Anquan Boldin, 49ers Nearing Deal
MARCH 3: ESPN’s Ed Werder expects the 49ers to announce a new contract for Boldin within the next 24 hours (Twitter link).
FEBRUARY 26: Assuming the 49ers and Boldin come to terms on a new agreement, expect the money to be similar to the three, $17.5MM deal Reggie Wayne signed in 2012, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. According to Barrows, the question is whether Boldin will get two or three years.
Boldin is coming off a 2013 season in which he earned a base salary of $6MM, so it sounds like his new salary will be in the same ballpark. If his next contract is indeed structured similarly to Wayne’s, it could include a decent bonus as well — $6.5MM of Wayne’s $17.5MM total came in the form of a signing bonus.
FEBRUARY 23: Wide receiver Anquan Boldin and the 49ers are “closing in” on a deal to keep Boldin in San Francisco, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Although Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote several days ago that the two sides had not yet begun negotiations, it has been clear for some time that Boldin wants to stay with the 49ers and that the Niners want him back. Now, according, to Schefter, a deal is expected to get done.
NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals
The Jim Harbaugh saga continues. Today we learned that some 49ers players may be getting sick of their head coach. Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that “Harbaugh’s act has worn thin in the locker room, particularly among some key “face of the 49ers” type players.” As Killion points out, this information comes close to a week before free agency is set to open. Harbaugh had been reportedly discussed in a potential deal between the 49ers and Browns.
Now, for more news around the NFC West…
- The Seahawks will not offer the franchise tag to Steven Hauschka, tweets Tom Pelissero of the USA Today. Pelissero mentions that he thought the team might be tempted to use the tag on the journeyman kicker.
- The Rams have three quarterbacks without contracts and may be looking for two backups for next season, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Wagoner believes the team will go with a rookie and a veteran, and thinks that Kellen Clemens is likely to return. He also mentions Mark Sanchez as a possibility, pointing out the connection between Sanchez and Rams’ offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
- As the salary cap continues to grow, so do the chances that Larry Fitzgerald stays with the Cardinals beyond 2014, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.Weinfuss hypothesizes that if the cap increases to north of $140MM, there may be another restructuring of Fitzgerald’s contract that would be more manageable for the team.
NFC Notes: Suh, Bethea, Ware, Graham
Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is going to be the next player to break the bank, writes Joel Corry of the National Football Post. Suh is under contract through the 2015 season; however, that year is a player option, which Suh will likely decline. 2014, then, is effectively the last year of his current deal. If the Lions do not sign the star lineman to a new contract before next season, the franchise tag will probably not be an option, as his tag figure would be an untenable $26.87MM.
Suh has restructured his contract twice in as many years in order for the Lions to gain more cap space. An extension would serve the same purpose, as well as lowering Suh’s cap number, which is second in the league at approximately $22.4MM. The Lions are still feeling the effects of selecting high in the draft under the previous collective bargaining agreement, when rookie salaries were much higher. The rookie deals of Suh, quarterback Matthew Stafford, and receiver Calvin Johnson have put the team in an unenviable position. Extending Suh, as the Lions did with both Stafford and Johnson, would help to alleviate some of that cap strain.
More items from the NFC:
- Safety Antoine Bethea could be an option for the Falcons, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The team is expected to release Thomas DeCoud, and has been linked to free agent Louis Delmas. Jairus Byrd could also be intriguing, but both he and Delmas might be too expensive for Atlanta’s tastes.
- Demarcus Ware, due $26MM over the next two seasons, is too expensive to be traded, but he could brought back to the Cowboys at a lower salary, argues Todd Archer of ESPN.com in a recent mailbag.
- Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes the Saints’ Jimmy Graham is a tight end, writing that lining up in the slot is simply part of that position’s job description in today’s NFL. Triplett thinks the murky situation could be resolved with a long-term contract in excess of $10MM annually.
- The Rams could add two quarterbacks to backup Sam Bradford, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Kellen Clemens could return, and the team figures to draft a quarterback somewhere in the third-to-fifth-round range.
- In a mailbag segment, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com says receiver will be a priority in the draft for the 49ers, and singles out Oregon State WR Brandin Crooks as an option. He also writes that running back LaMichael James could be used more in the slot and on screens as the teams aims to get the speedy back more touches.
NFC Links: Sanchez, McFadden, Jackson
The extra cap space the Lions will have will allow them extra flexibility in free agency, but Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com doesn’t see the team making a big splash. Free agent Willie Young still isn’t a lock to be retained, and Rothstein thinks the team will look to get younger at many positions this offseason.
Here are some other notes from the NFC:
- If the Vikings draft a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft, they could still look for a veteran quarterback to bridge the gap in free agency, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. While Matt Cassel seems like an obvious choice, Goessling thinks Mark Sanchez could be a dark horse candidate.
