HEADLINES

Blaine Gabbert

Extra Points: Gabbert, Pitta, Archer

November 9th, 2015 at 8:39pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but 49ers coach Jim Tomsula announced that Blaine Gabbert will start for SF once again when the Niners take on the Seahawks in Week 11, as Taylor Price of 49ers.com writes. Gabbert completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday’s Week 9 home win over the Falcons and, at least for now, it sounds like former starter Colin Kaepernick should make himself comfortable on the bench.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • A decision will be made by Wednesday on whether tight end Dennis Pitta makes a comeback this season from his second serious hip injury, as Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. According to Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the decision comes down to Pitta’s long-term health, not his ability to play again. “He did look good in practice,” Harbaugh said. “We had a tough time covering him. He was doing stuff for the look team and made a bunch of plays out there. He just kind of looked like his old self out there. But don’t construe that as saying that he’s ready to go, because it’s not about that. The doctors are going to take a hard look at that, and help him decide, is this safe? It’s going to be based on how the hip is responding to the practices.” Pitta, 30, enjoyed his best season in 2012 when he helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl, catching 61 passes for 669 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season, followed by 14 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns during the playoffs.
  • The Saints worked out former Giants wide receiver Preston Parker on Monday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Parker, 28, has 85 career receptions for 1,057 yards and five touchdowns.
  • Running back Dri Archer has passed on ten offers to join practice squads, including an offer from the Steelers, a league source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Archer, a third-round pick in 2014, instead plans to wait and see whether any opportunities arise to join a 53-man roster. Florio speculates that his opening might be with the Patriots now that Dion Lewis is done for the year.

49ers Notes: Kaepernick, Tomsula, Bush

November 8th, 2015 at 8:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

Blaine Gabbert played well enough to win, but no matter how he fared the bigger story is the tension that has risen between Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers organization. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that based on the current climate, “it is virtually certain [Kaepernick] is not back in San Francisco in 2016, according to team and league sources.”

Kaepernick’s 2016 salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1st, and it is unlikely the team would want that number on their books if they aren’t committed to him, and La Canfora describes the situation as beyond repair.

Here are a few more notes coming out of San Francisco:

  • While La Canfora believes the situation cannot be turned around, Conor Orr of NFL.com writes that the 49ers coaching staff still believes in Kaepernick as the starting quarterback going forward.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the idea behind Kaepernick’s contract, and what direction the 49ers will go in from here. One option Fitzgerald believes the team could explore would be asking Kaepernick to take a pay cut in the offseason by threatening to release him in late March, when he’d be unlikely to receive a contract comparable to what they can offer.
  • Even though Gabbert played well and got the win, head coach Jim Tomsula would not name him the starter going forward, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayAreas.com. “Gabbert was our starter today,” said Tomsula. “And I don’t have a comment past that.”
  • Kaepernick has been the focus of much of the 49ers’ woes this season, but Tim Kawakami of InsideBayArea.com writes that he is far from the only one on the hot seat during a bad start to the season. He points out that Tomsula, offensive coordinator Geep Chryst, general manager Trent Baalke, and owner Jed York as members of the organization in a no-win situation.
  • 49ers’ running back Reggie Bush is planning to sue the city of St. Louis after suffering a possible career-ending injury after slipping on the concrete at the Edward Jones Dome, writes La Canfora. Bush will likely seek gross negligence, given the danger of having the slippery surface so close to the field.

NFL Mailbags: Titans, Panthers, Lions

November 7th, 2015 at 10:47am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s check out some of the more interesting notes, with a cameo from Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com…

  • Wyatt wonders if Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt may have lost the lockerroom after having gone 3-20 over the past season-plus. The writer also believes the team may have felt more pressure playing under their former coach, and he wouldn’t be shocked to see a more relaxed squad this weekend.
  • If the Panthers could only afford to keep one dynamic defender, David Newton would pick defensive tackle Kawann Short over cornerback Josh Norman. However, the writer is confident that the organization will be able to retain both players.
  • The pair may be naturally connected, but Mike DiRocco believes Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles is already better than 49ers signal-caller (and former Jaguars QB) Blaine Gabbert. The biggest difference for the writer is Bortles’ poise in the pocket.
  • If Brian Xanders was going to be considered as a candidate to be the next Lions general manager, Michael Rothstein writes that the Senior Personnel Executive would have been given the interim role.

