Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Vikings Select BYU QB Jaren Hall At No. 164

April 29th, 2023 at 1:59pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings have added a quarterback with their fifth-round pick. The team used pick No. 164 to select BYU QB Jaren Hall.

Thanks in part to his medical redshirt year in 2020, his lack of size (6’0″, 207 pounds), and the fact that he’s 25, Hall found himself slide to the fifth round of the draft. However, the quarterback has still drawn strong reviews from coaches and scouts for his anticipation and his ability to extend plays.

After sitting behind Zach Wilson and redshirting in 2020, Hall got into 22 games for Brigham Young over the past two seasons, including a productive 2022 campaign where he finished with 3,171 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. Hall also showed some promise in the running game, adding another 350 yards and three scores.

Kirk Cousins is still firmly entrenched as Minnesota’s starting quarterback, but there could be an opening for a backup gig. Hall will battle with Nick Mullens for the QB2 gig heading into the 2023 campaign.

Hall marks the 12th QB to be selected in the first five rounds of the draft. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets, this is a new record for the Common Draft Era.

Chiefs Trade Up For S Chamarri Conner

April 29th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs are moving up. Kansas City has acquired pick No. 119 from the Vikings. In exchange, Minnesota is acquiring pick No. 134 and a 2024 fifth-round pick.

The Chiefs have used the fourth-round selection on Chamarri Conner. The Virginia Tech defensive back had a productive collegiate career, collecting 207 tackles and four interceptions. He earned a Reese’s Senior Bowl selection this past year after compiling 67 tackles and two passes defended.

Conner’s ability to hold his own against tight ends could lead to him seeing time at safety in the NFL. Thanks to his speed, he also has the ability play outside or slot cornerback, making him an interesting piece for the Chiefs secondary.

Vikings Send No. 87 To 49ers

April 28th, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers have entered the draft room. For No. 87 overall, the 49ers are sending the Vikings Nos. 102, 164 and 222. San Francisco selected Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown.

The 49ers were armed with a plethora of late selections this year, so it comes as little surprise that they have spent a few of them to move up the board. Their decision to do so has landed them one of the top options available at the position in this year’s class.

Brown was not joined by many other highly-touted safeties in terms of draftable prospects, explaining his fall to this point on Day 2. He put up impressive numbers in the past two years in particular with the Nittany Lions, however, which could set him up for a notable early role in the Bay Area.

The 5-11, 203-pounder racked up 10 interceptions and eight PBUs in 2021 and ’22, adding eight tackles for loss during that span. That production could allow him to line up at a number of spots at the NFL level, and there are vacancies to be filled in San Francisco’s secondary given the way the early free agent period played out.

The 49ers lost Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore to the Texans and Packers, respectively, last month. While San Francisco was able to re-sign Tashaun Gipson, the departures of the former two should allow for Brown to at least compete for rotational snaps as a rookie. Over the long term, he could easily find himself in a starting role down the road as a contributor on one of the league’s elite defenses.

Draft Notes: Young, Chiefs, Saints, Addison, Vikings, Patriots, Campbell, Lions

April 28th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Panthers brass joined other front offices in being wowed by Bryce Young during his 2021 Heisman-winning season, and the team had mostly decided on the Alabama prospect by the time Frank Reich arrived. David Tepper and Panthers scouts had zeroed in on Young — prior to making the trade with the Bears — and Reich learned of the staff’s preference early during his tenure.

“And it was unanimous with every guy in that room, starting from [GM] Scott [Fitterer] on down, that Bryce was the guy. That was great for me to hear,” Reich said of an early-February meeting, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (subscription required). “But what I appreciate about the way Scott handled it, he was like, ‘Frank, you take your time.’ … And it wasn’t much convincing.”

Fitterer said he sought Reich’s final stance late in the process. It would have been interesting had Reich, who was initially mentioned as preferring a taller passer, stood his ground for another prospect. He was believed to also be intrigued by Anthony Richardson. But the veteran HC will be coaching a 5-foot-10 quarterback in Carolina.

