NaVorro Bowman - Pro Football Rumors

49ers LB NaVorro Bowman Done For Season

October 3rd, 2016 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Awful news for the 49ers as linebacker NaVorro Bowman is done for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, the team announced. Bowman left Sunday’s game against the Cowboys with the injury and an MRI confirmed the team’s worst fears.

Bowman exited early on Sunday after a non-contact injury to his leg, which is usually not a good sign. Bowman also suffered a left leg injury in the 2013 NFC title game against Seattle, so he is no stranger to adversity.

Bowman has played 20 games since returning from the gruesome injury that sidelined him throughout 2014. The 49ers underwent significant changes while he was shelved, but the 28-year-old inside linebacker still returned and garnered first-team All-Pro acclaim last season. The 49ers then signed Bowman to a four-year, $44MM extension that stands to keep him in San Francisco through the 2022 season.

Bowman has four first-team All-Pro honors to his credit despite playing in just five full seasons, a remarkable and rare feat. Bowman earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2011, ’12, ’13 and ’15. After missing the entire 2014 campaign, he made 154 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season for a rebuilding San Francisco operation.

Bowman registered eight tackles and a sack, his first of the season, before his day came to a premature end on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers Fear NaVorro Bowman Tore Achilles

October 2nd, 2016 at 7:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

49ers cornerstone linebacker NaVorro Bowman left Sunday’s game against the Cowboys, and he’s scheduled to undergo an MRI Monday, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

The team’s fear is a torn Achilles’ tendon for the seventh-year linebacker, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Bowman told Maiocco his MRI will be on the Achilles in question, which caused Bowman to leave the game after sustaining the injury on a non-contact sequence.

While it’s the same left leg Bowman damaged against the Seahawks nearly three years ago, Maiocco notes this injury is not related to what happened in the 2013 NFC title game.

Bowman has played 20 games since returning from the gruesome malady that sidelined him throughout 2014. The 49ers underwent significant changes while he was shelved, but the 28-year-old inside linebacker still returned and garnered first-team All-Pro acclaim last season. The 49ers then signed Bowman to a four-year, $44MM extension that stands to keep him in San Francisco through the 2022 season.

The former third-round pick and Patrick Willis‘ longtime running mate during the 49ers’ run to NFC championship games, Bowman has four first-team All-Pro honors to his credit despite playing in just five full seasons, giving him one of the greatest such ratios in NFL history for any position. Bowman earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2011, ’12, ’13 and ’15. After missing the entire 2014 campaign, he made 154 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season for a rebuilding San Francisco operation.

Bowman registered eight tackles and a sack, his first of the season, Sunday before leaving the game.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Reactions To NaVorro Bowman Extension

August 6th, 2016 at 12:08pm CST by Ben Levine

NaVorro Bowman is staying in San Francisco for the foreseeable future. The talented linebacker signed an extension earlier this week that will last through the 2022 season. The four-year extension is worth a reported $44MM (with $20MM guaranteed).

Bowman still had three years left on his contract, but the 28-year-old told Cam Inman of The Mercury News that he was intent on inking a long-term extension as soon as possible. Furthermore, the linebacker understood his standing in the organization, and he didn’t want his contract to trump that of former 49ers greats (including Patrick Willis).

“Out of respect for Pat, I took a little less and understood this was his team at the time,” Bowman said. “I’ve accomplished a lot since that time and made huge accolades.

“For me asking (now) for the deal, they understood why,” said Bowman, noting he never considered holding out of camp. “I knew it wasn’t a popular thing to do so with three years left. It’s basically about being fair. It shows how good of an organization they are to the players and fair for all the work I’ve put in.”

