HEADLINES

Raheem Mostert

West Rumors: Miller, Celek, 49ers, RBs

June 22nd, 2019 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Von Miller turned 30 this offseason and will soon start his ninth NFL season, but it doesn’t look like the Broncos will need to consider making plans for a near-future Miller retirement. Denver’s all-time sack leader said (via USA Today’s Lila Bromberg) he wants to play long enough to make a run at Bruce Smith‘s NFL record. That will be quite difficult, with Miller (98 sacks) having averaged 12.25 sacks per season (a figure weighed down by his 2013 suspension-shortened slate) and Smith having recorded 200 during his 19-year career. Miller would need to average 10.2 sacks over the next 10 seasons to get there. However, Miller sits second among active NFLers in sacks — trailing only Terrell Suggs (132). While the odds are against him eclipsing the Smith standard that has stood for 16 years, it is notable the likely Hall of Fame-bound pass rusher plans on playing for several more seasons. Three seasons remain on Miller’s six-year, $114.1MM contract.

Here’s the latest from the West divisions, shifting to the NFC West:

  • The back surgery 49ers tight end Garrett Celek underwent this month features an approximate two-month recovery timetable, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes, adding that it no longer appears certain the 31-year-old skill-position cog will be able to continue his career. Celek ended last season in concussion protocol, where he remains for procedural purposes, and the extension he signed in 2016 has just one more season remaining on it. The 49ers prepared for this possibility by signing Levine Toilolo, drafting Kaden Smith in the sixth round and adding Wyoming product Tyree Mayfield as a UDFA.
  • Tevin Coleman‘s history with Kyle Shanahan, and the time Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida missed this offsason, makes him the best bet to be San Francisco’s top back, Maiocco writes. McKinnon is expected to return for the start of training camp, but it has been a while since the former Vikings running back — who received $18MM guaranteed in 2018 — has played. The 49ers will likely make one of these players a healthy scratch on game days, with Maiocco adding the presences of Kyle Juszczyk and top special-teamer Raheem Mostert will force Shanahan to deactivate one of his top three backs. This situation bears monitoring during the preseason, as it would seem a trade could benefit the 49ers.
  • Robert Nkemdiche‘s recent arrest may spell the end of his underwhelming Cardinals stay.
  • More clarity emerged on the Todd Gurley front, but the two-time All-Pro Rams running back’s situation figures to remain murky until we near the regular season.

Bay Area Rumors: Breida, 49ers, Raiders

May 25th, 2019 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Many 49ers are not healthy as the team goes through its OTAs. In addition to the likes of Jerick McKinnon, Weston Richburg, Jason Verrett and Kwon Alexander, the team lost one of its running backs because of a weightlifting injury. The 49ers will not have Matt Breida available until at least training camp. The running back, who battled maladies last season before ending the year on IR, suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle while lifting recently, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. San Francisco is already without McKinnon and backup Raheem Mostert, who is battling for a roster spot now that the team employs Tevin Coleman. While torn pectorals of any kind are obviously a concern, Kyle Shanahan said Breida will not require surgery. But the 49ers’ optimal backfield still has a ways to go before coming together.

Here is the latest from the NFL’s Bay Area teams, in their final offseason sharing a region.

  • While Breida is expected to return before the start of the regular season, Garrett Celek‘s timeline is more concerning. The eighth-year 49ers tight end suffered a concussion in Week 16 last season and has yet to be cleared from concussion protocol, according to Shanahan. Celek is also dealing with a back injury. The soon-to-be 31-year-old tight end resides as the 49ers’ second-longest-tenured player, having been with the team since 2012. The 49ers did draft Kaden Smith in the sixth round but, beyond Celek, do not have much at tight end behind George Kittle.
  • Jimmie Ward‘s injury likely will not keep him out for the rumored three-month span, with Maiocco believing that to be on the cautious side of the safety’s timeline. Should they get Ward back by training camp, the 49ers are not likely to sign a veteran safety — like Eric Berry or Tre Boston — to replace Ward, Maiocco adds. Although Ward is back on only a one-year deal, the 49ers believe he is their best defensive back when healthy. On a team that employs Richard Sherman, that’s certainly a notable distinction.
  • The Jon Gruden–Mike Mayock regime reshuffled their front office and scouting staff recently. The roles of recently hired staffers Dwayne Joseph, DuJuan Daniels and Walter Juliff are now known. Daniels, who joined the Raiders after a Patriots tenure, is now Mayock’s assistant director of player personnel. Joseph, who came over from the Eagles, will become the Raiders’ director of pro personnel. A former Cowboys exec, Juliff is now a senior advisor to the GM, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Scott Bair tweets. Recently with the Senior Bowl and the Bills, Jack Gilmore is now in place as Raiders scouting coordinator. The Raiders also hired recent Eagles scouting coordinator John Hill as a pro scout. Lastly, Oakland promoted Trey Scott and Teddy Atlas (not that one) to assistant player personnel director and assistant director of college scouting, respectively. Scott was one of the few staffers to help with the Raiders’ draft, after Mayock dismissed the scouts prior to draft weekend.

Contract Details: Ford, Mosley, Crowder

March 16th, 2019 at 10:34am CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted contract details from around the NFL:

49ers Extend RB Raheem Mostert

March 15th, 2019 at 6:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers and running back Raheem Mostert have agreed to a new three-year deal, as Mostert’s agent Brent Tessler tweets.