- Steve Smith of the Panthers has an uncertain future in Carolina, and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer writes that Smith is distrustful of general manager Dave Gettelman.
- Darren McFadden is looking for a new team, and Bill Williamson of ESPN.com sees a potential fit with the 49ers. McFadden is familiar with the team’s runningback coach Tom Rathman from their Raider days, and he would be a cheap veteran the team could afford.
- While the Cardinals are waiting to see of they can keep Karlos Dansby, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com thinks D’Qwell Jackson would be a great alternative. Though a little older, the veteran will bring leadership to the locker room, and could be had on a team-friendly deal.
West Notes: Woodson, Dawson, Tate, Schwartz
The Jaguars aren’t the only team that are getting the short end of the stick with the surprisingly high salary cap, as the Raiders now have a whopping $66.512MM in cap space according to OverTheCap.com. While the Raiders will get a little extra cap room, the new cap number mitigates the team’s advantage this offseason, writes Nick Gill of SportsMedia101.com. The extra cap room will allow the 31 other franchises more flexibility to re-sign their own free agents, so the Raiders will never be able to court them in the open market. It also will give other teams more money to compete with the Raiders for the free agents that do become available this offseason.
Here are some other notes from our two divisions out west:
- One of the seemingly easy moves for the Raiders was thought to be re-signing Charles Woodson, but the contract talks have been rougher than expected, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. After receiving $3.3MM in salary and incentives in 2013, Woodson believes he has proven he is still a valuable NFL safety. While Woodson wants to play, he said he would consider retirement if the price was not right.
- Staying in the bay area, the 49ers have seen a market unfold for signing kicker Phil Dawson, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. With Nick Folk being franchised and Graham Gano getting a long-term deal, both kickers will be making north of $3MM per season. Dawson has been better than both kickers over the past two seasons.
- While the 49ers work on retaining their kicker, their rival Seahawks have cleared cap space and have opened up some space that could be used on receiver Golden Tate, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “Hopefully, I can call Seattle home for a few more years,” said Tate. “But we’ll see. I know that coach (Pete) Carroll has expressed that he would like to have me on the team, and I have expressed that I would like to stay on this team because I see this team winning for a long time. But we will see. Only time will tell.’’
- The Chiefs met with the representation of guard Geoff Schwartz during the scouting combine, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. The Chiefs are interested in retaining Schwartz, but Paylor writes that the two are not close to an agreement. Schwartz played in 14 games in 2013, filling in at both guard and tackle.
49ers Sign Daniel Kilgore To Extension
9:52am: Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) has a total of $5.4MM for Kilgore’s extension, including $2.595MM in guaranteed money and $1.8MM in escalators.
FRIDAY, 9:25am: Kilgore’s four-year deal is worth a total of $4.845MM, including a $1.35MM signing bonus, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. If Kilgore does indeed become the 49ers’ starting center and holds that position, he could be a very nice bargain for the team.
THURSDAY, 2:26pm: The 49ers have reached an agreement on a contract extension with offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 49ers confirmed the extension in a press release, indicating that the new deal will keep Kilgore under contract through 2017. That means the team added three new years to the 26-year-old’s rookie contract, which had been set to expire after the 2014 season.
“We are pleased to extend the contract of a talented, young player like Dan,” said GM Trent Baalke in a statement. “This move is another example of our philosophy to extend the contracts of our own young players.”
While he has served as a backup and part-time player during his first three NFL seasons since being selected by the Niners in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, Kilgore looks poised to assume a larger role going forward. The team’s 2013 starting center, Jonathan Goodwin, is eligible for unrestricted free agency and has yet to hear from the 49ers about a new contract, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted earlier today. As such, it looks like San Francisco may let the 35-year-old walk, handing the reins at center to Kilgore.
Kilgore, who has experience at both center and guard, played just 86 regular-season snaps for the Niners, mostly functioning as an extra blocker in run-heavy packages. He becomes the third member of the 2011 draft class to sign a contract extension this offseason, following Taiwan Jones of the Raiders and Jason Kelce of the Eagles.
Extra Points: Woodson, Pouncey, Kaepernick
Free agent veteran Charles Woodson told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he might consider retirement if the Raiders or another club don’t offer him enough money, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Sulia link).
“If the right numbers don’t come across, for myself and from the team’s standpoint, then it is a serious consideration at this point that I could have played my last season in the NFL,” Woodson said. “So that’s definitely something that I think about. I do plan on playing another year. Hopefully something can get done with the Raiders but if not then I’ve got to take a real hard look at this last year being the last one.”
