purdy‘s account that provided one final Tom Brady–49ers connection. Shanahan alerted Purdy of his effort to lure Brady out of retirement during the younger QB’s rehab from UCL surgery. Brady passed, leading to the 49ers’ Sam Darnold signing.

“I actually thought it was giving Brock the biggest compliment,” Shanahan said, via NBC Sports’ Peter King. “I let him know he’s our guy long term. No question. And if Tom Brady wanted to come here and start for one year, that’s the only way you’re not starting when you’re healthy this year. That’s pretty cool. I wanted to assure him, ‘Don’t worry. You’re our guy. But how cool would it be if Tom Brady would be the quarterback here for one season? How cool would it be for you to learn from him?’

“I mean, if Brock never got hurt, this wouldn’t have been a consideration at all. I’d never have brought it up. But I’ve got to think about the team. What if he’s not ready in September?”

Brady’s re-retirement has stuck, with the 46-year-old legend not playing in 2023. The 49ers passed on making a serious pursuit of the Bay Area native in 2020, sticking with Jimmy Garoppolo. Brady was connected to the 49ers in 2022 as well, but when the Buccaneers would not trade his rights during retirement No. 1, he came back to Tampa. The seven-time Super Bowl winner is en route to becoming a Raiders minority owner and FOX’s No. 1 analyst. Purdy, who was back by training camp and showed last season his post-Garoppolo work as a rookie was no fluke, is signed through the 2025 season. The 49ers cannot give him an extension until after this year.

Here is the latest from the quarterback scene:

Drake Maye will join Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels in not throwing at the Combine, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. Widely expected to be a top-five pick, Maye is only scheduled to meet with teams and go through physicals. A light Indianapolis schedule is mostly available only to surefire candidates to go off the board early, but such prospects are taking advantage of the limited participation option.
Not nearly on the level of the Brady-49ers what-if transaction, the Eagles made a strong pursuit for Andy Dalton during last year’s free agency, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes. A signing was close here, per Caplan, but Philadelphia pivoted to Marcus Mariota after Dalton chose Carolina’s two-year, $10MM ($8MM guaranteed) offer. The Eagles added Mariota on a one-year, $5MM deal. Barring a Mariota re-signing, Philly will need to add a new backup quarterback soon.
Daniel Jones‘ rehab continues to unfold smoothly. Giants GM Joe Schoen expects his starter to be ready for training camp and indicated the sixth-year veteran has begun throwing. Jones is not yet dropping back and throwing, but not yet four months after his ACL tear, the longtime New York starter is progressing toward his goal of a training camp return. Schoen reiterated (via Giants.com’s Michael Eisen) at the Combine that Jones will be the Giants’ starter if healthy. The Giants are still expected to add a quarterback, though one of this offseason’s central storylines is whether that passer will be a first-round pick or merely a veteran backup for Jones. The Giants can get out of Jones’ contract with a modest dead-money sum in 2025.
Lamar Jackson did not sign his Ravens extension until draft day last year, stalling his start in new OC Todd Monken‘s system. That did not exactly slow the dual-threat superstar, who won his second MVP award. But the Ravens are giving Jackson more autonomy into the offense’s design this year, per John Harbaugh. The 17th-year Baltimore HC said conversations with Jackson about new offensive dimensions began soon after the team’s AFC championship game loss.

49ers To Interview Chiefs’ David Merritt For DC Job

February 28th, 2024 at 3:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The one coordinator post still open may not be settled until March. The 49ers have another external candidate they want to interview.

Chiefs defensive backs coach David Merritt will meet with the 49ers about their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Kansas City did not lose either of its coordinators this offseason, with neither Steve Spagnuolo nor Matt Nagy being interviewed for a top job. But one of the reigning champs’ assistants is in play to make a move up with another team.

Merritt, 52, has worked under Spagnuolo in New York and Kansas City. He arrived in Missouri in 2019 and has been in place as the Chiefs’ DBs coach since. Given the performance of Kansas City’s secondary despite regular departures of starters in free agency, Merritt receiving consideration makes sense. Though, it would be interesting to see the 49ers bail on an outside hire (Steve Wilks) only to make another such move a year later. Merritt has a rather impressive jewelry case, having won five Super Bowl rings — two with the Giants as their safeties coach — and three with the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have continued to churn out productive cornerback play despite a slew of departures. Since Merritt was hired in 2019, Marcus Peters, Kendall Fuller, Steven Nelson and Charvarius Ward have departed via trade or free agency. Kansas City was able to win another Super Bowl largely on the back of its pass defense this past season, with Trent McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed forming a top-flight CB tandem. The Chiefs have also navigated Tyrann Mathieu‘s 2022 exit, plugging in Justin Reid.

