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Tank Carradine

Tank Carradine Meets With Lions

October 10th, 2018 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Raiders defensive end Tank Carradine, who was released last week at his request, will visit the Lions on Wednesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The former second-round pick of the 49ers is looking for more playing time, and he could have that opportunity in Detroit as Ezekiel Ansah continues to rehab from a shoulder injury. 

Carradine has yet to live up to his 2013 draft status and notched just 1.5 sacks and 19 tackles last season. His best season came in 2014 when he had three sacks in nine games. On the plus side, Carradine has done a decent job of generating pressure off of the edge, despite his low sack totals. Last year, his production would have placed him among Pro Football Focus’ top 50 edge defenders if he had enough snaps to qualify.

Without Ansah, the Lions are working with a defensive end group that includes rookie Da’Shawn Hand, Romeo Okwara, Eric Lee, and Kerry Hyder. Okwara has three sacks and Hand has two sacks and two forced fumbles, but the Lions have interest in Carradine for depth.

AFC Rumors: Bell, Browns, Broncos, Raiders

October 6th, 2018 at 6:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two more game weeks remain before Le’Veon Bell‘s declared reporting window opens during the Steelers‘ bye. The team is still listening to trade offers for the 2017 All-Pro, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The Jets, 49ers and Eagles have surfaced as interested parties. However, a trade still appears to be the only way Bell will leave the Steelers in 2018. Florio adds the team does not intend to rescind his franchise tender, despite the prolonged absence. This obviously makes sense because the Steelers rescinding the tender would not entitle them to compensation for Bell. Pittsburgh isn’t wavering on this long-held stance, though Florio adds the team must now consider if it would prefer a 2020 third-round compensatory pick or a return likely involving a 2019 selection in a trade. If Bell reports during Week 7, the Steelers would have over a week to work out a trade until the Oct. 30 deadline.

Bell’s plummeting 2018 salary — down more than $3MM from the $14.5MM price at the season’s outset — will affect a prospective transition tag in 2019. The Steelers could place the lesser-used tag on Bell next year on a 20 percent raise from his 2018 salary, which won’t be finalized until he signs his tender, and Florio notes that could be used in a transition tag-and-trade scenario.

Moving to less contentious AFC situations, here’s the latest:

  • The short Marquette King era in Denver is winding down. Intending to release the veteran punter via injury settlement when he recovers from his groin injury, the Broncos will also eat $1.5MM of King’s $2MM 2018 salary, 9News’ Mike Klis tweets. Neither Vance Joseph nor Broncos ST coordinator Tom McMahon attributed King’s struggles (44.1 yards per punt, 23rd in the NFL) to the groin malady. But King’s agent, Wynn Silberman, said his client encountered the injury during the offseason. “The injury clearly developed in OTAs, but Marquette wanted to fight through it and help the team,’’ Silberman said, via Klis. “He’s disappointed he couldn’t contribute more.” King will visit a San Jose, Calif.-based doctor on Monday, Silberman said. King, 29, averaged 47.4 yards per punt during his final Raiders season. The Broncos traded their previous punter, Riley Dixon, to the Giants after acquiring King.
  • A Tyrod Taylor trade is certainly possible for the Browns, who have already begun the Baker Mayfield era, doing so despite Hue Jackson‘s repeated intentions to play Taylor for either all or most of this season. Taylor acknowledged a trade request could be something he’ll consider, and ESPNCleveland’s Tony Grossi tweets the Browns could reasonably target a fifth- or sixth-round pick for their current backup quarterback. It may take a signal-caller’s injury to accelerate a Taylor market, because most teams are set at sports’ marquee position, but Cleveland almost certainly would be able to acquire value for the three-plus-year starting quarterback.
  • The Raiders released Tank Carradine to make room for Rashaan Melvin‘s activation, but the former 49ers defensive lineman requested a fresh start. Carradine was not happy with the playing time he was receiving in Oakland, per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter). Oakland added multiple defensive linemen after the season started, Johnathan Hankins and Clinton McDonald. Carradine played in only one game as a Raider.

Raiders Release DE Tank Carradine

October 5th, 2018 at 4:41pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Raiders are releasing veteran defensive end Tank Carradine, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link).

According to Gehlken, Carradine requested his release from the team and Oakland obliged. Gehlken notes that Carradine will “hit free agency in search of larger role” and that he was dissatisfied with his role with the Riders. Through four games, Carradine had played just 24 defensive snaps. Carradine got some run against the Broncos in Week 2, but has been inactive for the team’s other three games.

