Extension Candidate: Jim Harbaugh
The 49ers, a team with an eminently talented roster and legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, find themselves in a fairly enviable position heading into the 2014 campaign. They are not, however, worry-free. There is the drama surrounding Aldon Smith, a suddenly fragile collection of running backs, and then there is head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s uncertain contract situation.
The 49ers made an extension offer to Harbaugh early last month, but Harbaugh did not immediately respond to it and contract talks reached an impasse shortly thereafter. As we learned earlier this week, the parties ultimately decided to table those talks until after the 2014 season. Harbaugh’s contract does run through 2015, but there are some sources who believe that, if a new deal is not consummated next offseason, the team will either trade Harbaugh or will simply allow his contract to expire.
Harbaugh has all the leverage in these negotiations (depending, to some extent, on the team’s performance in 2014). Over the course of his collegiate and professional coaching career, he has proven himself as someone who can quickly establish a strong foundation and a winning culture. If his contract is not renewed before the end of the 2015 season, Harbaugh will be besieged with lucrative offers from one of a handful of teams that will inevitably be looking for a new head coach at that point. If he is traded, the acquiring team will also be quick to give him a handsome deal (remember, the Browns reportedly tried to trade for him in January of this year). And, if the 49ers bring home the Lombardi Trophy this season after coming tantalizingly close to it in Harbaugh’s first three seasons with San Francisco, CEO Jed York might just hand him a blank check.
While Harbaugh has said all the right things regarding his relationship with the 49ers front office and his focus on the upcoming season, it is not easy to forget reports of the alleged tension between the head coach and the San Francisco brass. While the parties would almost certainly set aside any negative feelings they may harbor on a personal level if the team’s on-field success continues, that tension may create a bit of an obstacle when contract talks begin anew.
Although it is somewhat difficult to predict what teams will want to trade assets for a new head coach after the upcoming season, and even more difficult to predict which clubs will be in the market for a new head man following the 2015 season, there is no question that Harbaugh’s next contract–whether it is with the 49ers or someone else–will pay him a salary that rivals or surpasses those of the highest-paid coaches in the league. Sean Payton of the Saints currently tops the list with an $8MM annual salary, and the Patriots’ Bill Belichick, the Chiefs’ Andy Reid, and the Ravens’ John Harbaugh, Jim’s older brother, are not far behind.
But for a team searching for an established coach with a proven track record of quick success–Harbaugh took over a 49ers team that went 6-10 in 2010, guided them to a 13-3 record in 2011, and has compiled a 36-11-1 record over three seasons–that price tag will be worth it. And if Harbaugh delivers a sixth Super Bowl title to San Fransisco, the 49ers will really have no choice but to match or beat whatever offers he gets and to decline whatever trade offers come their way.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
NFC West Links: 49ers, Cooper, Bailey
The 49ers‘ running back depth took a hit this week when Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James both suffered injuries. As the team tries to keep starter Frank Gore fresh and healthy for the regular season, some other players have had a chance to shine. Rookie Carlos Hyde has particularly taken advantage of the opportunity and has drawn praise from the entire coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman remarked on the second-round pick’s ability to pick up instruction (via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee)…
“I guess, you know, somebody that’s seven-years-old playing the piano and you kind of show them, they hear it, and then they start playing the piano,” Roman said. “It’s one of those things that if you can explain it to him, once it clicks with him – and that’s happened repeatedly on a lot of different things – he just makes that adjustment, and we keep moving.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh even went as far as to compare the rookie to the veteran he’s hoping to back up.
“Carlos gets football, understands football; it’s natural for him to understand the game, similar to Frank Gore,” Harbaugh said. “And we’re seeing those things, and both are very good signs and bode well for us.”
- 49ers defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey tore his bicep earlier today, and ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson tweets that Isaac Sopoaga could be an option to replace him. The 32-year-old split 2013 between the Eagles and the Patriots.
- Cardinals guard Jonathan Cooper missed all of 2013 recovering from a broken fibula. The team was counting on their former first-rounder to contribute this season, but coach Bruce Arians doesn’t sound overly optimistic. “I’m a little disappointed with where Coop is at right now,” Arians told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “I’d hope he come a little faster.” To perhaps make a bit of a statement, the team played Earl Watford with the first team during practice (via a tweet from ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss).