That said, Merritt has never interviewed for a coordinator position. This meeting will also satisfy the coordinator Rooney Rule, which mandates one external minority be interviewed. Merritt is Black. The 49ers have two internal candidates — DBs coach Daniel Bullocks and defensive pass-game coordinator Nick Sorensen — along with former Chargers HC Brandon Staley on the radar for this job. The 49ers promoted from within in 2021, tabbing DeMeco Ryans to replace Robert Saleh, but added Wilks in 2023.

Wilks’ defense did well to contain Patrick Mahomes for much of Super Bowl LVIII, with Kansas City’s lone touchdown before overtime coming after a botched San Francisco punt return. But Wilks’ unit buckled with the game on the line, leading to Kyle Shanahan firing him after one season. A replacement should be known soon.

49ers Complete DC Interviews With Brandon Staley, Nick Sorensen

February 26th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of the team’s Super Bowl loss, 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was dismissed. That has created the lone coordinator vacancy remaining in the NFL’s coaching cycle, but the process of filling it is underway.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan informed NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco that a pair of DC interviews have already taken place. Those initial meetings have been with former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, as well as 49ers defensive passing game specialist Nick Sorensen. Another internal option – defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks – will likely interview for the position later this week, per Shanahan.

Staley saw his time at the helm of the Chargers come to an end midway through the 2023 campaign. His first HC opportunity did not go according to plan, but his reputation dating back to his time as a position coach and coordinator earned him multiple DC interviews. Staley spoke with the Packers, Rams and Dolphins about their respective vacancies. The San Francisco gig represents the 41-year-old’s final opportunity to land an NFL coordinator position in 2024.

Failing that, Staley could find a role as a position coach on an NFL staff, or he could take on a position in the NCAA ranks (having most recently coached in college during the 2016 campaign). Of course, the former Rams DC could spend a year off the sidelines altogether in a bid to return during the 2025 hiring cycle. San Francisco will also consider in-house options, though.

Sorenson transitioned from playing to coaching over one decade ago, taking his first opportunity with the Seahawks in 2013. He has primarily worked on the defensive side of the ball since then, though his background on special teams landed him the ST coordinator gig with the Jaguars in 2021. After a single season in Jacksonville, the 45-year-old joined the 49ers’ staff. The 2023 campaign was his first in his current capacity.

Bollocks has been in San Francisco since Shanahan’s arrival in 2017. He spent a pair of season as an assistant working with the team’s defensive backs before being promoted to the lead role. After bringing in Wilks from outside the organization, the 49ers could elect to stay in-house with his next hire by promoting one of Bollocks or Sorenson.

Shanahan added that at least two other external candidates are expected to be interviewed in the coming days, though. In all, two minority candidates must be considered to satisfy the Rooney Rule. The 49ers do not have any NFL competition for their DC vacancy, but a decision could be coming soon as the interview process continues.

2024 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 24th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL provided clarity to its teams on Friday by setting the salary cap ceiling ($255.4MM). Franchise tag figures have been locked in as well, and clubs can now proceed with their offseason planning knowing exactly where they stand with respect to financial flexibility. Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is the current landscape in terms of salary cap space:

Washington Commanders: $79.61MM
Tennessee Titans: $78.66MM
Chicago Bears: $78.34MM
New England Patriots: $77.96MM
Indianapolis Colts: $72.34MM
Houston Texans: $67.58MM
Detroit Lions: $57.61MM
Arizona Cardinals: $51.1MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $50.67MM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $43.68MM
Los Angles Rams: $43.11MM
Las Vegas Raiders: $42.94MM
Minnesota Vikings: $35.81MM
Carolina Panthers: $34.57MM
Atlanta Falcons: $33MM
New York Giants: $30.8MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $27.35MM
Jacksonville Jaguars: $24.68MM
Kansas City Chiefs: $18.19MM
Baltimore Ravens: $16.63MM
Seattle Seahawks: $12.97MM
New York Jets: $12.76MM
Pittsburgh Steelers: $9MM
Green Bay Packers: $2.3MM
San Francisco 49ers: $5.07MM over the cap
Cleveland Browns: $7.76MM over
Dallas Cowboys: $9.86MM over
Denver Broncos: $16.81MM over
Los Angeles Chargers: $25.61MM over
Miami Dolphins: $27.92MM over
New Orleans Saints: $42.11MM over
Buffalo Bills: $43.82MM over

All teams must be cap compliant by the start of the new league year, but it will of course be more than just those currently over the limit which will make cost-shedding moves in the near future. Cuts, restructures and extensions are available as tools to carve out space in advance of free agency. Several have already taken place around the league.