49ers To Bench Colin Kaepernick

November 2nd, 2015 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers are benching Colin Kaepernick, according to Kyle McLorg of BayAreaSportsGuy.com. With No. 7 heading to the bench, Blaine Gabbert will be under center for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

NFL: San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers

49ers players were split on Kaepernick and the organization stayed with him as long as it could, Rapoport tweets. Earlier today, head coach Jim Tomsula declined to give Kaepernick a vote of confidence when given the opportunity. Now, we understand why.

It has been said that each game in the 2015 season would be a referendum on Kaepernick’s status as 49ers quarterback going forward. Now that the signal caller is getting benched, it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Niners will cut him before his salary becomes guaranteed for 2016. The 49ers officially have until April 1st to make that call.

Kaepernick, who turns 28 on Tuesday, has completed just 59.3 percent of his pass attempts for 1,615 yards in eight games and he has six touchdown passes against five interceptions. With a career-low passer rating of 78.8 and two consecutive losses against division rivals, one can understand why the 49ers are making this change. Of course, it’s also fair to wonder if Gabbert is capable of playing any better than Kaepernick has been.

Gabbert, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, played three seasons for the Jaguars before joining the 49ers in 2014. Over that time, he never had a completion percentage higher than 58.3 or a quarterback rating above 77.4.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers To Be “Very Patient” With Kaepernick

October 8th, 2015 at 6:07pm CST by Zachary Links

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has struggled mightily in 2015 and some have speculated that the club could turn to backup Blaine Gabbert if things don’t improve quickly. However, CEO Jed York tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that the team plans on being “very patient” with Kaepernick. The team, York says, wants to see if the QB can handle going through a bad slump and if he can rebound, that will be a promising sign for them with regards to his overall future.

In the past two weeks, the 27-year-old (28 in November) has completing just 22-of-44 passes while throwing five interceptions and no touchdowns. Weeks ago, head coach Jim Tomsula said that the club would not consider going from Kaepernick to Gabbert, but that seems like it could be a definite possibility if things do not turn around. The 49ers are 1-3 heading into a Sunday night matchup with the 2-2 Giants on the road.

The seven-year, $126MM extension Kaepernick signed last summer was, for all practical purposes, a $13MM signing bonus accompanied by seven one-year contracts. That means San Francisco could cut ties with the QB in the offseason without any real financial penalty. Kaepernick is set to carry a cap number of ~$16.8MM in 2016 and that number balloons to $19MM+ in 2017.

Contract Details: Orakpo, D. Williams, Allen

March 13th, 2015 at 5:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are some key details on some of the notable contracts agreed to or signed by free agents this week:

  • Brian Orakpo, OLB (Titans): Four years, $31MM base value. $8.5MM fully guaranteeed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • Dan Williams, DT (Raiders): Four years, $25MM base value. $15.2MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter links via Wilson and Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • Nate Allen, S (Raiders): Four years, $23MM base value. $6.9MM fully guaranteed (Twitter links via Wilson)
  • Lance Kendricks, TE (Rams): Four years, $18.5MM base value. $6.75MM fully guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus in 2015 (Twitter links via Wilson).
  • Malcolm Smith, LB (Raiders): Two years, $7MM base value. $3.75MM fully guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Blaine Gabbert, QB (49ers): Two years, $4MM base value. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Henry Melton, DT (Buccaneers): One year, $3.75MM base value. $3.25MM fully guaranteed. $1.25MM available in incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Adrian Clayborn, DE (Falcons): One year, $3MM base value. $750K signing bonus. $1.25MM available in incentives (Twitter links via Wilson).

49ers Re-Sign Blaine Gabbert

March 12th, 2015 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 2:48pm: The 49ers have officially confirmed their new deal with Gabbert, along with the previously reported re-signing of tight end Garrett Celek.

TUESDAY, 10:19pm: It’s a two-year, $2MM deal for Gabbert, per Chris Mortensen of ESPN (Twitter link).

7:20pm: A year after acquiring him from the Jaguars for a sixth-round pick, the 49ers are re-signing backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A source tells Anderson that Gabbert is “staying in San Francisco.”

Gabbert, a former 10th overall pick, served as Colin Kaepernick‘s primary backup last season, though he only saw the field in mop-up duty, since Kaepernick stayed healthy all year. The two signal-callers are currently the only two QBs on San Francisco’s roster, so it looks like the former Jaguar will have the inside track on the No. 2 job for 2015, though there could be another move coming for the Niners.

While we haven’t yet seen what Gabbert could do away from Jacksonville, his track record suggests that the 49ers would be in trouble if he saw any extended action in 2015. For his career, the 25-year-old has completed 53.2% of his passes and thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, en route to a 5-22 record as a starter.

