Eric Reid - Pro Football Rumors

49ers To Place Jimmie Ward On IR

October 30th, 2017 at 8:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers will place safety Jimmie Ward and offensive tackle Garry Gilliam on season-ending injured reserve, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.

Ward, 26, suffered a broken arm in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, so his placement on IR doesn’t come as a surprise. The former first-round pick had started six of seven games for the 49ers in 2017, but had only graded as the No. 69 safety among 87 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. San Francisco exercised Ward’s fifth-year option earlier this year, so he’ll back in the Bay Area in 2018. In the meantime, the 49ers will consider moving Eric Reid back to safety following a short stay at linebacker, tweets Matt Maiocco of the Bay Area News Group.

Gilliam, meanwhile, has barely played this season despite several injuries along the 49ers’ offensive line. He’d seen action on just 38 total snaps after inking a one-year, $2.2MM restricted free agent offer sheet with San Francisco (that the Seahawks declined to match). Gilliam does have 31 games of starting experience under his belt, but he’ll now hit 2018 free agency coming off an injury-marred campaign.

Ward and Gilliam aren’t the only 49ers’ players dealing with health questions, however. Left tackle Joe Staley will miss at least two games after suffering an orbital bone fracture on Sunday, while defensive lineman Solomon Thomas — who is dealing with a low-grade MCL sprain, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com — will also miss roughly two weeks, Shanhan announced. While the winless 49ers aren’t going anywhere in 2017, Staley’s injury likely negates any chance that San Francisco would trade him before Tuesday’s deadline.

49ers Moving Eric Reid To Linebacker

October 26th, 2017 at 4:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Eric Reid being midway through a contract year, he’s accepted a move to another position. The 49ers will shift the fifth-year defender from safety to linebacker.

Reid is being worked in at outside linebacker, and DC Robert Saleh said (via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group, on Twitter) he wouldn’t be surprised if the veteran becomes a starter on the weak side of the 49ers’ defensive second level.

The 49ers approached Reid about a conversion to linebacker after they released NaVorro Bowman, but the career safety made a point of asking the team if he had a role in San Francisco beyond this season. He was not given an answer.

“I asked them explicitly, ‘Can you at least tell me if I’m going to be here next year to play this position?’ They told me no,” Reid said, via Inman. “Right now I just trust the film I have at safety is good enough to enter free agency with, and now I’ll get some film at linebacker, as well.

Jaquiski Tartt usurped Reid at the strong safety position, and the 49ers will go with a Tartt-Jimmie Ward pairing on their back line. Both Ward and Tartt are under contract through 2018. Reid, the last of the 49ers’ defensive starters from their run of NFC championship game appearances, is playing this season on a fifth-year option. The LSU product has started 60 games at safety since 2013. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

The 49ers have seen rival teams make these types of conversions in recent years. The Cardinals slid Deone Bucannon from safety to inside linebacker, and the Rams did the same for Mark Barron — the latter of which is now one of the highest-paid non-rush ‘backers in the game. Barron now plays on the outside in the Rams’ 4-3 scheme, providing a blueprint for Reid. Ray-Ray Armstrong has started five games on the weak side this season, but the 49ers are at least ready to slot the 220-pound Reid in on passing downs.

Reid returned to action earlier this month after missing three games due to a knee injury. He missed the 49ers’ final six 2016 contests due to a biceps malady.

West Notes: Hawks, 49ers, Chiefs, Broncos

September 18th, 2017 at 7:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Jimmy Graham isn’t a lock to be ready when the Seahawks face the Titans on Sunday after going down with an ankle injury, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Seattle has scored only 21 points through two games, and Graham has contributed to that offensive ineptitude by posting just four catches for nine total yards. If Graham is out next week, the Seahawks will turn to Luke Willson and Nick Vannett at tight end.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions, with a focus on injury news:

