Aaron Rodgers Does Not Close Door On In-Season Return; Jets Have Not Called 49ers On Sam Darnold
Suffering a ruptured Achilles four plays into his Jets tenure, Aaron Rodgers underwent surgery this week. The four-time MVP was close to retiring before joining the Jets, but he offered a clue into his post-2023 plans shortly after the injury. Early signs point to Rodgers playing in 2024.
[RELATED: Jets Not Planning To Contact Tom Brady]
Rodgers still did not slam the door shut on a question Friday about returning this season, in the event the Jets make the playoffs. While the 39-year-old passer refused to put a timetable on his comeback effort, he included a Kevin Garnett/”anything is possible” reference — in response to a question about coming back in the postseason — during his latest Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link).
“It doesn’t do any good to make prognostications, other than help my own mental state, but yeah, I’m gonna try and push this thing as much as it’ll allow me to,” Rodgers said. “There’s markers I’ve gotta see — where I’m at after a week and two weeks and a month and two months — and then we’ll see what the conversation is from there.”
Players have returned months after Achilles injuries in the not-so-distant past. Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree came back from their maladies — in 2012 and 2013, respectively — during the regular season. Of course, the Ravens linebacker and 49ers wide receiver both went down in May. Suggs returned Oct. 21; Crabtree was back Dec. 1. Cam Akers suffered an Achilles tear in July 2021; he returned in time for the Rams’ Week 18 game that season. Of course, Akers was not effective upon coming back that year.
Rodgers is considerably older than this trio at the time of injury, and it would be shocking if he became a realistic candidate to come back this season. It certainly says a lot about his change in mindset upon being traded that he would go from being “90% retired” to considering a radical comeback in the event the Jets made the playoffs — or advanced deep into the postseason.
“Give me the doubts, give me the timetables, give me all the things that you think can, should or will happen, because all I need is that one little extra percent of inspiration,” Rodgers said. “That’s all I need. So, give me your doubts, give me your prognostications and then watch what I do.”
The Jets have not signed a quarterback to fill out their depth chart. Although Zach Wilson underwhelmed to the point the Jets benched him and then charted an aggressive course to add a veteran, the team has attempted to throw its support behind the former No. 2 overall pick as a starter. Ex-Rodgers Packers backup Tim Boyle is in place as Wilson’s backup ahead of Week 2. The Jets have been connected to Colt McCoy, Brett Rypien and the recently retired Chad Henne in the wake of Rodgers’ injury. McCoy remains a free agent, and no indications have emerged Henne would unretire if asked to do so. The Rams bumped Rypien to their 53-man roster to prevent a potential Jets poaching, but CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicates Gang Green’s Rypien interest was not believed to be serious.
On another front, John Lynch said Friday (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Can Inman) the 49ers did not receive a call from the Jets on Sam Darnold. With the 49ers trading Trey Lance to the Cowboys last month, trading Darnold back to the Jets would seemingly be a nonstarter for a team that has dealt with a number of QB injuries in recent years. The Jets made the decision to trade their three-year starter in 2021 and draft Wilson in 2021, collecting second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks from the Panthers.
49ers Were Prepared To Offer No. 2 Overall Pick For Kirk Cousins In 2017
The late 2010s featured three offseasons filled with Kirk Cousins headlines. A number of “what if?” scenarios emerged from the saga that produced two Cousins franchise tags and a fully guaranteed Vikings free agency offer.
Residing as a key player in the Cousins market — due to Kyle Shanahan‘s ties to the productive quarterback — the 49ers removed themselves from the equation back in 2018, when they re-signed then-recent trade acquisition Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan had confirmed at the time the organization had Cousins on the radar between the point of the Garoppolo trade (October 2017) and his extension (February 2018). San Francisco was willing to make a bigger move for Shanahan’s former Washington pupil before that point.