- Even with his impending four-game suspension, Rams receiver Stedman Bailey has been impressive at camp, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. This is leaving many, including coach Jeff Fisher, confident that the second-year player will make a big impact once he returns. “He’s there,” Fisher said. “He knows how to get open, and knows how to make the plays. Yes, we’ll miss him, but he’s going to push right through camp and we’ll get through his ordeal and we’ll get him right back in the lineup.”
Ravens, 49ers Notes: Practice, Mosley, Hyde
The Ravens and 49ers have been linked together thanks to their head coaches, brother Jim and John Harbaugh, and their epic battle in Super Bowl XLVII. The two franchises were planning on continuing their connection with a joint practice on August 8th, but that scrimmage has been canceled according to the Baltimore Sun. The practice would violate the collective bargaining agreement, which dictates the amount of practices a team can have, and what is considered an “off day” under the agreement.
Here are some other notes from among the two training camps:
- The Ravens have listed first-round pick C.J. Mosley as a starting inside linebacker on their most recent depth chart, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Mosley is currently ahead of last year’s second-round pick Arthur Brown, who missed the 2013 season but was expected to be a contributor.
- Ravens‘ star Haloti Ngata will shift over on the defensive line into the position vacated by Arthur Jones, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Jones was signed by the Colts this offseason. Wilson also noted that Darian Stewart and Brandon Williams are listed as starters at safety and defensive tackle respectively, although the team drafted Terrence Brooks and Timmy Jernigan, both out of Florida State, to compete at those spots (via Twitter).
- 49ers‘ defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey tore his bicep, and could potentially miss the entire season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). According to the depth chart, Quinton Dial is set to step up in his absence, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Dial was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but missed all of last season.
- With the 49ers‘ depth chart being announced, Carlos Hyde has emerged as the backup running back in the aftermath of the injuries to Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
NFC Notes: Saints, Carr, Barr, Hyde
Writing about the Saints, OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald says, “On one end of the spectrum they do a pretty poor job with planning for tomorrow due to restructures, void years, etc… but on the other end of the spectrum they also find these really good bargains on players.” Fitzgerald references Marques Colston, Zach Strief and Junior Galette chief among those bargains, deeming Galette the team’s best contract. On the flip side of the coin, however, is Curtis Lofton. Fitzgerald says the veteran linebacker’s guaranteed money is out of whack, and his deal is “littered” with prohibitive roster bonuses and a potentially costly voidable year.
Read on for several more NFC news and notes:
- Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr hasn’t joined the Cowboys for training camp yet because he’s been with his cancer-stricken mother, who passed away on Wednesday.
- Another player who has been sidelined for training camp is 49ers tight end Garrett Celek. He missed four games last season because of a hamstring injury, and is dealing with a back injury right now. Division III product Derek Carrier stands to benefit, writes SFGate.com’s Eric Branch, as Carrier and Celek are the contenders for the third tight end job behind Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman believes in Carrier’s ability: “He’s got a chance to be a productive player in this league. There’s no doubt. Derek’s got a nice feel for the passing game, he’s got good hands, and he can cover some ground now – he can really run. I don’t like to put timetables on people, but this a big year for him. He’s got a hell of an opportunity this year to really take a big step.”
- Meanwhile, 49ers coaches are raving about the mental prowess of rookie runner Carlos Hyde, going so far as to call him savant-like, writes Matt Barrows in the Sacramento Bee.
- Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer says there is a “strong” chance first-rounder Anthony Barr could start the season opener, reports Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
- Bears rookie linebacker Christian Jones was one of the highest-profile undrafted free agents because he was key member of the national champion Florida State Seminoles, because he’s an impressive athlete who garnered second-round grades from draft evaluators and because he failed a drug test at the Combine. Not surprisingly, he’s made early waves in training camp for the linebacker-needy Bears, writes ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, who says it would be a surprise if Jones didn’t make the team: “The question now is whether Jones can maintain the momentum. Through the first seven practices, Jones appears to be one of the most athletic linebackers on the team, and probably the only true strongside linebacker at the position.”