Let’s take a look at some more reactions to Bowman’s new contract…

The Bowman extension sent the right message to the linebacker’s teammates, writes Cam Inman. The players have learned that hard work can translate into a lucrative extension, and general manager Trent Baalke has already said that he plans on using the team’s remaining cap space to ink additional players to new contracts. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert, defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, wide receiver Quinton Patton and linebacker Michael Wilhoite are among the 49ers who are in the final year of their contracts, Inman notes
“I’ve had several guys walk up to me and say this is motivation for them,” Bowman told Inman. “It’s win-win situations for all us, to show guys it’s possible, but you have to put your work in and do your job.”
“It just shows they truly believe in the guys they drafted to get the job done,” said defensive tackle Quinton Dial, who also received an extension. “It’s something we take a lot of pride in.”
“I want to thank Jed, the York family and Trent for giving me the opportunity to continue my career where my heart is,” Bowman said after inking the extension (via CSNBayArea.com). “I appreciate the hard work that Drew and Paraag put in to getting this deal done. My teammates and coaches have meant so much to me throughout my career and I thank them for helping me become the player I am today. The support I’ve received from my family and friends throughout my life, especially through the adversity of the past few years, has meant so much to me. I can’t wait for the season to start and play in front of the best fans in the NFL.”
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com was surprised at the timing of the Bowman extension, although he notes that it isn’t the first time the team has extended a player with multiple years left on a contract. Furthermore, Fitzgerald believes the organization was simply taking advantage of their abundance of cap room.

49ers Sign NaVorro Bowman To Extension

August 3rd, 2016 at 11:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers and NaVorro Bowman have reached agreement on a contract extension, the team announced on Thursday night. The new pact will keep him in place through the 2022 season. The new four-year extension is worth $44MM with $20MM guaranteed, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

“Over the last six years, NaVorro has become a cornerstone of our organization and securing his future in the Bay Area was a priority for us,” said general manager Trent Baalke. “The perseverance he displayed while overcoming adversity and returning to his All-Pro form provides a great example of what can be accomplished through hard work and self-belief. This contract extension reaffirms our core philosophy of rewarding our own players and we are thrilled to know NaVorro will play his entire career with the 49ers.”

The news comes as a surprise since the Niners had three years until Bowman could reach the open market again. We should know more about the impetus for this move come Friday, but for now it appears that the 49ers simply wanted to do right by one of their star players. When putting the two deals together, Bowman now has himself a seven-year, ~$67.55MM pact.

That yearly average of $9.65MM puts him ahead of Lawrence Timmons, making him the league’s third-highest paid inside linebacker in terms of AAV behind Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner. In terms of overall value, Bowman has the highest-paying contract of any inside linebacker as his $67.55MM deal bests Kuechly’s $61.8MM pact with the Panthers which takes him through the 2021 season.

In the playoffs following the 2013 season, Bowman suffered a serious knee injury which kept him out of action for the entire 2014 campaign. The linebacker came back in a big way in 2015, however, leading the NFL with 154 total tackles plus 2.5 sacks and two passes defensed. Bowman’s remarkable comeback earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod.

Since entering the league in 2010 as a third-round pick, Bowman has earned First-Team All-Pro selections and three trips to the Pro Bowl. In total, the SF standout has 733 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three interceptions, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and 25 passes defensed to his credit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Rodgers, Jets, Jaguars, 49ers

January 29th, 2016 at 10:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in the days following the team’s Jan. 16 playoff loss to Arizona, Jason Wilde and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com report. A source indicated that the procedure was a “clean-up of an old injury.” Rodgers should be ready for the Packers’ offseason program in April, according to Wilde and Demovsky. Rodgers told Wilde that he’s “doing well” and “recovering on schedule” (Twitter link via Demovsky).

NFC Notes: 49ers, Breaux, Seahawks, Packers

December 18th, 2015 at 7:39pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Rookie 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula is at the helm of a 4-9 team and certainly not a lock to return for a second season, but two of the club’s respected veterans spoke out Friday in support of the 47-year-old, according to Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Yeah, I love Tomsula,” linebacker NaVorro Bowman said. “I’ve been with him for a long time. He knows me. I know him. It’s always been a good relationship.”

Tomsula has been with the 49ers since taking over as their defensive line coach in 2007, so he and Bowman – drafted in 2010 – are well-acquainted.

Receiver Torrey Smith, on the other hand, signed with the 49ers last offseason and obviously hasn’t spent nearly the amount of time with Tomsula that Bowman has. That didn’t stop Smith from endorsing Tomsula.

