NaVorro Bowman - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Agreed To Trade NaVorro Bowman To Saints

October 15th, 2017 at 8:19am CST by Rory Parks

We learned last night that at least two teams had serious interest in trading for former 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman before he was released by San Francisco, and it turns out that one of those interested teams was the Saints. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the 49ers agreed to trade Bowman to New Orleans for a seventh-round draft pick, but the Saints learned the veteran linebacker preferred to be a free agent and talk to all teams before deciding on one. As such, the 49ers opted to grant Bowman’s wish and give him his release instead of going forward with the trade.

Schefter adds that San Francisco also engaged in trade talks with the Ravens, Browns, and Panthers, but none of those teams appear to be vying for Bowman’s services in free agency. Instead, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, there is strong mutual interest between Bowman and the Raiders, and Bowman appears set to visit Oakland in the coming days.

In related news, Schefter reports that the 49ers have not had any trade talks involving running back Carlos Hyde — despite speculation to the contrary — and they do not plan to have any such talks. We heard just last week, of course, that San Francisco was attempting to extend the oft-injured RB, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the year.

West Notes: Peterson, Booker, Bowman

October 14th, 2017 at 7:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adrian Peterson is the Cardinals‘ latest David Johnson replacement solution, but interestingly, a potential Peterson-to-Arizona path was discussed two years ago. The running back’s agent, Ben Dogra, contacted Cardinals GM Steve Keim during the first round of the 2015 draft and told Peterson to work friend Larry Fitzgerald about a possible trade to Arizona, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports. Peterson was then a disgruntled Vikings employee, lobbying for more guaranteed money — which he eventually received. But the Cardinals drafted Johnson a night later in the third round, and the Vikings ended up redoing Peterson’s contract. Peterson went on to lead the NFL in rushing with 1,485 yards that season en route to his fifth All-Pro first team appearance. The Cardinals then went with Chris Johnson before David Johnson took over late in that 13-3 campaign.

Peterson said earlier this week upon being traded to the Cards he did want a change of scenery from a Saints setup that wasn’t working for him but added he didn’t request a trade. The 32-year-old back is now Arizona’s starter, and the future Hall of Famer will be tasked with turning around a Cardinals rushing attack that’s been by far the worst in the league.

Here’s the latest from some Western-division teams.

On the subject of what-if trades, it appears a rumor emerged involving the Cowboys being linked to Broncos running back Devontae Booker is unfounded. Both the Denver Post’s Nicki Jhabvala and 9News’ Mike Klis shot down this talk (Twitter links), Jhabvala going as far as saying a deal involving the second-year back is “not even a remote possibility.” Although the Broncos have C.J. Anderson and Jamaal Charles healthy, both have extensive injury histories. Booker does as well but is controlled through 2019 on a rookie deal.
At least two teams were “seriously interested” in a NaVorro Bowman trade, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. But the 49ers, due to his longevity and impact with the team, allowed the 29-year-old linebacker to veto a deal. John Lynch confirmed one team did want Bowman, only the eighth-year ‘backer didn’t want to play for the unnamed franchise. Barrows adds the four-time All-Pro became frustrated by being subbed out during multiple series per game.
Branden Albert worked out for the Seahawks this week and was still in the Seattle area as of Friday, but finances may be holding up a deal. While no terms have been reported about a potential Albert/Hawks agreement, the Seahawks may be attempting to save a week’s worth of salary by not signing Albert until the start of next week, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com writes. The Seahawks are off this week. Albert was also scheduled to work out for the Giants, who are having similar offensive line issues, but has yet to do so.

Latest On LB NaVorro Bowman

October 14th, 2017 at 8:53am CST by Ben Levine

If you were surprised when the 49ers released veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman yesterday, you weren’t alone. Some of the player’s former teammates told Mindi Bach of NBC Sports Bay Area that they were blindsided by the move.

