Poll: Which Team Will Claim NFC’s No. 1 Seed?
Given the NFL’s recent switch to a seven-team playoff format, claiming the No. 1 seed in each conference (and with it the lone bye in the wild-card round) carries particular significance. In the case of the NFC, a shortlist of teams will compete for the top spot over the final four weeks of the season. 
Three of them – the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles – entered Sunday at 10-3, though one member of the latter pair will be saddled with the No. 5 seed after finishing as the runner-up in the NFC East. The 49ers’ win over the Cardinals and Cowboys’ loss to the Bills separates San Francisco for the time being. The Lions, meanwhile, improved to 10-4 after their impressive showing on Saturday. Detroit will have work to do to overtake the conference’s other three heavyweights, but changes atop the standings could take place over the following month.
San Francisco currently leads the way, and owning the head-to-head tiebreaker against both Philadelphia and Dallas (by virtue of blowout victories) will help down the stretch. The 49ers’ commitment to Brock Purdy under center has proven to be sound, as last year’s Mr. Irrelevant has improved on his rookie output. Purdy leads the NFL not only in completion percentage (70.2%) but also yards per attempt (9.9) and passer rating (116.9) while playing with arguably the league’s top skill-position group.
The 49ers’ offense (led by Purdy and fellow MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey) has shown itself to be an elite unit, as expected, this season. The team’s defense has also recovered from a downturn during their three-game losing streak. The trade deadline acquisition of Chase Young added to San Francisco’s front seven, but injuries in the secondary have left the 49ers in need of other in-season additions. A reunion with Jason Verrett and the signing of Logan Ryan has given San Francisco a pair of veteran defensive backs to at least serve as depth on the backend. Only the 49ers’ Christmas Day game against the Ravens will see them face an opponent currently over .500 the rest of the way.
The Cowboys split the season series with the Eagles, allowing them to own the tiebreaker for the time being. A more daunting path awaits Dallas to close out the campaign, however, with road games against the Bills and Dolphins followed by a crucial matchup against the Lions. The Cowboys’ offense especially has proven to be one of the league’s best units this season, however, led by Dak Prescott. In line for an extension this offseason, the 30-year-old leads the NFL with 28 touchdown passes, and his passer rating sits at a career-high 107.5.
While those figures have Prescott in the MVP conversation and in line for a raise on his next pact, judgement of the Cowboys will of course depend on their postseason showing. The fate of head coach Mike McCarthy has been a talking point for some time now, owing in large part to the team’s inability to break through in the playoffs during his tenure. He could be in store for a new contract, however, especially if 2023 were to produce a deep run toward a Super Bowl. Given Dallas’ impressive home winning streak, securing the top seed could be imperative in that effort.
The Eagles enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, but consecutive losses have led to questions on the defensive side of the ball in particular (and now prompted a signficant change on the sidelines, with Matt Patricia assuming play-calling duties). That unit was affected more than the offense in the offseason exodus of talent following Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl, and the inside linebacker spot has drawn attention recently. The Eagles won out the competition to add Shaquille Leonard after his sudden Colts departure, giving them a former All-Pro in the second level. 
Leonard played sparingly in his Philadelphia debut (which fittingly came in Dallas after the Cowboys finished as the runners-up in the pursuit to sign him). Regardless of the role he plays down the stretch, Philadelphia could be in line for a rebound from the team’s recent showing. The Eagles play the Giants twice in the season’s final three weeks, and despite New York’s current winning streak, Philadelphia’s upcoming Monday night game against the 6-7 Seahawks will likely prove to be the strongest remaining challenge.
After a strong late-season run to close out the 2022 campaign, the Lions entered this season with the team’s highest expectations in years. For the most part, Detroit has lived up to the hype so far. Impressive performances from a number of contributors (including rookies Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta) on offense has confirmed OC Ben Johnson’ status as one of the hottest head coach candidates for the upcoming hiring cycle. The 37-year-old drew interest last year before committing to a second campaign in the Motor City, but he has already been linked to multiple current vacancies.
Of course, the Lions’ offensive success has the chance of complicating quarterback Jared Goff’s future with the team. The former No. 1 pick has one year (and no guaranteed salary) remaining on his deal and Detroit drafted a potential successor this April in the form of Hendon Hooker. Goff leads the league in passing yards (3,727) entering Sunday’s action, however, and he could be playing his way into a new contract. The Lions, like the Eagles, will likely need to rely on their offense to overcome defensive shortcomings down the stretch. Games against the division-rival Vikings await the NFC North leaders with the aforementioned Cowboys contest in between.