NFC Notes: Mankins, Eagles, 49ers, Bears

August 29th, 2014 at 3:53pm CST by Zachary Links

At his introductory press conference, new Buccaneers guard Logan Mankins admitted that he has a lot of work to do (via Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald). “It’s going to be tough, we have a week before the first game and I’m going to take it in stride. I’ve got all weekend to try and get down some of the mental part of it and then all next week at practice. I’m sure the guys are going to help me as much as possible and I’m going to try my best to be up to speed with those guys, I don’t know if it will happen, but I’m shooting for it,” said the veteran. More from around the NFL:

  • Having recently been cut by the Bills, quarterback Thad Lewis had an audition for the Eagles, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
  • Blaine Gabbert looked shaky in the 49ers‘ preseason finale while Josh Johnson has looked good over the last few weeks, which could prompt the club to carry three quarterbacks, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Gabbert, who has a $2MM guaranteed salary, won’t be going anywhere, but SF might want to have Johnson in place as a failsafe.
  • 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh sounds intent on keeping quarterback Johnson in addition to Gabbert, writes Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. However, he won’t commit to putting Johnson ahead of Gabbert on the depth chart, despite the former first-round pick’s struggles.
  • After giving himself a “B+” grade for his Thursday night performance, Michael Sam believes that he’ll be on an NFL roster somewhere, even if it’s not with the Rams, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I’m very confident,” Sam said. “I’m going to sleep really well tonight and I’m very confident I’m going to be on a team, the Rams or any other team in the NFL.”
  • Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times believes that Matthew Mulligan will have a spot on the Bears‘ roster as the tight end behind Martellus Bennett and Dante Rosario thanks to his blocking ability. The injury to Zach Miller opened the door for Mulligan, who is a solid blocker.
  • The Bears have done their homework on long snappers and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) hears that they worked out four long snappers last week. Currently, Brandon Hartson has the job in Chicago.
  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that he has met face-to-face with Dez Bryant, something he doesn’t do with every player who is seeking a new deal, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. “We have had good visits,” Jones said. “It’s a little different to be talking directly, for me to be talking directly with the player. I know of two that I’ve spent a lot of time directly talking with in some pretty sensitive areas when you’re talking about money. We all understand what that means. One of them Michael Irvin. He asked me to induct him into the Hall of Fame later and Emmitt Smith, he asked me to induct him into the Hall of Fame later. Troy [Aikman] always had Leigh Steinberg there, but we kind of talked straight in there together.”

Extra Points: Cowboys, 49ers, Browns, Giants

August 23rd, 2014 at 10:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s check out some leftover links on this Saturday night…

King’s Latest: CBs, Bortles, Fairley, 49ers

August 18th, 2014 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Those defensive penalties that have plagued preseason games for the last two weeks won’t be going away once the regular season gets underway, according to vice president of officiating Dean Blandino. Blandino tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that defensive holding and illegal contact penalties will continue to be a point of emphasis throughout the year, and that he expects coaches and teams to adjust their style of play over the next few weeks. In the second weekend of the 2014 preseason, there have been nearly nine more penalties per game than an average 2013 regular season contest, which is a number that will hurt the game if it extends into the regular season, writes King.

Here’s more from this week’s MMQB:

  • King predicts that we’ll hear of several teams desperate for cornerbacks in the next week or so. “We’re going to get one,” a personnel man for one team said. “But we may have to pay a higher price than we want, or a higher price than the player deserves.” King identifies the Jets, Ravens, Lions, Colts, Vikings, and Buccaneers as teams that may be on the lookout for another corner.
  • While Chad Henne may open the regular season under center for the Jaguars, the team has always planned to transition Blake Bortles into the starting role when he’s ready, regardless of how well or how poorly Henne is playing, says King. Based on how Bortles has looked so far in the preseason, that transition could end up happening sooner rather than later.
  • According to King, Nick Fairley is now behind C.J. Mosley on the Lions‘ depth chart. So far, it doesn’t seem as Detroit’s decision to decline Fairley’s 2015 option as a motivational tactic has paid off for the defensive tackle or the team.
  • One scout suggests the 49ers should be worried about the backup quarterback situation, and King writes that Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke may be thinking about elevating Josh Johnson to No. 2 on the depth chart after another poor performance by Blaine Gabbert.
  • King praises the Bears‘ signing of wide receiver Santonio Holmes, writing that he has “no idea” why so many people view Holmes as a toxic locker-room presence — in King’s view, the veteran wideout has been “mildly disruptive,” but he’s hardly a cancer.
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