- ESPN’s Pat Yasinkas checks in on a handful of Buccaneers position battles, including the worrisome guard spots: “This one remains wide open. Jamon Meredith, Oniel Cousins, Patrick Omameh and Kadeem Edwards have been taking turns working with the first team and it doesn’t look like anyone has pulled ahead of the pack yet.”
NFC West Notes: Witherspoon, Starks, Abraham
Though he has yet to officially retire, linebacker Will Witherspoon is taking steps in that direction, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (on Twitter) that Witherspoon has taken a job as the Rams‘ radio sideline reporter. Witherspoon, 33, is a veteran of 12 NFL seasons, having spent time with the Panthers, Rams, Eagles, and Titans. He reportedly engaged in contract talks with both the Rams and the Falcons earlier in the offseason, but it looks as if he’ll get started on his media career rather than continue as a player.
More from the NFC West:
- After the 49ers drafted Marcus Martin in the third round, some figured he might get a chance to challenge Daniel Kilgore for the right to replace Jonathan Goodwin as San Francisco’s center. But, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes, Martin’s sprained ankle has disallowed him from even practicing, let alone acting as a serious threat to Kilgore.
- Newly-signed Cardinals tackle Max Starks is excited to be reunited with head Bruce Arians’ familiar playbook, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “All the terminology seems to be the old terminology, so it’s starting to click again,” said Stark, who played under Arians’ coordination with the Steelers. “Obviously it’s been two years since I was with [Arians] so just getting used to that lingo and getting that going.”
- Per Weinfuss on Twitter, Starks has already begun working with the second-team offense at Cardinals camp, supplanting Bradley Sowell.
- The Cardinals expect veteran linebacker John Abraham, who is sorting through legal issues, to report to camp “within five or six days,” Arians told reporters, including Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic.
- Undrafted linebacker Shayne Skov, who played under Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, is impressing at 49ers camp, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
West Notes: MJD, Lynch, 49ers, Schaub
Running back Maurice Jones-Drew thinks it’s “hilarious” that some people don’t think he has what it takes to carry the load in the Raiders’ offense. “I know what I have left,” Jones-Drew said according to Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury-News. “I know the work I put in this offseason to get to where I need to get to be able to play at a high level. I stopped worrying about what people were saying.” More out of the AFC and NFC West..
- Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch wanted $5MM more than he got out of his reworked deal this week, a source tells Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Ultimately, however, he took the deal that was first offered to him back in May when he first expressed dissatisfaction with his contract.
- After placing tight end Anthony McCoy on injured reserve yesterday, the Seahawks brought in former Pats, Buccaneers, and Chiefs tight end Steve Maneri for a workout, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The 6’6″, 275 pound tight end saw four games of action last season for the Bears.
- The 49ers are taking some risks by tabling contract extension talks with Jim Harbaugh until after the 2014 season, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Williamson understands San Francisco’s desire to avoid additional distractions during the season, but fears that teams will start trolling around Harbaugh in an attempt to pry him away next offseason.
- After taking a good amount of criticism for a down season with the Texans, quarterback Matt Schaub is eager for a fresh start with the Raiders, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The 33-year-old took a $3MM pay cut to help facilitate the trade that brought him to Oakland.
49ers, Harbaugh Table Contract Talks
Niners CEO Jed York told Jim Kozimor on Yahoo! SportsTalk Live that he and coach Jim Harbaugh have agreed to hold off contract talks until after the season. York and Harbaugh on Wednesday and agreed to pump the brakes on their discussions.
“We actually just had this conversation yesterday,” York said. “Lots of people were talking to him about it. We just said, ‘You know what, let’s not do anything during the season. Let’s sit down a week or so after the season is over and let everybody know we’re not focused on anything that’s off the field right now.’ Jim and I will sit down a week or so after the season is over and we’ll figure out where we go.”
When asked if there’s a risk of Harbaugh’s value skyrocketing if the 49ers win a Super Bowl, York said that would be a “good thing” and an “unbelievable” problem to have. Harbaugh is entering the fourth-year of the original five-year, $25MM contract he signed in January 2011 after leaving Stanford. Now, teams looking to can their coach after the 2014 season could start circling the wagons around Harbaugh before the coach and York sit down to talk.