A source rather close to this situation, Mike Shanahan said Kyle was willing to offer Washington the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft for Cousins, via The Athletic’s Alec Lewis (subscription required). The 49ers’ 2-14 showing in 2016 led them to holding the second overall pick in 2017, the first year of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch regime. After making back-to-back HCs one-and-dones, 49ers CEO Jed York gave Shanahan and Lynch six-year contracts. The second-generation NFL HC appeared prepared to put the long leash to good use in the first weeks of his San Francisco tenure.
At the time, we heard three teams expressed interest in Cousins via trade. Washington had franchise-tagged Cousins in 2016 and was preparing to do so again, and the 49ers always appeared likely to be involved in an effort to acquire him. Prior to venturing to Cleveland and then Atlanta, Kyle Shanahan had coached Cousins for two seasons in Washington, operating as his father’s OC.
An offer of the No. 2 overall pick for a franchise-caliber QB going into his age-29 season would have been interesting, but Mike Shanahan indicated, via Lewis, his former team “wouldn’t even return the phone call.”
Dan Snyder and president Bruce Allen ran the Washington franchise at this point, and stability proved elusive. Contentious negotiations took place later that year, with Allen famously mispronouncing Cousins’ first name — the “Kurt” interview — multiple times in the wake of a second round of July negotiations not producing a deal. Cousins, of course, played out a second season on the tag and signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $84MM deal with the Vikings in 2018.
This trade proposal also came about during a period that did not feature the quarterback movement the 2020s have brought. This saga played a part in that change. After previously being told Garoppolo was unavailable, the 49ers quickly accepted the Patriots’ offer of the then-Tom Brady backup for a second-rounder. Three months later, Washington agreed to trade for Alex Smith — more than a month before Cousins hit free agency — in 2018.
The 49ers did not carry a starter-level QB into the 2017 season, beginning the year with Brian Hoyer and third-round pick C.J. Beathard as their top options. They had used the high draft choice on Solomon Thomas, trading down with the Bears, who had drafted Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2. The early part of the 49ers’ 2017 draft did not age well, with Thomas going ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson and the team’s No. 31 overall choice (Reuben Foster) washing out after multiple off-field incidents. Shanahan’s team found its footing with Garoppolo in the years to come, though QB headlines have been constant during the Garoppolo-Trey Lance–Brock Purdy era in San Francisco.
Cousins, 35, is now in the final year of his third Vikings contract. The team extended its starter for a second time in 2022 but only restructured the deal in 2023. Cousins does not expect another round of Vikes talks until 2024, though he has said many times he wants to stay in Minnesota. It would be unlikely the 49ers would circle back to Cousins were he to reach free agency next year, as Brock Purdy has received steady praise from Shanahan. But with Lance gone and the former Mr. Irrelevant not yet fully entrenched as a long-term option, this door may not be fully closed.
Extra Points: Jefferson, Maye, International Pathway Program
An undrafted wideout is working his way back to the field following a tragic car crash earlier this year. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the 49ers worked out Louisiana receiver Michael Jefferson today.
Jefferson earned third-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2022 after finishing with 51 receptions for 810 yards and seven touchdowns. Thanks to his performance, the receiver was projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2023 draft. However, Jefferson was injured in a car accident in April that killed another driver, and the player required multiple surgeries.
He was expected to resume his career in 2024, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported earlier this month that Jefferson had been cleared by doctors to “fly, take physicals and join a team.”
It sounds like his first opportunity could come in San Francisco. The 49ers are currently stashing four receivers on their practice squad in Willie Snead, Chris Conley, Tay Martin, and Isaiah Winstead.
More notes from around the NFL…
- Saints safety Marcus Maye got six months of probation stemming from a 2021 driving under the influence charge, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. Maye will have his drivers license suspended for six months as a result of the plea deal, and he was also given 50 hours of community service with the opportunity to buy them out. Maye allegedly crashed into another car while driving on the Florida Turnpike and was initially charged with driving under the influence, DUI/damage to property and person, and leaving the scene of the crash. The player also continues to deal with a civil suit from the driver of the other car who is seeking $30K due to injuries.