San Francisco earlier this week tendered Mostert as a restricted free agent, assigning him an original round tender that would have only given the club the right of first refusal if Mostert landed an offer sheet from another club. That tender — worth $2.025MM — wouldn’t have come with any guaranteed money. As of yet, it’s unclear if Mostert’s extension replaces his tender and locks him in through 2021, or is in addition to his tender and thus will keep him in the Bay Area through 2022.

The 49ers, of course, made a push for Le’Veon Bell earlier this week before signing former Falcons running back Tevin Coleman, crowding a running back depth chart that already had a few options. Jerick McKinnon, who signed a hefty free agent deal with San Francisco last offseason, is still on the roster, as is Matt Breida, who excelled after McKinnon went down with a torn ACL prior to the regular season.

As Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets, Mostert will be active on gamedays due to his special teams contributions. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently said he’s never activated four running backs for a contest, meaning one of Coleman, McKinnon, or Breida either won’t be active, or won’t be on the 49ers roster (unless Shanahan changes his plans, that is).

Mostert, 26, spent time with six other NFL franchises before landing in San Francisco in 2016. In 2018, he posted 34 carries for 261 yards and one touchdown, and also played 60% of the 49ers’ special teams snaps.

49ers Exercise Options On Juszczyk, Watson

March 7th, 2019 at 4:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers decided to get a good deal of their housekeeping done on Thursday. Per a team announcement, the club has made the following transactions:

Tendered:

Exercised 2019 Options:

Declined 2019 option

For the most part, these were no-brainer calls for SF. Mostert, Lee, and Mabin will all return on cheap one-year deals that require little in the way of actual commitments. Juszczyk, signed to a four-year, $21MM deal in 2017, is regarded as one of the very best fullbacks in the NFL and graded out as the second-best in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus. who rejoiced when he was cut by the Pats and claimed by the Niners in 2017, tallied a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2018.

49ers place Raheem Mostert, Emmanuel Moseley on IR

November 2nd, 2018 at 4:28pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Two 49ers players saw their seasons officially end today when the team placed them on injured reserve. The team sent running back Raheem Mostert to IR with a fractured right forearm, while cornerback Emmanuel Moseley dislocated his shoulder, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports.

Both players suffered their injuries during the team’s 34-3 win over the Raiders last night. Mostert’s injury looked gruesome on the TV broadcast, and it was confirmed today that he was undergoing surgery and expected to make a full return in time for the 2019 season. Moseley was making his NFL debut in the game when he was called up from the practice squad and was never going to play many meaningful snaps, but the loss of Mostert is significant.

San Francisco’s backfield has suffered a lot of injuries this year, and Mostert’s role had been increasing in recent weeks. The fourth-year back from Purdue was getting the first real opportunity of his career, and had looked electric so far. This season he’d carried the ball 34 times for 261 yards, good for 7.7 yards per carry. Mostert, who’s also a key special teams player for the 49ers, had just scored his first career touchdown on a 52-yard run before getting hurt.

Maiocco notes the 49ers “have two running backs on their practice squad, Jeff Wilson and Matthew Dayes” who are both candidates to be called up to the 53-man roster. Starter Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL before the season started, and Matt Breida has been banged up all year long with various injuries.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/12/18

March 12th, 2018 at 1:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions, with the list being updated throughout the day.

RFAs

Tendered at second-round level:

Tendered at original-round level:

Non-Tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-Tendered:

49ers Decline Elvis Dumervil’s Option

March 9th, 2018 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers announced that they will not pick up defensive end/linebacker Elvis Dumervil’s contract option for 2018. Meanwhile, they are exercising the option of linebacker Dekoda Watson and have tendered a one-year contract to exclusive rights free agent running back Raheem Mostert.

The Niners have a good amount of cap space, but Dumervil’s $4.25MM cap hit (and $500K option bonus) was still too high for the Niners’ liking. Dumervil led the Niners’ D with 6.5 sacks in 2017, but the team is intent on moving forward with younger options including Eli Harold, Cassius Marsh, and Pita Taumoepenu. No other SF player had more than three sacks last year.

Dumervil is on the backend of his career at the age of 34, but he still has plenty to offer teams. He offers a wealth of experience as an edge rusher, not to mention 105.5 career sacks across eleven seasons with the Broncos, Ravens, and Niners.

Watson appeared in 14 games for the 49ers last season, primarily as a special teamer. He’s now slated to count against the cap for $1.633MM in 2018.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/17

November 27th, 2017 at 9:08pm CST by GregGoldstein

Here are today’s minor NFL moves:

Detroit Lions

  • Promoted from practice squad: S Roland Milligan
  • Promoted from practice squad: WR Bradley Marquez

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

San Francisco 49ers

NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Gabbert, ‘Hawks

August 30th, 2017 at 6:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Carson Palmer is getting towards the end of his career, but Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says that he might already have his quarterback of the future on the roster.

“Short-term, I’d be very comfortable if [Blaine Gabbert] had to play for us. Long-term, if he continues at this rate, he could be a starter,” the coach said (Twitter link via Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM).

Arians isn’t the only coach that likes Gabbert – Seattle considered him this offseason and Miami pondered trading for him after Ryan Tannehill‘s injury. Still, it’s somewhat surprising to hear that Arians views him as a future starter since the former No. 10 overall pick hasn’t really experienced success at the NFL level. In five games as San Francisco’s starter last season, Gabbert posted a 1-4 record, while completing 56.9% of his passes for five touchdowns and six interceptions.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

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