Here is the latest from the draft, as we head into Day 2:

The Vikings closed the record-breaking run on wide receivers at No. 23, selecting Jordan Addison, the fourth straight receiver taken from Nos. 20-23. But Minnesota received interest in the pick. The Chiefs and Saints contacted the Vikings about moving up to 23, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson, who adds the belief is at least one of the teams eyeing a trade-up would have taken the USC wide receiver (Twitter link). The Vikings appear to have received an offer, but they instead chose Addison. The Chiefs were mentioned as a team pursuing a move up the board, and the defending Super Bowl champions — after J.J. Smith -Schuster and Mecole Hardman‘s exits — had done a lot of work on this year’s wideout class. The Saints have not re-signed Jarvis Landry and have not seen much of a healthy Michael Thomas since the 2010s. Both teams will probably be on the hunt for receivers tonight.
It is not surprising to see Patriots first-round trade-downs, and the team allowing the Steelers to leapfrog the Jets for tackle Broderick Jones likely made the move doubly intriguing for Bill Belichick. But the Pats turned in their draft card quickly at No. 17, selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez. New England was high enough on the Oregon product it was close to finalizing a trade-up move from No. 14, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. The Commanders had been in on corners, but they chose Mississippi State ballhawk Emmanuel Forbes over Gonzalez at No. 16.
While the Patriots have been praised for nabbing a high-end prospect a bit later than he was expected to go, the Lions bucked pre-draft rankings by taking a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) at No. 12 and an off-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) at 18. Campbell, in particular, was not viewed as especially likely to be a first-round pick, and GM Brad Holmes admitted he probably could have nabbed the Iowa defender if he had traded down once again. “It’s not about just don’t pick a running back [in Round 1] because that’s not how we really view [Gibbs],” Holmes said, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “And then it’s the same thing about don’t pick an off-ball linebacker. That’s not really how we view Jack. If you put them in boxes and you put on a sheet of paper and you run mock draft analytics, yeah, you can come up with those stats. But all the hours and research and all the time that we put in, in terms of looking at these players, it becomes very, very visible that what kind of impact they can bring.”

Vikings Take WR Jordan Addison At No. 23

April 27th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The fourth straight wide receiver is off the board. The Vikings have used the No. 23 pick on USC wideout Jordan Addison. A report earlier today pegged Minnesota as an Addison suitor, and the team will add its second first-round wideout in four drafts.

Three years after striking gold with Justin Jefferson, the Vikings will try out Addison as a potential long-term running mate. The team made Adam Thielen a cap casualty this offseason and has 2020 draftee K.J. Osborn going into a contract year. Given the money Jefferson will command, the Vikings may be prepared to let Osborn walk in 2024 and build around a Jefferson-Addison tandem.

Addison transferred from Pitt to USC last year, joining Lincoln Riley and the QB guru’s third Heisman winner in six years (Caleb Williams). Addison did not fare nearly as well in Los Angeles compared to his sophomore-year Pennsylvania showing, but he did not dock his stock much with diminished production. Addison played a big part in Kenny Pickett‘s fifth-year breakthrough in 2021, erupting for 100 receptions 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns.

While Addison did not experience the 2022 swoon fellow first-round wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba did, he posted 59 receptions for 875 yards during his lone L.A. year. Still, the 5-foot-11 pass catcher has both outside and slot experience and graded as the top wideout available — by a fairly notable margin — on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.

Minnesota has used some major draft capital to bolster Jefferson’s supporting cast, trading a second-rounder for T.J. Hockenson and now drafting Addison. The team has some offensive uncertainty going forward, passing on a fourth Kirk Cousins contract this offseason. Instead, the Vikings restructured their QB’s deal. Cousins, who will turn 35 this year, is going into a contract campaign.