“He’s been one of my favorite coaches I’ve ever had,” Smith said. “I think he’s a great man. It sucks that we haven’t had the results that we need, but I think he’s a great guy. So I want the best for him.”

More on the Niners and a few of their NFC counterparts:

The Lions missed a golden opportunity last offseason to sign standout cornerback Delvin Breaux, who was unable to pass a team physical, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Breaux, formerly of the CFL, went on to sign with the Saints and has been a bright spot on a porous defense. The 26-year-old has 38 tackles and two interceptions in 13 games, and currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ 13th-best corner (subscription required).
Running back Christine Michael‘s recently signed deal with the Seahawks expires at the end of the season, but he’ll be still be under team control as a restricted free agent, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). With fellow RBs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson potentially out of Seahawks uniforms in 2016, Michael could stick around as Thomas Rawls‘ backup. He’ll have a chance to impress the organization in the coming weeks with both Lynch and Rawls injured.
49ers rookie Jarryd Hayne is encouraged by his progress and plans to return to the NFL next season, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes. “To come this far in seven months, give me 12, 14 (and) it’s going to be completely different. And I think anyone who’s seen my growth will tell you how much I’ve changed and developed,” the 27-year-old said. The native of Australia and former professional rugby player signed with the Niners as a running back/return specialist last offseason. He appeared in six games for the team this year before it cut him and brought him back as a member of its practice squad last month.
The Packers spent Friday looking at free agent special teamers, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports. The Pack worked out two punters – Will Johnson and Kasey Redfern – a pair of long snappers in Rick Lovato and Sam Rodgers, and kicker Andy Wilder.

West Notes: Bowman, Chiefs, Bolts, Broncos

May 30th, 2015 at 4:51pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest from the NFL’s two West divisions:

Three-time All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman isn’t completely back from the torn ACL and MCL that caused him to miss the 2014 season, but the 49ers’ linebacker is making strides. Bowman practiced with the 49ers three times this week and took a high number of reps, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. He was, however, limited by a knee brace. “I don’t like it,” said Bowman. “It’s not allowing me to run as fast as I’d like to, but it’s keeping my knee safe, and that’s the most important thing.”
The Chiefs made a big splash in free agency when they signed star receiver Jeremy Maclin, but their Alex Smith-led offense is still lacking aerial weaponry, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. The Chiefs don’t any proven pass-catching threats outside of Maclin and tight end Travis Kelce.
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is excited about the development of second-year center Chris Watt, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Seeing a guy, even from his rookie year to his second-year offseason like this stage we’re in right now, he’s just got a different presence about him,” Rivers said of Watt, who appeared in 12 games as a rookie and whom ProFootballFocus (subscription required) ranked 20th out of 41 qualifying centers.
The Broncos haven’t finished better than 18th in the NFL in yards per punt return over the last three years, so special teams coach Joe DeCamillis is heavily emphasizing competition for punt-return duties, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. “We’ve got to find what our guys do best. And we’ll do that as we go forward, but I think in this stadium I know you have to be a really good punt-return team,” said DeCamillis, who has given return reps to Jordan Norwood, Isaiah Burse, Kyle Williams, Solomon Patton, Omar Bolden, and Emmanuel Sanders during OTAs.
The 49ers lost starting cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox in free agency, but Tramaine Brock and Shareece Wright are expected to fill their void capably. What’s more, head coach Jim Tomsula liked what he saw from some of San Francisco’s other corners during OTAs. “We are talking about all this evaluating and we don’t have any pads on,” Tomsula said, per Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “But everything that is being asked of them, the way they are moving around, the running, all that stuff, good.”

49ers Notes: Smith, Bowman, Davis, Draft

April 10th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers’ defense has already lost a pair of standouts, linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, to retirement this offseason. Defensive linemen Justin Smith is mulling his own future and could end up taking the same path as his two ex-teammates. Head coach Jim Tomsula hasn’t gotten word on Smith’s plans for 2015 and isn’t pressing the 14-year veteran for an answer, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

“We all want Justin Smith to come back and play football. You know? But he’s earned the right to make that decision and take the time that he needs,” Tomsula said Friday, per Maiocco.