“I’m shocked. I didn’t see the writing on the wall,” said lineman Daniel Kilgore, who had been teammates with Bowman for seven years. “It’s tough, man. We spent a lot of time together. Our families have spent a lot of time together.”

“I think everybody was pretty surprised,” echoed offensive tackle Joe Staley. “I have nothing but positive things to say about NaVorro and the leader he’s been and the player he’s been here. He’s a great person. A hell of a teammate.”

After having approached Bowman about a reduced roll, both sides began seeking a new destination for the linebacker. While the 49ers reportedly had a deal lined up, the destination wasn’t appealing to Bowman. Ultimately, the team decided to appease the 29-year-old and release him instead. Coach Kyle Shanahan understands that some of his players may not understand the transaction, but he hopes they recognize that it was done for the betterment of the team.

“I hope they respect what our intentions are, and that no matter how hard it is, we are going to do what is best for this team,” Shanahan said. “I know whenever you are talking to a group of guys that lost a brother in that way, a good friend to everybody, it’s always a tough conversation. But I think our team, we’ve got a strong team, and I think our team will respond.”

Let’s check out some more notes pertaining to Bowman…

Bowman is apparently generating plenty of interest. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says (via Twitter) that as a result, the player isn’t expected to sign any later than Monday. The reporter adds that the release will be made official later today.
The Broncos aren’t among the team that have expressed interest in the linebacker, reports Troy Renck of ABC Denver7 (via Twitter). A source told the reporter that the team is “not in the market” for Bowman, which makes sense when you consider their linebacker depth. Even with Shane Ray out for the time being, Denver is still holding eight linebackers on their active roster.
Earlier this week, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area observed Bowman’s drop in production. The reporter noted that the linebacker “appears to have slowed down dramatically, and the coaching staff has determined he is a liability in coverage.”

Reaction To 49ers’ NaVorro Bowman Release

October 13th, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers ultimately released veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman today after failing to find a suitable trade partner, but at least one club did have interest in Bowman, general manager John Lynch told reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Lynch said the 49ers likely could have dealt Bowman to that particular team, but Bowman didn’t want to play for that unidentified club. Given that it’s unlikely a non-contender would have interest in an expensive two-down linebacker, it’s possible Bowman’s misgivings were geographical in nature, although that’s entirely speculative.

Here’s more on Bowman and the 49ers:

Bowman is reportedly “excited” to become a free agent and have the ability to pick his next team, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). As Florio reported earlier today, Bowman didn’t have any offset language in his 49ers contract, meaning he can collect his fully guaranteed San Francisco salary and earn money from his new club. As such, Bowman will take home the rest of his $4.7MM guarantee plus whatever he can wrangle on the open market.
An offensive coach who faced Bowman earlier this year tells Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) that while Bowman can no longer run like he used to, he’s still a solid tackler. Although Bowman remains a capable run defender, he’s a liability in the passing game. Hypothetically, that could be a problem for Bowman in a league where defenses play nickel on two-thirds of snaps.
One team that likely won’t be pursuing Bowman is the division-rival Cardinals, whom Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM (Twitter link) don’t have any interest in the 29-year-old linebacker. Arizona has made a habit of inking aging defensive players (Dwight Freeney, Antoine Bethea), but that apparently won’t be happening with Bowman. The Cardinals are set at inside linebacker with Karlos Dansby and Deone Bucannon.
The 49ers will absorb $4.774MM in 2018 dead money as a result of releasing Bowman, the same total they would have taken on had they traded him, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap writes in his analysis of the transaction.

No Offset Language In Bowman’s Deal

October 13th, 2017 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers do not have special offset language in NaVorro Bowman‘s contract, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) has learned. That means Bowman can collect on both his guaranteed salary from San Francisco and pay from another team, based on the NFLPA’s understanding of his deal.

Players with offset language tend to approach free agency differently than those who do not. Darrelle Revis, for example, is owed $6MM from the Jets for the 2017 season, so he would effectively be playing for free if he were to sign with any team for less than that amount.