This was viewed as a possible Hendon Hooker spot, but the Tennessee prospect — along with Will Levis — remains on the board. But the Vikings have their receiver investment, who can be controlled on his rookie deal through 2027 (via the fifth-year option).

WR Notes: Flowers, Vikings, Chiefs, Giants, Addison, Bucs, Johnston, Robinson, Moore

April 27th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zay Flowers does not appear likely to fall out of the first round, and his final pre-draft meetup looks to have gone well. The Chiefs organizing a Flowers-Patrick Mahomes workout in Texas has led to interest on the defending Super Bowl champions’ part, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. They are not alone. The Giants and Vikings are Flowers fans as well. Previous reports also indicated the Bears and Chargers are intrigued by the speedy Boston College product, despite his 5-foot-9 stature. Flowers would be an atypical first-round pick, with Marquise Brown (2019) and Tavon Austin (2013) the only receivers chosen in Round 1 at 5-9 or shorter in the 21st century. But Flowers made a number of pre-draft visits and, coming off his only 1,000-yard college season, will be one of the first receivers off the board.

The Vikings released Adam Thielen earlier this year and have K.J. Osborn going into a contract year. Considering Justin Jefferson‘s likely extension price, Minnesota paying multiple wideouts notable veteran sums might be difficult. The Giants have performed an extensive examination on the top wideouts available.

Here is the latest from the rookie and veteran receiver landscape:

Regarding the Giants‘ receiver studies, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports indicates they are also believed to be considering USC’s Jordan Addison in Round 1 (Twitter link), indicating Addison might be ahead of Flowers on the team’s board. A Pitt transfer who finished his career with Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Addison spent time with the Giants during the pre-draft process. The team adding Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder and re-signing Sterling Shepard and Darius Slay ton — along with the 2022 second-round selection of Wan’Dale Robinson — certainly does not point to this Giants regime mandating big-bodied wideouts. While Flowers is 5-9, Addison is only 5-11. One of these two stepping in as a potential No. 1 target would round out an interesting receiver room.
Shifting to a taller target, the Buccaneers are believed to be interested in 6-3 TCU alum Quentin Johnston, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline offers. The Bucs would make for an unexpected Johnston destination, as they have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and 2022 free agency addition Russell Gage on the roster. Gage, however, underwhelmed in his Tampa Bay debut, while Evans is entering his age-30 season. The Chiefs are also interested in Johnston, with Pauline confirming previous reports Kansas City is both pro-Johnston and interested in trading up from No. 31.
Being moved to the Steelers, Allen Robinson will be prepared to work with yet another starting quarterback this year. But the well-traveled wideout will have a delayed start for on-field Steeler work. The team will hold its new receiver out of voluntary offseason workouts, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (on Twitter). Robinson is recovering from late-season foot surgery. He missed the Rams’ final seven games last season due to injury.
Ryan Poles confirmed D.J. Moore was indeed mandatory in the Bears‘ March trade with the Panthers. “You go back and forth and have those conversations that go over a couple of weeks, and there are some non-negotiables that you say, ‘Well, I need to have this in the package.’ DJ was that for us,” Poles said during an interview with former NFLers Charles Tillman and Roman Harper on the NFL Players: Second Acts podcast (h/t Pro Football Network). “We wanted to add more playmakers to this roster. We wanted a player that can really help Justin [Fields] be successful. So that’s kind of [what] we stuck with and went hard on that, and it worked out.” The Bears also discussed Brian Burns and Derrick Brown with the Panthers but ended up prying away their No. 1 receiver in the deal for the top pick.

Vikings Exercise Justin Jefferson’s Fifth-Year Option

April 25th, 2023 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Justin Jefferson has submitted one of the greatest three-year runs to start a wide receiver career in NFL history. Statistically speaking, it is the best start to a wideout’s career.