One notable free agent who could help tip the scales is Zach Ertz. The veteran tight end asked for and was granted his Cardinals release, leaving him free to join a contender. Several teams could stand to add the three-time Pro Bowler, and the 49ers are believed to be interested in making him part of an already deep pass-catching corps. To no surprise, a reunion with the Eagles could also be in store. Both San Francisco and Philadelphia will have competition (from each conference) to land Ertz, however.
With the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles set to play their respective Week 15 matchups today and tomorrow, how do you see the race to the No. 1 seed playing out? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and leave your thoughts in the comments section below:
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/23
Today’s minor transactions and standard gameday elevations for the Sunday slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: G Elijah Wilkinson
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: DT Kentavius Street
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: OLB Jeremiah Moon
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Gabe Jackson, OL J.D. DiRenzo
Chicago Bears
- Signed to active roster: LB DeMarquis Gates
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Tanner McCalister, LB Charlie Thomas III
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis, RB Malik Davis
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: NT Tyler Lancaster, QB Ben DiNucci
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: K Michael Badgley, DE Bruce Irvin
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: RB Kenyan Drake, WR Bo Melton
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: K Ka’imi Fairbairn
- Elevated: WR Steven Sims, LB Garret Wallow
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: S Deon Bush
- Elevated: NT Mike Pennel, RB Deneric Prince
- Waived: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: WR Tyler Johnson
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: CB Ethan Bonner, RB Darrynton Evans
New England Patriots
- Elevated: RB Kevin Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Marquez Callaway, T Cameron Erving
New York Giants
- Waived: S Bobby McCain
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: OL Xavier Newman
- Elevated: DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- Placed on IR: LB Zaire Barnes
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DT T.Y. McGill, RB Jeremy McNichols
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: S Richard LeCounte, CB Derrek Pitts
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: DL Marlon Davidson, LB JoJo Domann
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: RB Jonathan Williams
Wilkinson returned to practice this week, and will be eligible to return to the lineup on Sunday given today’s activation. The addition of a starter up front will be welcomed by the Cardinals by giving them stability at the left guard spot in particular and by providing an upgrade in protection ahead of a matchup against the stout 49ers defensive front in general. The Cardinals now have four IR activations remaining.
Street was acquired from the Eagles at the trade deadline after he failed to find playing time this season. The 27-year-old has started all five of his appearances in Atlanta, however, racking up 14 tackles (including four for a loss) and one sack. Those numbers will help his free agent market this offseason, but a pectoral injury will sideline him for at least four weeks. If the Falcons fall short of the postseason, therefore, Street will not return in 2023.
McCain was a full-time starter with the Commanders over the past two seasons, but his release led to a one-year Giants agreement. The former fifth-rounder has 87 starts to his name, but he has been unable to carve out a role in New York’s secondary, playing only 19 defensive snaps. McCain has logged a 50% snap share on special teams, however, so his absence in the third phase will be notable if he is claimed off waivers or signed as a free agent by an interested team.
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
Two different teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years since 2017. Amid a radical rebuild effort, the Browns carried the top pick into the 2017 and ’18 drafts. The Jaguars did the same in 2021 and ’22. It is possible the Bears will follow that up in back-to-back years. The big difference here would be the Bears traded the 2023 top choice and may unload the 2024 top pick for another windfall, depending on their evaluation of Justin Fields.
The Bears and Panthers’ March trade, giving Carolina access to Bryce Young, has become a seminal moment for both teams. As it stands now, Chicago holds two top-five picks. The Panthers are 1-12, giving the Bears a two-game lead on the Patriots and Cardinals for the top slot with four games left. Chicago finishing with the first overall selection, providing access to the quarterback of its choice, would create a big-picture decision for a Bears team that already passed on the 2023 quarterback class to stick with Fields — a QB the Ryan Poles regime did not draft. North Carolina’s Drake Maye has declared for the draft, while USC’s Caleb Williams is widely expected to follow suit.
A new Cardinals regime is also evaluating its QB, though Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year contract (which runs through 2028) will be much harder to escape compared to Fields’. This creates an interesting scenario that will have teams who do not land two-two draft slots monitoring how Chicago and Arizona proceed. The Patriots are widely expected to pursue a quarterback in the draft, and they are likely to do so without Bill Belichick.