The 49ers will be without safety Eric Reid on Thursday night as he recovers from a PCL injury, and the 25-year-old defensive back will likely miss additional games, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). Luckily, Reid won’t require surgery on his injury knee, limiting the period of his absence. Reid, who’s playing in his contract season, missed six games in 2016 following a biceps tear.
Center Mitch Morse suffered a foot sprain during Sunday’s Chiefs game, but an MRI revealed that he won’t require surgery, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Nevertheless, Morse will be sidelined for a “few weeks” as he recovers, per Rapoport. Morse, 25, has started 33 contests in two-plus years with Kansas City, but the club will now be forced to turn to other options. Zach Fulton took over at the pivot yesterday, while recent trade acquisition Cameron Erving could also be a candidate for snaps. The Chiefs face the Chargers, Redskins, Texans, and Steelers over the next month.
The Broncos are breathing a sigh of relief — after initially fearing rookie left tackle Garett Bolles broke his foot on Sunday, Denver learned that Bolles has only a bone bruise, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bolles is now considered week-to-week, which almost assuredly means he’ll be sidelined for the Broncos’ Week 3 contest against the Bills. Both Donald Stephenson and Allen Barbre played left tackle in Bolles’ absence yesterday, and both will likely be options for Denver going forward.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Hyde, Seahawks

August 2nd, 2017 at 8:30am CST by Zachary Links

Although the 49ers have several key players, including safety Eric Reid and running back Carlos Hyde, entering their respective contract seasons, it doesn’t as though San Francisco has extension offers lined up for free agents-to-be, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.

“I would say that we’re always having internal discussions, Kyle (Shanahan) and myself and our staffs,” general manager John Lynch said. “And, we really try to be forward thinking looking out, not just this year but three to five years and saying, ‘OK, let’s look at the construct of our roster.’ But, our priority was let’s provide competition at each and every position. And so, that’s why we were so active this year to go out and to be able to really judge this and judge those guys in particular. There’s going to be a little more urgency with some of them, but we’re going to let this play out a little bit and see how they fit with what we want to do.”

Here’s more from the NFC West:

The Seahawks gave former Philadelphia first rounder Marcus Smith a one-year, $690K deal with zero guarantees, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The deal carries a maximum value of $1.44MM. Smith hasn’t done much in his three NFL seasons so far, but the Seahawks are hoping to get something out of him as a reserve.
Lance Dunbar was signed to serve as the backup to running back Todd Gurley, but given that the former Cowboy is on active/PUP and has no timetable to return from injury, Malcolm Brown is taking the lion’s share of work as the Rams‘ No. 2, as Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com writes. Brown, a 2015 undrafted free agent out of Texas, has managed only 22 carries in two pro seasons, but new Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay has been “pleasantly surprised” by Brown’s training camp work, per Gonzalez. The Rams could still look at external options — they’ve talked with free agent Rashad Jennings — but for now, Brown is on track to take over the backup role.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Floyd, Cousins, 49ers, Eagles

June 16th, 2017 at 5:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd is fighting back against a report that he violated his house arrest rules by testing positive for alcohol, telling Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: “Totally false. The whole thing is false. You can’t believe everything TMZ says.” Floyd, who had completed 91 days of his 96-day house arrest sentence as of Monday, is due in court June 26.

His agent, also named Brian Murphy, released a statement Friday, part of which says (full statement here via ESPN’s Adam Schefter):

“On June 10, 2017, Michael watched movies at his place of residence until 3:00 a.m. During that time, he drank several bottles of kombucha tea drinks, unaware that the drinks contain alcohol.

On June 11, 2017 at 5:30 a.m., Michael was tested and his blood alcohol content was .055. Michael was tested again at 5:54 a.m. and his blood alcohol content was down to .045. Michael was tested again at 6:23 a.m. and his blood alcohol content was .044. He then went back to sleep and missed a test at 6:33 a.m.”

Eric Reid Out For Season With Biceps Tear

November 22nd, 2016 at 6:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

TUESDAY, 6:40pm: The 49ers have placed Reid on the injured reserve, according to Maiocco (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 4:49pm: The 49ers confirmed Reid is out for the year after an MRI revealed the fourth-year safety sustained a torn biceps, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). He will require surgery, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets.