Including playing-time bonuses, Woodson made $3.4MM last season with Oakland. More out of the AFC:
- Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey told WMEN-640’s Orlando Alzugaray on Thursday that he’s committed to center Mike Pouncey, who was implicated in the Ted Wells report. “Pouncey is an excellent player,” Hickey said, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “I’ve had good conversations with him in the last month. I’m excited about the future.”
- Two sources tell Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link) that the contract talks between the Bills and Jairus Byrd have been pleasant so far, a departure from last year at this time.
- Sean Gilbert has a plan to get the players out of the current CBA and is making a case to head the union, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com gave his perspective on a possible extension for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Any way you slice it, there are going to be challenges for San Francisco.
Packers Sign Michael Hill
FEBRUARY 26: Hill’s deal with the Packers is now official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
FEBRUARY 19: A little over a week after he was released by the Buccaneers, running back Michael Hill is heading back to his former team, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Packers have agreed to terms on a new contract with Hill, likely giving him a chance to earn a roster spot on the 2014 squad.
Hill, 24, started the 2013 season on the Packers’ practice squad, and was added to the team’s active roster when Eddie Lacy and John Kuhn went down with injuries early in the season. After Hill rejoined the practice squad, he was signed away by Tampa Bay, where he saw limited action in the season’s second half with the Bucs. When Tampa waived Hill last week, the young running back drew interest from the Chargers, Colts, and 49ers, according to agent Harold Lewis, but he ultimately decided to return to Green Bay.
“He felt like that was home for him,” Lewis told Silverstein. “That’s where he wanted to be.”
Terms of Hill’s new deal aren’t known, but it figures to be a minimum-salary reserve/futures contract.
NFC West Notes: Cards, Browner, Kaepernick
With less than two weeks remaining until 2014’s free agent period opens, let’s check out what’s going on in the NFC West….
- The Cardinals and free agent pass-rusher Mike Neal have mutual interest, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). However, Weinfuss notes that “a bunch” of other clubs also have interest in the 26-year-old, who has spent the first four years of his career in Green Bay.
- Brandon Browner‘s agent and lawyer, Peter Schaffer, intends to file a lawsuit next week challenging the NFL’s indefinite suspension of his client, reports Mike Florio or Pro Football Talk. Before the Seahawks cornerback was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, he had been scheduled to hit restricted free agency this offseason. As such, Schaffer’s complaint will also include a motion asking the court to allow Browner to become a free agent on March 11.
- There are no real updates to report on the contract extension negotiations between Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, “things went fine” in the early stages of the talks, and the two sides will continue the conversation.
- Alabama’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Louisville’s Calvin Pryor both had formal interviews with the Rams at the combine, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details. While the club won’t select either of the top two safeties in the draft with the No. 2 pick, one or both of them could receive strong consideration if they’re still on the board at No. 13.
Freeman On Clowney, Texans, Harbaugh
The latest edition of Mike Freeman’s Ten-Point Stance column at Bleacher Report features several notes from the scouting combine, including the latest on which direction the Texans may be leaning with the first overall pick. Let’s dive in and round up a few of the highlights from Freeman’s piece….
- While he cautions that smokescreens or flat out lies are common at this time of year, Freeman reports that a number of sources say the Texans are now favoring Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 pick. “We’ve never really seen anything like Clowney,” said one Texans official. “There’s the chance he could redefine the position the way Reggie White or Bruce Smith did.”
- The view around the league suggests the Texans are starting to “slowly fall in lust” with Clowney, says Freeman. Still, in addition to Freeman’s own concerns that the latest rumblings could be a smokescreen, it’s worth pointing out that he reported nearly the same thing about Houston and Johnny Manziel just a week ago. It’s probably fair to assume that Manziel and Clowney aren’t the only players the Texans will reportedly covet before May 8.
- Several team officials believe the apparent rift between 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and the team’s front office is reminiscent of Bill Parcells‘ situation in New England. Parcells ended up making his way to the Jets, where he assumed greater control of personnel decisions, and it looks like Harbaugh will eventually want a similar position, either in San Francisco or elsewhere, writes Freeman.
- Despite reports to the contrary, the Dolphins aren’t interested in bringing back Jonathan Martin, and are simply trying to create the impression that they are, says Freeman. Even though it appears neither the team nor Martin wants a reunion, it could be in the best interest of both sides to present that as a realistic possibility in order to create some trade value for the young lineman. A trade, rather than a release, would ensure that the Dolphins get something for Martin, and would mean the 24-year-old gets his full rookie-contract salary rather than having to settle for the league minimum as a free agent.
- Freeman keeps hearing that not many teams will trade up in this year’s draft, since the class is believed to be incredibly deep. In other words, if a team misses out on one target, there will usually be two or three viable alternatives. However, Freeman isn’t convinced that this will reduce draft-day trades, noting that it could make clubs more inclined to trade down, meaning the cost to move up wouldn’t necessarily be as steep as usual.