- The NFL International Pathway Program has expanded in scope since it’s inception in 2016, with the 2023 iteration allowing teams from the AFC West and NFC North to allocate an extra roster spot to an international player. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the NFL will provide an international player exception to all 32 teams starting in 2024. There are currently 24 active players who participated in the International Pathway Program.
- The NFL has established an ownership committee that will evaluate current ownership rules, potentially allowing “institutional capital” to invest in teams, per Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal. As Liz Clarke, Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of the Washington Post write, this committee could open the door to private equity firms buying stakes in teams, following the ownership rules previously established by the NBA, MLB, and NHL. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports that the committee includes Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, and Broncos owner Greg Penner.
Five Teams Inquired On Nick Bosa’s Availability
Nick Bosa was a popular name on the trade market before he inked his record-breaking extension with the 49ers. According to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer, five teams reached out to the 49ers about Bosa’s availability.
[RELATED: 49ers, Nick Bosa Agree To Extension]
According to Glazer, these potential suitors were hoping the 49ers wouldn’t agree to a long-term deal with the impending free agent, who was holding out for a new contract. San Francisco naturally shut down all inquiries before signing Bosa to an extension.
Bosa held out throughout the summer as he pushed for a new contract, and the 49ers ultimately handed him a massive five-year, $170MM extension. The contract made Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, and despite the inquires from other squads, the pass rusher should remain in San Francisco through at least the 2028 season.
It’s not a shock that rivals teams expressed interest in acquiring Bosa. The former second-overall pick has been a force when healthy, especially over the past two seasons. Between 2021 and 2022, Bosa collected 34 sacks, 40 tackles for loss, 80 QB hits, and six forced fumbles. This culminated in him winning Defensive Player of the Year last season.
The 49ers had reportedly been budgeting for a Bosa extension for some time, and the organization never seemed to consider a future without their star pass rusher. Both Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch publicly said that Bosa would not be traded despite the long-running negotiations, and the pass rusher didn’t add any fuel to the fire by keeping mostly quiet throughout the ordeal.
The team had to deal with a public trade request last offseason when Deebo Samuel reportedly asked out of San Francisco. However, the wideout didn’t engage in a hold out, and he ended up inking a three-year extensions with the 49ers.
NFL Staff Rumors: Commanders, Packers, Colts, Cardinals, Rams
The Commanders had the biggest offseason front office staff change of any other franchise as Josh Harris became the new team owner in Washington. There are plenty of issues that need to be addressed throughout the organization, and surely, Harris will be getting to all of them, eventually. Early this morning, though, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports gave some insight into what may be a top priority for the new executive.
While recent rumors surfaced claiming that another change to the team’s name was imminent, Jones reports that, for now, they will remain the Commanders, as a name change “isn’t being seriously considered at this time.” While getting back to a winning culture and reconnecting with the community are certainly among the top priorities, the biggest issue is reportedly finding a new stadium to play in.
The team recently hired Thad Sheely as a consultant in the endeavor. Sheely was instrumental “in the development of MetLife Stadium more than a decade ago.” With FedEx Field routinely being considered one of the league’s worst facilities, the brass has been working with local governments in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia to discuss potential sites or public funding.
The organization would ideally like to have a site selected by the end of 2024, while the construction of a stadium that can “host major events like a Final Four and Super Bowl would take about four years” more. The team’s current lease at FedEx Field is active through 2026.
Here are some other recent staff updates from around the NFL:
- The Packers announced the addition of Maureen Smith as the team’s new chief financial officer last month. Smith comes to the NFL from the MLS, where she most recently served as the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Minnesota United FC. Beginning her career as a CPA in public accounting, Smith now has “more than 20 years of diverse experience across the sports, healthcare, consulting, and finance industries.
- The Colts made an effort at the end of August to replace the analytics value lost in John Park‘s departure for Dallas and George Li‘s departure for Carolina. Indianapolis hired Greg Starek as their new director of football analytics, according to Nate Atkins of the Indy Star. Starek joined the 49ers last year as a senior performance analyst after a career as a data scientist for the San Francisco Giants of the MLB. He’ll continue to carve out his space in the NFL in Indy.