In Harbaugh’s three seasons, the 49ers have compiled a 36-11-1 record in the regular season, reached three straight NFC Championship games, and made one Super Bowl appearance.
Goodell To Meet With Josh Gordon, Aldon Smith
Yesterday, we heard that former Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell within the next week or so in an effort to be reinstated into the NFL. However, that’s not the only meeting with a player on Goodell’s schedule for the next week and a half. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, the commish will also meet with 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith on August 8, and will sit down with Browns wideout Josh Gordon sometime before then.
Both Smith and Gordon are facing suspensions for off-field actions. In Smith’s case, three felony gun charges, a DUI, and an alleged fake bomb threat loom large, and are expected to result in a multi-game ban. As for Gordon, who is facing a possible one-year suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, his appeal hearing remains scheduled for tomorrow, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). Gordon’s reps will argue that his failed test was a result of second-hand smoke, and that if his two urine samples had arbitrarily flipped labels, he would have passed the test.
Goodell, who previously had established a reputation as a strict disciplinarian, has been under scrutiny for the lenient punishment he handed down to Ravens running back Ray Rice, who only received a two-game ban following an ugly domestic abuse case involving his then-fiancée.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Quarterback Kory Faulkner, waived Tuesday by the 49ers, cleared waivers and is now free to sign with any team, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Guard Fou Fonoti cleared waivers as well and now reverts to SF’s injured reserve.
- The Browns have signed offensive lineman Ryan Lee, the team announced today (via Twitter). By our count, Cleveland had three openings on its roster, so the club won’t need to waive anyone.
- Wide receiver Gerrard Sheppard, who spent most of last season the Ravens’ practice squad, was claimed off waivers by the Packers today after being cut by Baltimore, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Green Bay had an open spot on its 90-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary.
- In order to make room for McDonough, whose signing is noted below, the Redskins have waived-injured former Hampton cornerback Courtney Bridget, Jay Gruden confirmed today (Twitter link via Zac Boyer of the Washington Times).
Earlier updates:
- Defensive linemen Cody Larsen and Will Pericak have signed with the Broncos, the team announced today (link via the Denver Post). Both players’ NFL experience is limited to preseason action and time spent on practice squads. The moves increase Denver’s roster count to 89, leaving one additional opening.
- With a couple defensive backs banged up in camp, the Buccaneers have added some depth by signing cornerback Kip Edwards, who went undrafted in 2013 and has spent time with the Browns, Bills, and Vikings (Twitter link via Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com). The club used the spot vacated by recently released guard Carl Nicks to fit Edwards onto the 90-man roster.
- The Redskins have signed defensive tackle Jake McDonough, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. So far, the move has been confirmed by McDonough’s agent, but not the team — when it becomes official, Washington should have to cut a player to make room.
49ers Reach Out To Alex Boone
The 49ers have recently reached out to offensive lineman Alex Boone, one of two notable NFC West players in the midst of a holdout, but Boone “remains resolute in his stance,” reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The guard, like Marshawn Lynch in Seattle, has yet to report to training camp as he pushes for a new contract.
Boone, the Niners’ starting right guard in each of the last two seasons, is in line for a $2MM base salary this season and just $1.2MM in 2015. Having been an instrumental part of one of the league’s best offensive lines in recent years, the 27-year-old is looking for a raise to a level that more accurately reflects his talent. Currently, Boone ranks as the 43rd-highest-paid guard in the NFL.
As we heard last night, the 49ers recently restructured the contract of linebacker Ahmad Brooks, opening up $2MM+ in cap space. San Francisco didn’t have a ton of cap flexibility heading into training camp, so that $2MM could come in handy in creating wiggle room for a Boone extension. If the two sides aren’t able to reach an agreement, the Niners could also put those cap savings toward a new deal for extension candidates Michael Crabtree and/or Mike Iupati.
By not reporting to training camp, Boone is subject to escalating fines — by rule, the Niners are now free to go after a portion of Boone’s prorated signing bonus, as well as continuing to penalize him for each day of camp he misses.