This has led the Vikings to discuss an extension this offseason, rather than waiting until 2024 — ahead of Jefferson’s fifth-year option season. Minnesota officially extended Jefferson’s rookie contract through 2024 on Tuesday, making the automatic call to pick up the LSU product’s fifth-year option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This will tie the three-time Pro Bowler to a fully guaranteed $19.74MM salary next year. The Vikings will look to make sure the former No. 22 overall pick does not play on that option. It will require a record-setting deal to prevent that. The only question regarding Jefferson’s extension will be how much of a gap forms between the Vikings’ superstar pass catcher and the field.

Jefferson’s 4,825 receiving yards through three seasons shattered Randy Moss‘ NFL record (4,163). While Jefferson plays in a slightly friendlier passing era, the gulf between the 2020 first-rounder and the field is eye-popping at this juncture in his career. Only three wideouts in NFL history (Jefferson, Moss, Odell Beckham Jr.) have topped 3,900 receiving yards through three seasons. A.J. Green is the only other player who reached 3,800, illustrating the rarefied air Jefferson reached in 2022. Jefferson made a push at Calvin Johnson‘s single-season record last year but fell short; still, his 1,809 receiving yards are the sixth-most in NFL history.

Tyreek Hill set the bar for receiver extensions last year, pushing it to $30MM per annum. A.J. Brown‘s $56MM fully guaranteed represents the high-water mark on that front. Jefferson, who is going into his age-24 season, should be expected to surpass both. Teams typically do not prefer to extend non-quarterbacks with more than a year of rookie-contract control remaining. But Jefferson could become an exception, given the impact he has made for the Vikings.

The 2020 CBA has also done well to limit holdouts, as the ramifications — fines and the prospect of delaying a player’s free agency by a year — have proven too severe for players to risk that leverage play. We are months away from any sort of Jefferson-Vikes standoff, and nothing thus far has indicated the sides are out of sync on a potential 2023 extension. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stopped short of saying extending Jefferson this year will be a team mandate, and seeing as this option decision locks in Jefferson for 2024, it will be interesting to see if the fourth-year wide receiver makes a legitimate push to secure a windfall this year over taking his chances and waiting for next offseason.

Previous Vikings GM Rick Spielman made Jefferson the fifth receiver drafted in 2020, following Henry Ruggs (Raiders), Jerry Jeudy (Broncos), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys) and Jalen Reagor (Eagles). Jefferson’s numbers dwarf his peers’, and his eventual payday stands to as well. For now, Jefferson is tied to a $2.4MM base salary in 2023.

Draft Notes: Porter, Jones, Washington, Murphy, Anudike-Uzomah, Banks, Branch

April 20th, 2023 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pre-draft visit season wrapped up this week, but teams squeezed in several meetings before the deadline. A few booked Joey Porter Jr. visits. The Penn State cornerback met with the Eagles, Giants, Saints and Panthers before Wednesday’s deadline, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Porter also visited the Steelers, Ravens and Raiders previously. Graded as a first-round talent, Porter stands to follow Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez off the board at some point on the draft’s first night.

Here is how other prospects’ visit itineraries wrapped up:

The Steelers closed their visit schedule by meeting with both tackle Broderick Jones, tight end Darnell Washington and edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, according to ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor and The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (all Twitter links). Jones, whom ESPN’s Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah rate as a top-20 prospect, met with the Chiefs, Jets, Patriots, Bears and Cardinals during the visit window. The Steelers briefly considered Orlando Brown Jr., and Mike Tomlin indicated he was comfortable with the team’s current Dan Moore–Chukwuma Okorafor tackle setup.
Anudike-Uzomah and Washington also met with the Buccaneers, per Wilson and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). One of two high-level Georgia tight end prospects, Washington will enter the draft at least a year ahead of standout pass catcher Brock Bowers. After two sub-200-yard years, Washington totaled 454 and two touchdowns as a junior. Going 6-foot-6 and 264 pounds, Washington profiles as an in-line tight end with some receiving upside. Anudike-Uzomah totaled 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons at Kansas State. Both players profile as fringe first-round talents, with Jeremiah ranking Washington as the third-best option in this year’s deep tight end class.
Scouts Inc. rates Clemson’s Myles Murphy a few spots ahead of Anudike-Uzomah, at No. 23 overall, and the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala notes (via Twitter) the Commanders took a recent look at the edge defender this week. After extending Daron Payne, Washington still rosters its four first-round D-linemen. But only one of the four (Chase Young) arrived during Ron Rivera‘s tenure.
Much of the NFL wanted to meet with Deonte Banks. The Maryland cornerback spent extensive time in two of the country’s time zones. In addition to his meetings with the Raiders, Ravens, Commanders and Steelers, Banks visited 10 more teams — the Saints, Titans, Vikings, Texans, Giants, Buccaneers, Eagles, Jaguars, Bears and Bills — before the pre-draft meeting buzzer sounded, Rapoport tweets. Jeremiah slots Banks 24th overall, ranking the ex-Big Ten cover man as this year’s fourth-best corner. A former three-star recruit, Banks earned a starting job as a freshman. A shoulder injury halted his junior year after two games, but the 6-foot defender bounced back last season to close his career on the first-round radar.
The Giants also huddled up with safety/slot defender Brian Branch this week, Wilson tweets. The Alabama contributor had previously met with a host of teams. New York expected to re-sign Julian Love this offseason but lost the safety to Seattle. The team, which selected slot corner Cor’Dale Flott in last year’s third round, signed veteran Bobby McCain to a low-level contract and has Xavier McKinney returning from an injury-marred season.

Contract Details: Hurts, Robinson, Ward, Perryman, Anderson

April 19th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on deals signed recently around the NFL:

Jalen Hurts, QB (Eagles): Five years, $255MM. We had received some broad numbers from the deal, and some details still elude us, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided some cap numbers recently. Hurts will represent a $6.15MM cap hit in 2023, $13.56MM in 2024, $21.77MM in 2025, and $31.77MM in 2026.
Allen Robinson, WR (Steelers): Three years, $46.5MM. We covered some details, like how the Rams will pay most of Robinson’s 2023 salary in a nearly two-to-one split. According to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, the Rams will additionally take on $21.45MM of dead money for Robinson moving forward, pushing them up to about $74MM of dead cap in 2023.
Jimmie Ward, S (Texans): Two years, $13MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, has a guaranteed amount of $8.5MM consisting of a $4MM signing bonus, Ward’s 2023 base salary of $2.5MM, and $2MM of his 2024 base salary (worth $5.5MM total). Ward will receive a per game active roster bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000. The contract also includes an annual playing time incentive. If Ward plays 60% of the team’s defensive snaps, he’ll receive an additional $250,000. He’ll get two more $250,000 bonuses for reaching both the 70% and 80% snap share totals, as well.
Denzel Perryman, LB (Texans): One year, $2.6MM. We were aware that Perryman could push the value of his deal to $3.5MM with incentives, but thanks to Wilson, we now know how he can do that. The additional $900,000 is based on playing time. Perryman can earn $300,000 bonuses for reaching each of the 60%, 70% and 80% thresholds of defensive snap shares for the Texans.
Eric Rowe, S (Panthers): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $852,500 consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $700,000 of Rowe’s base salary (worth a total of $1.17MM).
Kris Boyd, CB (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $152,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM.
Dante Pettis, WR (Bears): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, includes a signing bonus of $152,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM.
Troy Reeder, LB (Vikings): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $100,000 consisting partially of a $25,000 signing bonus. Reeder’s base salary will be $1.08MM, and he can receive an additional workout bonus $25,000 and a roster bonus of $102,500 if he’s active Week 1. The deal includes a per game active roster bonus of $6,029 for a potential season total of $102,500.
Drew Sample, TE (Bengals): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $52,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM. Sample will also receive a roster bonus of $75,000 and a workout bonus of $25,000.
Armon Watts, DT (Steelers): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $152,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM.
Elijah Wilkinson, OL (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $1.09MM consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $940,000 of Wilkinson’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM).
Khadarel Hodge, WR (Falcons): One year, $1.2MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a base salary of $1.08 and a roster bonus of $120,000 if he is active for Atlanta’s first game of the season. The deal also includes a per game active roster bonus of $7,500 for a potential season total of $127,500.
Chosen Anderson, WR (Dolphins): One year, $1.17MM. The deal, according to Wilson, includes a signing bonus of $152,500.
John Penisini, DL (Panthers): One year, $940,000, according to Wilson.
Kevin Jarvis, OL (Bills): One year, $750,000, according to Wilson.