With gridlock forming in the AFC and NFC wild-card races, considerable movement will take place over the next month. The winner of the NFC South will likely lose several spots in the ’24 draft, as the Buccaneers did this year by winning the ’22 division title at 8-9. Here is how the draft order looks going into Week 15:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- New England Patriots: 3-10
- Arizona Cardinals: 3-10
- Washington Commanders: 4-9
- Chicago Bears: 5-8
- Las Vegas Raiders: 5-8
- New York Jets: 5-8
- New York Giants: 5-8
- Tennessee Titans: 5-8
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-7
- New Orleans Saints: 6-7
- Seattle Seahawks: 6-7
- Los Angeles Rams: 6-7
- Denver Broncos: 7-6
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Buffalo Bills: 7-6
- Cincinnati Bengals: 7-6
- Green Bay Packers: 6-7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7
- Indianapolis Colts: 7-6
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-6
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 8-5
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-5
- Detroit Lions: 9-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 10-3
- Miami Dolphins: 9-4
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-3
- San Francisco 49ers: 10-3
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-3
49ers Add CB Jason Verrett To Practice Squad
Jason Verrett is back in San Francisco. The 49ers announced that they’ve added the veteran cornerback to their practice squad. Jordan Schultz was first with the news.
A torn Achilles ended Verrett’s first stint with the 49ers, and the former Pro Bowler waited until October to finally catch on with the Texans practice squad. He spent about a month in Houston before getting cut in mid-November.
Verrett’s first stint with the 49ers was plagued by injuries. He was limited to only one game during his debut season thanks to an ankle injury, and after starting 13 games in 2020, an ACL injury wiped out his 2021 campaign. He re-signed with the 49ers for the 2022 season but didn’t get into a game before suffering his Achilles injury.
The defensive back has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. The former first-round pick missed 55 games for the Chargers through his first five seasons in the NFL. His one healthy season was 2015, when he earned a Pro Bowl nod after compiling 47 tackles and three interceptions.
Verrett will have a chance to revive his career in San Francisco. According to Schultz, the player is still well regarded by coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers organization, so he might eventually earn a promotion to the active roster. Charvarius Ward suffered an injury during yesterday’s win over the Seahawks, so there’s a chance the 49ers may need some extra depth sooner than later.
49ers Place WR/KR Ray-Ray McCloud On IR
The 49ers were forced to make a roster move today, announcing that they have placed wide receiver and return man Ray-Ray McCloud on injured reserve. The 27-year-old will be forced to miss at least the next four weeks as he deals with a rib injury. 
McCloud is in his second year with the 49ers after time with the Bills, Panthers, and Steelers before this. His biggest year came in 2021 with Pittsburgh when he led the league in punt return yardage with 367 yards and finished with career-highs in kick return yards (776) and receiving yards (277). Despite being on the field for both special teams return units and offense, McCloud has only scored two career touchdowns. Both came last year for the 49ers with one coming through the air and one on the ground. This year, he’s continued his role as the team’s primary return man while also still playing a small role in the offense.
To fill his roster spot, San Francisco has signed practice squad receiver Chris Conley to the active roster. At 31 years old, the veteran wideout has failed to see extended action in the past two years. Conley has been elevated for gameday three times this year, the limit for a single practice squad contract, and though he found almost 20 snaps on offense, he has yet to register a target in 2023. Still, he has the vast experience as a supporting receiver to step up, should the team ask him to.
Additionally, the 49ers announced that safety Erik Harris and running back Jeremy McNichols will be called up as standard gameday elevations from the practice squad for tomorrow’s contest. Harris was called up last week in an effort to add depth at the position with injured starter Talanoa Hufanga out. McNichols, on the other hand, has not appeared in a game since his time with the Titans in 2021.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Tarik Black
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Kerry Hyder
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Derek Rivers
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Simi Fehoko
- Released: CB Matt Hankins
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Penisini
- Activated from IR: WR Shaquan Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Tyrion Davis-Price
- Released: WR Isaiah Winstead
As expected, Tyrion Davis-Price has landed back with the 49ers after getting cut by the big-league club earlier this week. The 2022 third-round pick has seen time in just one game for San Francisco this season, collecting 21 yards from scrimmage on six touches. He appeared in six games as a rookie, collecting 99 rushing yards. He’ll join Jeremy McNichols as the 49ers’ practice-squad options at RB.
K Robbie Gould Announces Retirement
Robbie Gould expressed interest in playing a 19th NFL season, and he auditioned for the Giants last month. The longtime Bears and 49ers kicker will instead opt to leave the game behind.