MONDAY, 4:29pm: Reid announced (on Twitter) he won’t be taking the field with the 49ers the rest of the season. While the team hasn’t placed him on IR yet, that move is probably coming soon.

SUNDAY, 8:15pm: Barreling toward one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the 49ers may well be without Eric Reid the rest of the way. Initial tests conducted on the fourth-year safety revealed a torn biceps, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The former first-round pick left Sunday’s Patriots-49ers game during the second half, and looks set to miss what would be the first extensive action of his career. Despite the 49ers being closer to preparing for the 2017 draft than competing for a playoff spot, this uncertainty comes at a tough time for Reid, who is set to play on the fifth-year option in ’17.

San Francisco GM Trent Baalke said he’d be interested in signing Reid to an extension in April, but nothing transpired on that front and the fifth-year option became Reid’s immediate future. How long Baalke remains part of that is up for debate, with the franchise having lost eight straight games.

The former No. 18 overall pick and fourth-year starter is set to make $5.676MM in 2017 as a result of the Niners picking up his option season, and having a significant injury now could delay any such talks for a long-term deal. Reid’s option season is guaranteed for injury only, so the safety not being able to pass a physical by the time the new league year begins would ensure the attached salary goes to him.

Reid’s made 62 tackles this season, including a team-high seven against the Patriots, and intercepted the eighth pass of his career during this campaign as well. The soon-to-be 25-year-old back-line player also has forced a fumble to go along with six pass deflections. Reid’s played and started in at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons, with his fourth looking likely to end that run.

Reid would likely join starters NaVorro Bowman and Arik Armstead on IR, should the diagnosis confirm the team’s fears.

NFC Notes: 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins, Vikings

May 25th, 2016 at 6:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It doesn’t appear that new 49ers head coach Chip Kelly is ready to change his uptempo offensive ways. During the team period at OTAs on Wednesday, the 49ers ran 24 plays in an eight-minute span, good for one snap every 20 seconds, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). As noted by Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk, Kelly’s taxing, fast-paced attack eventually wore out its welcome with some of his Eagles players during his three-season tenure in Philadelphia.

Here’s more on San Francisco and a few of its NFC counterparts:

One of Kelly’s players, safety Eric Reid, said Wednesday he’d like to sign a contract extension to remain with the 49ers for the long haul (link via Maiocco). San Francisco already has control over Reid through 2017, having picked up his fifth-year option earlier this month. General manager Trent Baalke stated in April that he’d be open to inking the 2013 first-rounder to an extension, though that was before the fifth-year option decision. The 24-year-old Reid has been a full-time starter for the 49ers since entering the league and has a Pro Bowl nod under his belt. He failed to record an interception last season, however, after piling up a combined seven during his initial two campaigns.
The Cowboys seem content with Kellen Moore serving as Tony Romo‘s primary backup this year, per head coach Jason Garrett (Twitter link via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “We just feel like Kellen has earned the right to compete for the No. 2 spot, and that’s what he’s doing,” said Garrett. In his first pro action last season, the 26-year-old Moore – a former Lion – appeared in three games, made two starts, and threw four touchdowns against six interceptions. It’s worth noting that the Cowboys visited with veteran passer Matt Moore earlier this offseason before he re-signed with Miami and also selected Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott in the fourth round of this year’s draft.
Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post wonders where rookie inside linebacker Su’a Cravens will fit in the Redskins‘ defense. Listed as a safety coming out of USC, the Redskins used Cravens at inside linebacker during rookie minicamp. Going forward, it’s possible that Cravens can be used at linebacker, safety, or even nickel cornerback if necessary. Cravens’ label of “moneybacker” helped him vault up the boards in April, leading to his second-round selection in the draft.
Second-year Vikings defensive tackle B.J. Dubose tore his ACL during OTAs on Wednesday and will miss the 2016 season, according to Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Dubose, a sixth-round pick from Louisville, hasn’t yet appeared in an NFL game.
In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com about the Lions‘ perceived lack of change at the running back position. While the Lions did not make a major splash, they did add veteran Stevan Ridley in free agency and Dwayne Washington in the draft. Washington, Twentyman writes, is a no-nonsense tailback who boasts big-play potential thanks to his size and speed. Those two backs will support incumbent starter Ameer Abdullah and pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

49ers Exercise Eric Reid’s 2017 Option

May 2nd, 2016 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

In advance of the deadline for fifth-year options for 2013 first-round picks to be exercised, the 49ers have picked up their option on safety Eric Reid, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The move will ensure that Reid is on San Francisco’s books for a $5.676MM salary in 2017.