- The Cardinals brought in a new executive to focus on the business side of the team last month. According to Cardinals director of editorial content and senior writer Darren Urban, Jeremy Walls is that new executive, serving as the team’s new chief operating officer. Walls most recently spent the last several years in Miami with the Dolphins.
- The Rams experienced a departure in their staff near the end of last month, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Former director of football affairs Jacques McClendon has left the team to join the WME Sports agency. McClendon will now be an agent working in the agency’s coaches and executives division.
NFC Restructures: Armstead, Lawrence, Okereke
As if they needed to, the 49ers made moves yesterday to increase their already NFL-leading unused salary cap space up to $42.29MM in 2023 (Overthecap.com). This time, San Francisco addressed the contract of defensive tackle Arik Armstead, according to Field Yates of ESPN.
The 49ers came to an agreement with Armstead, who’s currently playing on a five-year, $85MM contract, to convert $14.72MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end of his current deal. The moved resulted in $11.78MM becoming available in cap space for the 2023 season.
We mentioned yesterday that the additional cap space for the 49ers could have multiple uses that benefit the team. The obvious immediate benefit is that San Francisco should have plenty of flexibility around the trade deadline to make any necessary additions.
If second-year quarterback Brock Purdy decides to continue adding to his flawless regular season record and the team deems that no additions are necessary, the 49ers will be able to roll over unused cap space into 2024, when they’re projected to be $40MM over the salary cap. They’ll likely still make additions or adjustments in the offseason that will make it a closer call but having over $42MM of cap space to play with is insanely valuable.
Here are a couple of other restructures from another 2022 NFC playoff squad:
- Shortly after rewarding defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence with a four-year, $87.5MM contract extension, the Giants have restructured his new deal for a bit of maneuverability in the team’s cap space, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. Lawrence’s 2023 base salary of $2.25MM was reduced down to $1.08MM with the difference of $1.17MM being converted into a signing bonus. This is a standard move at the start of the year to help create a bit of flexibility in the team’s salary cap.
- New York also adjusted the contract of new linebacker Bobby Okereke, according to Raanan. Okereke’s 2023 base salary of $1.9MM was also reduced to $1.08MM with the $820K-difference being converted into a signing bonus. Along with Lawrence’s above restructure, the team was reportedly able to clear up about $1.55MM of cap space for 2023.
2023 Offseason In Review Series
Quarterback acquisitions generated top headlines this offseason, while the slew of developments affecting the running back market moved that position’s value to a precarious point. On that note, our latest Offseason In Review series is in the books. Here are the PFR staff’s looks at how teams assembled their 2023 rosters:
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/9/23
We have our first flood of pregame transactions of the season today as teams across the league with games tomorrow utilize their two permitted practice squad elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: T Jackson Barton, S Andre Chachere
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: RB Godwin Igwebuike
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Natrone Brooks, TE Parker Hesse
- Waived: DL Joe Gaziano
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: C Sam Mustipher, CB Daryl Worley
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Stephen Carlson, OLB DeMarquis Gates
- Released: LB Dylan Cole
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: CB C.J. Goodwin, C Brock Hoffman
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Phillip Dorsett, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Innis Gaines, RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Promoted from practice squad: G Michael Deiter, P Ty Zentner
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jake Funk, WR Juwann Winfree
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Ross Blacklock
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: DE Isaac Rochell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Brevin Allen
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster: LB Troy Reeder
- Promoted from practice squad: K Brett Maher, QB Brett Rypien
- Placed on IR: TE Hunter Long
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: S DeAndre Square
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Cameron Goode
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Myles Gaskin, OLB Benton Whitley
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Ryan Connelly, RB Tony Jones Jr.