That includes the Dolphins’ release of defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and the planned cut of Xavien Howard. The latter cannot be designated a post-June 1 release until free agency begins but once it happens, Miami will move much closer to cap compliance. The Saints have moved considerable commitments into the future via restructures (as usual), but more transactions on that front will be required even with the cap seeing an historic single-season jump.

The roughly $30MM spike from 2023 will provide unforeseen spending power for teams already set to lead the pack in cap space while also making the task of those at the bottom of the list easier. Spending more on backloaded contracts this offseason at the expense of future space obviously carries risk, however. Still, the news of a higher-than-expected ceiling will add further intrigue to each team’s financial planning.

With Dak Prescott and Deshaun Watson each set to carry record-breaking cap hits for 2024, the Cowboys and Browns will be among the teams most in need of working out a deal to lower those figures. In Dallas’ case in particular, an extension would provide immediate breathing room in addition to clarity on his future beyond the coming season. For Cleveland, Watson’s fully-guaranteed deal has already been restructured once and will need to be again to avoid consecutive years of a $64MM cap charge over its remaining term.

If the Commanders and Patriots add a quarterback with the second and third picks in this year’s draft, each team currently in the top six in space will enjoy the benefits of having a signal-caller on their rookie contracts. That would allow for an aggressive approach to free agency, although the Chiefs’ success after Patrick Mahomes signed (and re-worked) his monster extension has proven it is possible to win Super Bowl titles with a substantial QB investment on the books.

49ers Release CB Isaiah Oliver

February 23rd, 2024 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Signed to work alongside starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, Isaiah Oliver was unable to hold down a regular role in San Francisco. As a result, he will be sent back to free agency.

The 49ers cut Oliver on Friday, the team announced. The NFC champions will pick up $2.4MM in cap space by moving on from the veteran cornerback, who came over after five years in Atlanta. San Francisco had given Oliver a two-year, $6.75MM deal.

Oliver, 27, played 46% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps last season. Targeted as a big nickel-type presence by one-and-done DC Steve Wilks, the former second-round pick was demoted following a three-game midseason skid. Once the 49ers re-emerged for their Jaguars matchup in Week 8, Ambry Thomas had taken over as the team’s primary third corner. This came after the team pursued the likes of Patrick Surtain, Jaylon Johnson and Nate Hobbs before the deadline.

The 49ers only gave Oliver a notable role again in a Week 18 game that involved many backups, as it came after the team clinched home-field advantage. During the 49ers’ three playoff games, Oliver only played on special teams. For the season, he still made 67 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. The Colorado alum will be looking for a new team, however.

The 6-foot-2 cover man had been a Falcons regular for five years. An ACL tear sustained in Week 4 of the 2021 season crushed Oliver’s contract year, leading to a low-cost deal to stay in Atlanta for the ’22 campaign. Starting 38 games for the Falcons during that five-year tenure, Oliver has been unable to rebuild his stock since.

Ward, Lenoir and Thomas are each under contract for the 2024 season. Thomas struggled at point during San Francisco’s playoff journey, and with Oliver unable to man the slot in the way K’Waun Williams and Jimmie Ward had, the 49ers may be on the lookout for more help soon. Lenoir shifting inside on passing downs remains in play for the 49ers, but it seems likely the 49ers will add a piece to this equation this offseason.

Eagles Add RB Tyrion Davis-Price On Futures Deal

February 20th, 2024 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

In 2022, Trey Sermon saw his brief 49ers tenure come to an end by joining the Eagles. The same is now true of fellow running back Tyrion Davis-Price.

The latter signed a reserve/futures contract with Philadelphia on Tuesday, his agency announced. Davis-Price was added in the third round of the 2022 draft, but he was unable to carve out a role in San Francisco. He was waived in December after playing in just one contest. The 23-year-old cleared waivers and finished the season on the 49ers’ practice squad.

The Eagles lost Miles Sanders in free agency last offseason when he joined the Panthers on a four-year, $25.4MM deal. His chief replacement was D’Andre Swift, acquired via trade from the Lions during the draft. Swift earned his first career Pro Bowl nod by rushing for 1,049 yards and five touchdowns. He did not have as large of a pass-catching role as some expected he would, however.