Since Bowman can double-dip, he probably won’t be willing to just sign with any club for the minimum. Instead, you can expect him to take full advantage of the double dip and encourage bidding amongst the interested teams. Although, he might be inclined to take a discount to play with a contender since he has not been to the postseason since 2013.

49ers Release LB NaVorro Bowman

October 13th, 2017 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

NaVorro Bowman’s time in San Francisco has come to an end. The Niners announced that he has been released.

“NaVorro gave his heart and soul to this team for the last eight years, and for that we are all extremely grateful,” said 49ers GM John Lynch. “During that time, NaVorro was a key component of one of the best teams in the League and his passion for the game allowed him to quickly become a favorite of our Faithful fans. Thursday evening, Kyle and I met with NaVorro, and from our conversation it became evident that going in different directions was best for both him and our team. Although NaVorro may be moving on, he will always be looked at as one of the great players to wear the red and gold. We wish him and his family great success.”

On Friday, it was reported that the Niners were working to trade the veteran linebacker. Earlier this week, Bowman’s agent Drew Rosenhaus sent a letter to the league’s other 31 teams saying he had permission to seek a trade (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Even with Rosenhaus working to find a suitor, it couldn’t be done. Apparently, no one was willing to take on Bowman’s mammoth contract, which included a $12MM cap hit for the 2018 season.

Bowman first entered the league as a third-round pick of San Francisco in 2010. In the eight seasons since, he has earned First-Team All-Pro honors four times and three Pro Bowl trips. He also led the team in tackles in four of the previous six seasons (2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015).

Despite his impressive resume, Bowman has been subbed out frequently by the coaching staff this offseason. The pitch count was devised to keep Bowman fresh and healthy, but the veteran wanted no part of the linebacker rotation. He’ll finish out the SF portion of his 2017 season with 37 tackles, one pass defensed, and no sacks in five games. According to the metrics at Pro Football Focus, Bowman was playing some of the worst football of his career this year. His poor 45.0 grade puts him near the bottom of the league’s qualified linebackers, a precipitous drop from his past work.

49ers Shopping LB NaVorro Bowman

October 13th, 2017 at 1:57pm CST by Zachary Links

NaVorro Bowman is on the block. The 49ers are shopping the linebacker and there are teams interested, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Schefter adds that his time in San Francisco could “soon could come to an end,” so a trade could be imminent.

This isn’t the first time that Bowman has been rumored to be on the block, but this time around the whispers are more like screams. This season, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has limited Bowman’s snaps in an effort to keep him fresh and that has not been sitting well with the veteran.

“I would expect him to fight tooth and nail to come off the field and I would expect him to fight tooth and nail to get back on the field. That’s why Bowman is a special football player,” Saleh said on Thursday (link via USA Today).

Bowman, 29, suffered an Achilles tear around this time last year, ending his season after just five games. He also missed the entire 2014 campaign due to injury. The Niners’ desire to protect Bowman is understandable, but he is too fierce of a competitor to accept a reduced role in a three-man rotation.

The 49ers vigorously denied reports of Bowman being on the block this past spring, but it sure sounds like they are serious about shipping him out. Bowman has proven himself to be a world-class talent in past seasons, but there’s a new regime in SF and they are not keen on keeping him around in 2018 with a cap hit of $12MM. His contract runs through the 2022 season – his age-34 campaign.

Trading Bowman for draft picks would allow the 0-5 Niners to build towards the future while moving first-round pick Reuben Foster to his preferred role at Mike linebacker. The trade deadline is on Oct. 31, so the Niners have a little over two weeks to find a taker.

NFC Notes: Redskins, Eagles, 49ers, Vikes

May 24th, 2017 at 7:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Quarterback Kirk Cousins indicated Wednesday that contract talks between him and the Redskins will go down to the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players, per JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic. “Deadlines do deals,” said Cousins, who added that July 15 “will be a telling date, as it was last summer.” Cousins and the team weren’t able to find common ground then, leading him to play last season under the $19.95MM franchise tag. As of now, Cousins is set to make around $24MM as the Redskins’ franchise player in 2017, and that number will climb to $34MM-plus if the club tags him again next offseason. While astronomical, that figure wouldn’t necessarily scare off Washington, according to president Bruce Allen.