[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]

Reid, 24, has been a full-time starter for the 49ers since entering the league as the 18th overall pick in 2013. In 2015, he made 66 tackles to go along with a sack and a forced fumble, failing to record an interception for the first time in his career. The LSU product grabbed three picks in 2014, and four in his Pro Bowl rookie season.

The Niners’ decision to exercise Reid’s option for 2017 comes as no surprise. General manager Trent Baalke said in April that the team would either retain Reid by exercising his fifth-year option or by extending him.

While his option has now been picked up, Reid could still sign a longer-term extension with San Francisco anytime between now and when he’s eligible to hit the open market, in March of 2018.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fifth-Year Option Notes: Vikings, Titans, 49ers

April 20th, 2016 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

While most NFL teams only have one fifth-year option decision to make in the next couple weeks, assuming they haven’t already made that decision, the Vikings will have calls to make on three separate players. Thanks to a pair of trades, the Vikes had a trio of first-round picks in the 2013 draft, meaning defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson are all eligible to have 2017 options exercised.

Let’s round up the latest updates on Minnesota’s option decisions, along with some other fifth-year option notes from around the NFL…

Patterson’s option for 2017 will be worth $7.915MM, making it more expensive than Floyd’s ($6.757MM) and nearly as pricey as Rhodes’ ($8.026MM). As such, given the wideout’s limited on-field impact, it would be a surprise if the Vikings pick it up, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. However, Tomasson notes that Floyd’s and Rhodes’ options are near-locks to be exercised.
It doesn’t appear the Titans have made a final decision on the 2017 option for guard Chance Warmack, but Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com suggests the team may be leaning toward turning it down, given the exorbitant price ($11.902MM). Tennessee has until May 3rd to make a decision.
49ers general manager Trent Baalke said today that the team intends to retain safety Eric Reid beyond the coming season, either by picking up his fifth-year option or by working out a longer-term deal, tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Reid’s 2017 salary would be $5.676MM if the Niners exercise that option.
Check out PFR’s 2017 option tracker to keep tabs on all decisions that have been reported or announced so far.

NFC Notes: 49ers, Walsh, Vikings, Lions

August 23rd, 2015 at 7:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite suffering three concussions during his two years in the league, 49ers safety Eric Reid said he hasn’t thought about retiring. The comments come after former teammate Chris Borland hung up his cleats due to concerns over brain trauma.

“No. Not at all,” Reid told Eric Branch of SFGate.com. “Every guy has to evaluate their decision, whether it’s a concussion, whether it’s an ankle sprain, a torn ACL. With any injury, you have to evaluate yourself and make a personal decision.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

49ers nose tackle Mike Purcell is set to play a bigger role this season, and Branch notes that the former undrafted rookie is going to have to adjust to the spotlight. “I just want to stay humble and keep working,” said the 24-year-old. “My goal right now is to show I can do it back-to-back.”
Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed three field goals during last night’s game, and Matt Vessel of the Star Tribune says the team should definitely be concerned about the position. Walsh inked a four-year extension with Minnesota in July.
Even with the emergence of Vikings rookie receiver Stefon Diggs, Vessel believes Marcus Sherels‘ roster spot is still secure. The writer cites the player’s production on both the kick and punt return units.
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn could very well be a backup for the Vikings, notes Vessel. However, even with the veteran’s $3.45M salary, the writer believes the team should retain their depth.
Jermelle Cudjo has been a revelation during Lions camp, and ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein says the player is ready for an opportunity. “I’m just hungry, you know,” Cudjo said. “Sitting out last year, having a chip on my shoulder and I just want to come out here and blessed with the opportunity to showcase my skill.”