Swift is a pending free agent, as are Boston Scott and Rashaad Penny. Today’s move will thus give the Eagles a young depth option in the backfield as they sort out their direction at the position for the offseason. Davis-Price has logged only 40 carries across seven regular season games. He has yet to record a reception, and he was not used heavily on special teams by the 49ers. The LSU alum thus faces an uphill battle to earn a 53-man roster spot.

Philadelphia now has three backs under contract, including fellow reserve deal signee Lew Nichols and returnee Kenneth Gainwell. Unless one or more of Swift, Scott and Penny are re-signed, the Eagles will no doubt be in the market for an addition at the RB spot. Regardless, Davis-Price will turn his attention to his new home as he looks to establish himself as a full-time contributor.

49ers GM John Lynch Addresses Potential Brandon Aiyuk Extension

February 19th, 2024 at 10:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers are set to have much of their salary cap commitments tied into a small group of high-priced veterans in 2024 and beyond. Brandon Aiyuk is on track to become one of them, provided he plays out his fifth-year option next year and/or agrees to an extension.

Aiyuk has been the subject of considerable speculation given San Francisco’s existing commitments at the offensive skill positions. That includes fellow receiver Deebo Samuel‘s through-2025 deal, which carries cap hits of $28.63MM and $24.2MM over the next two years. Aiyuk will make $14.12MM on his fifth-year option, but a new pact will cost far more. When speaking about the latter, general manager John Lynch notably declined to offer a firm promise an agreement will be worked out.

In past years, Lynch made it clear ascending players like Samuel and defensive end Nick Bosa would be retained with long-term roster planning taking major raises into account. The longtime San Francisco executive recently repeated that his preference would be an agreement with Aiyuk. He was less committal than he has been in cases like that of Samuel and Bosa, however.

“Yeah, there are some challenges,” Lynch said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) when speaking about Aiyuk’s financial situation. “I hope so. I think we’re set up to do [an extension]. It takes putting the whole thing together. And there’s also things we have to plan for going forward. You can’t just be reckless. We never will be.”

As Branch notes, right tackle Mike McGlinchey represents a recent example of a young starter who was floated as a trade candidate by the organization before ultimately departing in free agency (something which, in turn, came after DT DeForest Buckner was dealt ahead of the final year of his rookie contract in 2020). Aiyuk’s performances have have out-paced those of McGlinchey during his final 49ers years, and he would generate a highly competitive market if he were to reach free agency next spring. The Arizona State product has indicated he would prefer to remain in the Bay Area beyond 2024, but talks on a new deal will be worth following closely this offseason.

Plenty of time remains for the parties to come to an agreement, but the fact Lynch has not offered the same public assurances of an Aiyuk deal as he has in other cases is notable. Coming off a Super Bowl defeat, San Francisco’s short- and long-term roster-building efforts will hinge in large part on the team’s ultimate decision with respect to his future.

RB Mike Davis Retires

February 19th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Davis enjoyed an eight-year stint in the NFL, but the veteran running back will not make another run at finding an opportunity ahead of the 2024 season. Davis announced on Monday that he has retired.

The news comes on Davis’ 31st birthday, and it confirms he will hang up his cleats after a full season out of the league. His most recent game action came with the Ravens, who signed him in May 2022. Baltimore moved on in December of that year, and no teams provided an opportunity during the 2023 campaign.

Davis entered the league in 2015 with the 49ers, though he only spent two years with the team. Another two-year run ensued during his tenure in Seattle. It was with the Seahawks in 2018 that Davis first received over 100 carries and put up notable production (514 yards, four touchdowns). Those totals did not prevent the former fourth-rounder from bouncing around the league, however; Davis went on to play for the Bears, Panthers, Falcons and Ravens over the course of his career.

The 2020 season was comfortably the most productive of Davis’ career. He topped 1,000 scrimmage yards and scored eight total touchdowns, helping maintain his free agent value. The end of his two-year, $6MM Panthers contract lined up an intra-divisional move to Atlanta on a $5.5MM pact of the same length. A stint as the Falcons’ lead back did not produce the desired results, though, and Davis was let go after only one season.

The South Carolina alum played a total of 87 NFL games, as well as a single postseason appearance with Seattle. In all, Davis totaled roughly $13.3MM in career earnings. His attention will now turn to his post-playing days, but he used his retirement announcement to reflect positively on his career.

“As I turn 31 today, I sit back and look on my NFL career and how thankful I am to be a part of a brotherhood,” Davis said on social media. “This game has allowed me to make a lot of friends and memories. I’m grateful for every organization in [the] NFL.”

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