If Smith does retire, Tomsula says the 49ers have in-house replacements lined up. “For four years –- you see the D-linemen we’ve brought in –- we’ve been making preparations.”

Nevertheless, losing Smith would seem to be another notable blow to San Francisco’s defense. In 2014, his age-35 season, Smith totaled five sacks (giving him 87 for his career) and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him the NFL’s 11th-best 3-4 defensive end out of 47 qualifiers.

Here’s more on the 49ers:

Star linebacker NaVorro Bowman missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the 2013 NFC championship game, but he’s nearing a comeback. Tomsula said the three-time First-Team All-Pro should be ready to go for the team’s upcoming on-field activities, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “When we can get on the field, Bow is going out on the field,” said Tomsula. “I haven’t gotten into the specifics on how much. Obviously we’re not going to throw somebody out there and go 100 reps. My understanding is, yes, he’s moving great.”
Tight end Vernon Davis skipped 49ers offseason activities last year because of unhappiness with his contract and subsequently produced one of the worst seasons of his nine-year career. Now, with one year left on his deal, Davis is in attendance at the team’s voluntary workout program, according to Maiocco. “I’m here this year because I want to get better,” said Davis, who stated that Willis’ retirement “put everything in perspective for a lot of guys around here.”
The 49ers are one of eight teams that Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker is scheduled to visit with prior to the upcoming draft, tweets Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko. In a mock draft posted earlier today, our own Rob DiRe has Parker going 11th overall to Minnesota. The 49ers have the 15th pick.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Hayne, Smith

March 2nd, 2015 at 6:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have emerged as the frontrunners for Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne, according to Michael Chammas of The Sydney Morning Herald. There has been mutual interest between the two sides for some time and Chammas hears that the 49ers are likely to be the call when he announces his decision on Tuesday. Hayne is also considering offers from the Lions and Seahawks, according to the report. Here’s more from the NFC West..

Justin Smith is contemplating retirement, but there’s cautious optimism among the 49ers that he’ll return for one last season, according to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. Smith is set to meet with head coach Jim Tomsula later this week to discuss a potential future together. Despite the injuries he has dealt with, Smith is still regarded as one of the top defensive linemen in the league. Smith, for his part, looks like he’s in great shape and from just looking at him it would seem like he’s not ready to ride off into the sunset.
While veteran cuts are likely coming for the 49ers, it doesn’t appear as if linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman are going anywhere, says Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Examining the Seahawks‘ coming offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes that the team probably doesn’t need to make a major push to bring back any of its unrestricted free agents. Byron Maxwell, specifically, could command a contract that exceeds his true value, given the limited number of top cornerback options available, Fitzgerald writes.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Links: Willis, Bowman, Johnson, Cobb

February 28th, 2015 at 1:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 49ers have a pair of decisions to make on their All-Pro inside linebackers, who are scheduled to make nearly $14MM in 2015. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman both missed significant time with injuries last year, but replacements Chris Borland and Michael Wilhoite filled in admirably. However, general manager Trent Baalke is confident both Willis and Bowman will be back next season, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “I think if you look into those numbers, they’re not as daunting as you might think,” Baalke said.

Here are some more links from around the NFC:

The 49ers also have a decision to make on veteran receiver Stevie Johnson. There is much debate over whether the team will release him or ask him to take a pay cut to stay with the team, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio adds that the club is unlikely to release him without first trying to negotiate a new contract number.
The Packers have a huge question mark on offense as the team has not made progress in extension talks with Randall Cobb, but the team is still focused on re-signing the star slot receiver, writes Rob Demovsky in his mailbag for ESPN.
There has also been rumors that the Buccaneers have asked star wide receiver Vincent Jackson to take a pay cut, but that is not true according to Florio. He writes that the team could ask him to do so down the line, but more than likely won’t since they believe he is an important part of the team and that his contract reflects the current market for wide receivers.