A day after his 41st birthday, Gould wrote in a Players’ Tribune post he intends to retire. Gould, who sandwiched a lone Giants season between lengthy runs in Chicago and San Francisco, will finish his career as one of the longest-tenured players in this era.
The Penn State alum kicked in 266 games; among players to make their debuts in the 21st century, that ranks ninth. Among kickers, that number ranks behind only Sebastian Janikowski. While other pre-21st-century specialists have that longevity beat, Gould proved dependable to the point he rarely ended up on the kicker workout circuit during his near-two-decade run. Overall, only 10 kickers played more games in NFL history than Gould.
Gould did bounce from the Patriots to the Ravens to the Bears in 2005, but upon signing with the Bears that October, he stayed in Chicago for 11 seasons. While the Bears cut him just before the 2016 campaign, Gould ended up with a playoff-bound Giants squad that year. The 49ers picked him up in 2017 and used him as their kicker for six seasons. Over the course of his career, Gould kicked in 16 playoff games and two Super Bowls — Super Bowl XLI with the Bears and Super Bowl LIV with the 49ers. During that Bears Super Bowl-bound 2006 season, Gould earned first-team All-Pro honors.
Not counting practice squad deals, Gould signed seven NFL contracts. Although kicker sits as one of the league’s lowest-paid positions, Gould made more than $47MM over the course of his career.
The Bears gave Gould a position-topping deal in 2008 (five years, $15.5MM) and extended him again near the end of the 2013 season. After kicking for less than $1MM with the Giants, Gould signed a $2MM-per-year deal with the 49ers. Reestablishing his value on that first San Francisco contract, Gould received the franchise tag in 2019. Just before that year’s July extension deadline, Gould and the 49ers then agreed to terms on a four-year, $19MM extension.
Although Gould demanded a trade after being tagged that year, he ended up playing a pivotal role during the team’s rise under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. After leading the NFL with a 97.1% make rate in 2018, Gould connected at on at least 84% of his kicks over the past two seasons. During the 2021 campaign, Gould made a game-winning kick that finished off a 49ers upset of the No. 1-seeded Packers on a snowy night at Lambeau Field. Gould also made a game-winner in the 2006 playoffs, eliminating the Seahawks in overtime and sending the Bears to their first NFC championship game since 1988. Gould’s 86.46% career make rate ranks ninth in NFL history. Gould finishes his career as one of the best postseason specialists in NFL history, making 29 of 29 field goal attempts and never missing an extra point.
Gould said in July he had spoken with teams and later took part in the above-referenced Giants audition in November, with the team aiming to find a Graham Gano fill-in. The 49ers had used a third-round pick on Michigan’s Jake Moody in April, ending Gould’s productive run in the Bay Area.
49ers Interested In TE Zach Ertz
DECEMBER 6: Going further here, Barrows indicates the 49ers are one of the most interested Ertz suitors. Connected to a potential Eagles reunion, Ertz would fit in as a Kittle backup/tandem partner in San Francisco. Dwelley is set to miss time and could land on IR, per Barrows. Ertz may wait another week to decide where he wants to land, while hoping a better offer emerges. But it appears the 49ers are firmly in the mix for a proven skill-position player to join Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
DECEMBER 4: It sounds like a new suitor could be emerging in the Zach Ertz sweepstakes. When asked about the 49ers interest in the free agent tight end, coach Kyle Shanahan indicated that GM John Lynch has looked into a potential signing. On the flip side, Shanahan also acknowledged that he doesn’t expect a deal to materialize.
“I haven’t heard anything now, so I don’t think so at this time,” Shanahan said of a potential Ertz signing (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic). “But I have a lot of respect for him as a player. I’ve always been a fan…But right now, at least from my standpoint, we’re good with our (TE) group. But we have injuries and things change. So we’ll look into all options as always.”
As Shanahan hinted, the 49ers could use some additional depth at the position. As Barrows passes along, Ross Dwelley is currently dealing with a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss multiple weeks. This isn’t the end of the world for San Francisco’s tight ends depth chart, as Charlie Woerner is the clear TE2 behind George Kittle. Still, the injury opens a spot, and it remains to be seen if the 49ers would prefer a veteran or someone like practice squad TE Jake Tonges.
Elsewhere, the Ravens and coach John Harbaugh appear to be distancing themselves from the free agent tight end. As Harbaugh noted today, the team still isn’t counting out Mark Andrews for an eventual return, meaning the Ravens could be fine at the position come playoffs.