Teams Calling 49ers On Trey Lance; Vikings Expressed Interest

April 19th, 2023 at 11:33am CST by Sam Robinson

11:33am: The 49ers are believed to have discussed Lance with the Vikings at the Combine, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds. With most of the league’s power brokers in one place, trade talks are common in Indianapolis. The Vikings have since restructured Kirk Cousins‘ contract, rather than extending him as they did last year. This naturally opens the door to discussions about Cousins’ post-2023 future. Hendon Hooker has also been mentioned as a possible longer-term option for Minnesota. For now, former 49ers backup Nick Mullens remains the Vikings’ QB2.

8:20am: With Brock Purdy avoiding Tommy John surgery and Sam Darnold having signed last month, Trey Lance sits in a much different position with the 49ers compared to his 2022 standing. As a result, trade rumors continue.

Teams are looking into the former No. 3 overall pick. Several have contacted the 49ers about Lance’s availability, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). While the 49ers are not believed to be the ones making the calls regarding a potential Lance trade, the topic is coming up days ahead of the draft.

Lance’s value has obviously cratered compared to where it was two Aprils ago, when the 49ers traded two future first-rounders to move up for the North Dakota State standout. He has made four starts in two seasons, not posing a serious threat to Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie and suffering a fractured ankle last season. Lance underwent two surgeries but is expected to be ready by the time the 49ers begin on-field work next month. With teams viewing Purdy as San Francisco’s likely future starter, the subject of Lance’s availability is coming up.

Two seasons remain on Lance’s rookie contract, which can run through 2025 if the fifth-year option is exercised by May 2024. Lance’s trajectory does not make that a likely scenario in San Francisco, but if the 49ers receive a viable offer, Lance’s option decision could become another team’s responsibility soon. It certainly depends on what the 49ers consider a worthwhile proposal, and Rapoport adds (via Twitter) no trade is imminent.

John Lynch said last month the team still has Lance in its plans, but Kyle Shanahan said securing the 49ers’ 2023 starting job will be more difficult for the former Division I-FCS star than it was in 2022. The 49ers essentially handed Lance their starting job last year, putting Garoppolo on the trade block. The team’s decision to circle back to Garoppolo on a revised deal ended up saving its season, with Lance going down in Week 2. Purdy’s performance in relief of Garoppolo months later placed Lance on shakier ground, and the 49ers signed Darnold to a one-year, $4.5MM deal ($3.5MM guaranteed) early in free agency. Darnold’s 55 career starts place him as a threat to Lance’s status as Purdy’s primary backup, and a scenario in which the ex-Jets and Panthers starter begins the season under center for the 49ers — as Purdy completes his rehab odyssey — is not difficult to envision.

Of course, Purdy is still going through UCL rehab. He might not receive full clearance until the regular season begins. Considering the injury trouble the 49ers have experienced at quarterback during the Shanahan-Lynch run, trading Lance months before Purdy is cleared would represent quite the risk. Darnold has not exactly proven durable to this point, either.

The 49ers selling low on Lance would make their 2021 trade-up decision — one widely believed to have been made with Mac Jones as the target — look worse. This will be a topic to monitor ahead of the draft, however.

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