- Placed on IR: WR Tre’Quan Smith
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Taiwan Jones
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Britain Covey, P Arryn Siposs
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DE Austin Bryant, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Artie Burns, LB Jon Rhattigan
- Placed on IR: RB Kenny McIntosh
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: T Justin Murray, DT Kyle Peko
Washington Commanders
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jamison Crowder
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/23
Not many practice squad updates the day before the first NFL Sunday of the 2023 season:
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
- Released: WR Lucky Jackson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Austin Bryant
- Released: K Matthew Wright
49ers, Nick Bosa Agree To Extension
SEPTEMBER 9: Details were released today on Bosa’s big money extension. The five-year, $170MM extension reported below includes $88MM in fully guaranteed money (Overthecap.com), beating out the previous high from Watt’s contract of $80MM. Like most massive deals are, the deal is incredibly backloaded.
With cap hits for the next three years of $11.01MM in 2023, $14.67MM in 2024, and $20.52MM in 2025, things get much scarier over the following three years with cap hits of $42.03MM in 2026, $52.03MM in 2027, and $42.85MM in 2028. The team will likely never see those cap numbers as they’ll probably end up doing some restructuring before those dates appear, but with $88MM fully guaranteed, Bosa doesn’t have much to be concerned about.
According to David Lombardi of The Athletic, adjusting Bosa’s cap hit in 2023 sets San Francisco up well for future potential cap issues. With $42MM of cap space in 2023, the 49ers have plenty of space to go out and acquire some top talent by the trade deadline. If not, unused cap will roll over into 2024, a season in which the 49ers are projected to be $40MM over the salary cap. This would mean that San Francisco wouldn’t need to make any moves in order to stay under the cap with their current projected roster, though some adjusted are still expected.
SEPTEMBER 6: One of the NFL’s high-profile holdouts has come to an end. Nick Bosa has agreed to a five-year, $170MM extension with the 49ers, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter adds that the monster pact includes $122.5MM in guaranteed money, which, coupled with the $34MM annual average value, comfortably makes this the largest commitment ever made to a defensive player. Bosa will see more guaranteed money – provided it is paid out in full over the life of the pact – than all but four players in the league, each of whom are quarterbacks. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds that Bosa will receive a $50MM signing bonus, which is also unprecedented for defenders.
It has long been assumed that the former No. 2 pick would eclipse the $28MM-per-year mark and in doing so overtake T.J. Watt as the league’s top paid edge rusher. The only question was whether or not Bosa would move past Aaron Donald (whose re-worked Rams deal pays out $31.67MM per year) as the top earning non-quarterback. That question has now been answered rather emphatically, as reporting on this situation suggested would be the case.
Bosa – who has long been on the extension radar – has been holding out through the summer in an attempt to leverage a new deal. He incurred $40K in daily fines starting at the onset of training camp, but the team has long been expected to waive those. NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco confirms that will indeed be the case. The 25-year-old will now travel to Santa Clara in advance of a very brief ramp-up period for his fifth season with the 49ers.
After following in his brother Joey Bosa‘s footsteps at Ohio State, Nick entered the league with massive expectations. He has lived up to them when healthy, earning a Pro Bowl nod each year aside from his injured-shortened 2020 campaign. Bosa took a step forward in 2022 by leading the league in sacks (18.5), helping him win Defensive Player of the Year honors. A continuation of that production will be expected through at least most of the term of this deal, which will cover the remainder of his prime years.
Bosa was due to earn $10.8MM this season on the fifth-year option, but with an extension in place his cap hit for the coming season can now be adjusted. He has a window of only a few practices to prepare for Sunday’s season opener against the Steelers, but head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed during a Wednesday press conference (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) that Bosa will indeed suit up for that contest.
With Bosa’s holdout now in the past, attention will turn increasingly to Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns. The latter in particular will be affected by today’s news, as he is believed to be seeking a second contract not far off the AAV of what Bosa earned on his extension. Looking ahead, talks between the Cowboys and Micah Parsons on a monster deal next offseason will no doubt be centered in large part on the figures of today’s agreement.
For now, though, San Francisco can enter another season in which expectations are high (particularly on the defensive side of the ball) with the team’s best defender on the books through 2028. A repeat of Bosa’s previous performances could again make the 49ers a force in the NFC come playoff time now and into the future.