“Any time a great player is out there, you look at it,” Harbaugh told reporters (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). “But I would say this: we like our TEs. We really like our guys. I’m not ruling out Mark Andrews for down the road. … I think right now, we’ll just roll with those guys.”
As of this afternoon, Ertz was still taking his time evaluating all of his options (per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler). It shouldn’t take long for the veteran to find his next landing spot, and it sounds like there are plenty of squads still in the running.
NFC West Rumors: McCaffrey, Smith, Lynch
In a recent deep dive on the value of NFL running backs by Dan Pompei of The Athletic, it was revealed that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reportedly liked running back Christian McCaffrey so much coming out of Stanford in 2017 that the team heavily considered taking him at No. 3 overall all in that year’s draft. That would’ve made McCaffrey the highest-drafted running back since Trent Richardson was selected third overall by the Browns in 2012.
Instead, of course, McCaffrey was selected five picks later by the Panthers. McCaffrey would immediately display his skill and versatility upon arrival in the NFL, being named a first-team All-Pro after leading the league in scrimmage yards (2,392) and touchdowns (19) in 2019. The following two years would be hampered with injury, limiting him to only 10 contests over that time, but it wouldn’t deter Shanahan from trading four draft picks for him in 2022, finally attaining the running back he so admired.
The 49ers, of course, selected McCaffrey’s college teammate, defensive end Solomon Thomas at No. 3 in 2017. Thomas failed to reach the heights of his draft stock, leading to his fifth-year option being declined. Unfortunately for Thomas, he would suffer a torn ACL two games into his contract year. Since leaving San Francisco in free agency, he has spent time with the Raiders and, his current team, the Jets.
Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West:
- Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith in playing this season on a shiny new contract that, at the original time of reporting, boasted an amount of $30MM to be earned through incentives. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, that doesn’t quite appear to be accurate. The supposed “incentives” have now been revealed to be escalators, which unlike incentives, are tied to non-guaranteed bonuses. For example, an incentive would pay Smith $30MM if he were to reach certain statistical benchmarks. In reality, with the escalator, Smith would need to reach those benchmarks and still be on the team’s roster by the fifth day of the new league year in order to boost his $9.6MM roster bonus to $24.6MM. There are a number of statistical benchmarks that Smith is not on track to reach (4,282 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 69.755 percent completion rate, 100.874 passer rating), but he could still cash in on team benchmarks such as a playoff berth or a 10-win season.
- When 49ers general manager John Lynch was given a multi-year extension alongside Shanahan back in September, the team executive was reportedly given an additional title, as well, to accompany the new contract, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. In addition to his role as GM, Lynch will now also sport the title of president of football operations.
49ers Waive RB Tyrion Davis-Price
To clear a roster spot for Logan Ryan, the 49ers waived one of their backup running backs. Tyrion Davis-Price is now available on the wire, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
Chosen in the 2022 third round, Davis-Price has never been able to catch on in San Francisco. This continues a trend of sorts for the 49ers, who cut bait on 2021 third-round running back draftee Trey Sermon after one season. Like Sermon, Davis-Price has seen lower draft choices and/or UDFAs play in front of him.
Christian McCaffrey‘s October 2022 arrival changed the 49ers’ fortunes at running back. The team had kept costs low at the position between the Jerick McKinnon signing and the McCaffrey trade, and CMC has proven durable despite the run of injuries that marred his later years with Carolina. With McCaffrey atop the depth chart, Elijah Mitchell has played behind him. But Jordan Mason, a 2022 UDFA, has worked ahead of Davis-Price as well.
Mason logged 43 carries last season and has taken 23 handoff this year. Davis-Price has taken 40 handoffs over his two NFL seasons but has barely factored into San Francisco’s 2023 equation. The LSU product has only played in one game this year. Davis-Price averaged just 2.9 yards per carry last season. He came to the 49ers after a 1,003-yard season at LSU.
It was rumored the 49ers chose Davis-Price as an olive branch of sorts to Deebo Samuel, who had requested a trade before the 2022 draft. Running back usage came up as a sticking point during that standoff, and depth contributed to that during the 2021 season. But Samuel signed an extension last summer, minimizing this narrative; Davis-Price never factored into the team’s plans much once the season started.
It is possible the 49ers circle back to Davis-Price via a practice squad stash, though veteran Jeremy McNichols resides on the team’s P-squad. The 49ers saw the Eagles claim Sermon last year but did not bring him back when the 2021 third-rounder became available this year.