49ers: NaVorro Bowman Isn’t Being Shopped

May 11th, 2017 at 11:36am CST by Zachary Links

On the most recent installment of his podcast (SoundCloud link), former executive Michael Lombardi reported that the 49ers have made it known to rival teams that linebacker NaVorro Bowman is healthy and available via trade. Today, Niners GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan strongly denied such talk.

“The report that we have been shopping NaVorro Bowman is completely false,” Lynch and Shanahan said in a statement issued to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. “From the time we joined the organization, NaVorro has been the consummate professional. It is evident he has been working very hard to prepare for the upcoming season and we have been impressed by what we have already seen on the field. We are looking forward to NaVorro’s future contributions to this team.”

Lombardi is generally well plugged-in on matters such as these and he was the first to report that San Francisco tight end Vance McDonald was on the block, a report that was later verified by Lynch and Shanahan. The duo now wants it known that Bowman is not being shopped to other teams, though denials such as these have to be taken with a grain of salt.

Depending on one’s perspective, a GM letting teams know that a player is available may be different than shopping him outright. And, for what it’s worth, the joint statement stops short of saying that Bowman will definitely be staying put. Lombardi, meanwhile, stands by his report (Twitter link).

Bowman’s deal runs through the 2022 season and calls for him to earn $7.5MM in salary and bonuses this season. In 2018, that number jumps to $9.45MM. The linebacker has four first-team All-Pro honors to his credit but missed the entire 2014 season and the majority of 2016 due to injury.

Extra Points: 49ers, Bengals, Jets, Cowboys

October 6th, 2016 at 9:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman is done for the season with a torn Achilles, but the 28-year-old doesn’t expect the injury to have long-term effects. “It’s just a minor setback for a major comeback,” he said Thursday (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). It’s the second catastrophic injury over the past three years for Bowman, who previously tore both his ACL and MCL in the 49ers’ NFC title game loss to Seattle in January 2014. Bowman returned last year to improbably earn first-team All-Pro honors for the fourth time on the strength of an NFL-best 154-tackle campaign.

Here’s more from around the league:

Tight end Tyler Eifert‘s health (or lack thereof) for the rest of the year will determine how extension talks between him and the Bengals go during the offseason, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Eifert missed the Bengals’ first four games of the season because of an ankle injury, and just as he was set to return this Sunday, a back problem came to the fore Wednesday to put his status in question. Various injuries have limited Eifert to just 28 of the Bengals’ 52 regular-season games since they drafted him 21st overall in 2013. The ex-Notre Dame star broke out last season with 52 catches and 13 touchdowns, making a case for big money in the process, but Eifert’s injury history could give Cincinnati pause. Luckily for the Bengals, Eifert’s still under their control next season by way of his fifth-year option, so they still have time to decide whether to make a long-term commitment.
Contrary to a Wednesday report, the Jets are not considering placing wide receiver Eric Decker on injured reserve, head coach Todd Bowles said Thursday (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). However, Bowles and Decker disagree on whether the wideout is progressing from the partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Bowles told Costello that he hasn’t seen any progress, while Decker said he’s improving each day. Either way, Decker is likely to miss time – albeit an undetermined amount – and may eventually need surgery. “It has been a discussion,” Decker said. “Again, that’s something that, down the road, we’ll have the conversation again and look at it again. They’ll let me know the right thing to do.”
Aldrick Rosas will be among the kickers auditioning for the Cowboys on Friday, Charean Williams of the Star Telegram tweets. Rosas, formerly of Southern Oregon, signed with the Titans after this year’s draft. They cut him Sept. 2.

Zach Links contributed to this post.