Carradine, a Florida State alum, was taken in the second round by the 49ers back in 2013. Despite his high draft status, he never really panned out in San Francisco. Last year he appeared in eight games, starting seven. He notched just 1.5 sacks and 19 tackles. For his career, Carradine has 77 tackles and 5.5 sacks. His best year came in 2014 when he had three sacks in just nine games in a situational role.

Carradine has always struggled with injuries, but has been solid against the run throughout his career and able to generate pressure despite his low sack numbers. It was reported back in February that the 49ers were interested in re-signing him, but the Raiders ended up signing him to a one-year deal in March. With several teams across the league looking for pass-rush help, Carradine should be able to latch on with someone before the end of the season.

Raiders To Sign Tank Carradine

March 16th, 2018 at 8:18pm CST by Micah Powell

The Raiders continued to add to their defense in free agency on Friday, signing former 49ers defensive end Tank Carradine, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.

Carradine visited Oakland on Thursday and met with the Seahawks today. He chose to stay in the Bay Area, where he has played with San Francisco since 2014.

Carradine, 29, was a second-round pick of the Niners in 2013. He hasn’t quite lived up to his potential and he is coming off of a season in which he missed half of the team’s games. He did start in seven of his eight contests in 2017, however. He tallied 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks and would have placed among Pro Football Focus’ top 50 edge defenders if he had enough snaps to qualify.

[RELATED: Raiders Depth Chart]

Tank Carradine To Visit Seahawks

March 15th, 2018 at 4:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Defensive lineman Tank Carradine is visiting with the Raiders, but Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee says the free agent has a backup plan if he doesn’t sign. Barrows reports (via Twitter) that Carradine has a visit scheduled with the Seahawks “if necessary.”

We learned earlier today that the former 49ers defensive end had a meeting scheduled with the Raiders. The 2013 second-round pick had been relatively underwhelming during his San Francisco tenure, and he also missed half of the 2017 season. He ultimately started seven of his eight games last year, compiling 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His production would have placed him among Pro Football Focus’ top 50 edge defenders if he had enough snaps to qualify.

The Seahawks are a bit crowded at defensive end, and the team is currently projected to start Cliff Avril and Frank Clark. However, along with Branden Jackson and Quinton Jefferson (and others), the 29-year-old Carradine would certainly provide Seattle with some insurance at the position.

Raiders To Meet With DE Tank Carradine

March 15th, 2018 at 3:48pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are hosting 49ers defensive end Tank Carradine on a visit, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Carradine, 29, was a second round pick of the Niners in 2013. He hasn’t quite lived up to his potential and he is coming off of a season in which he missed half of the team’s games. He did start in seven of his eight contests in 2017, however. He tallied 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks and would have placed among Pro Football Focus’ top 50 edge defenders if he had enough snaps to qualify.

The Raiders are keeping busy today as they are also meeting with free safety Marcus Gilchrist. On the other side of the ball, they have released Michael Crabtree in order to sign fellow wide receiver Jordy Nelson.

NFC West Notes: Wilson, Cardinals, Foster

February 18th, 2018 at 10:23am CST by Rory Parks

Yesterday, we learned that Seahawks QB Russell Wilson could be in line for a new contract with an AAV of $30MM as early as next offseason (he is under club control through 2019, and Seattle does not revisit deals that have more than one year remaining). While that report raised some eyebrows, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (who penned the above-referenced article) tweets that Wilson’s current deal — which he signed in 2015 — has an AAV of 15.31% of the 2015 salary cap. A $30MM AAV on his next contract would represent 15.87% of the projected 2019 cap, so it would be a reasonable benchmark for Wilson to shoot for. Given that, and given Wilson’s accomplishments in the league, a $30MM/year deal does not seem especially far-fetched.

Now let’s take a look at a few more rumors from the NFC West:

  • Just like 2013, Steve Keim‘s first year as the Cardinals‘ GM, Arizona has a void at quarterback. During a recent interview on 98.7 FM, Keim addressed that need (article via Vince Marotta of ArizonaSports.com). He indicated that the team would be active in the free agent market, which is as rich in QB talent as it has been at any time in recent memory, and he did not rule out the possibility of a trade. Of course, whether they do so via free agency, a trade, or the draft, the Cardinals will need to acquire at least two signal-callers this offseason.
  • As Matt Maiocco of NBCSports.com observes, when the 49ers have released a player due to off-field issues in the past, they have done so immediately. The fact that San Francisco has yet to release Reuben Foster in light of the recent domestic violence allegations levied against him indicates to Maiocco that the team has not seen enough concrete information to cut ties with the former Alabama standout.
  • In the same piece, Maiocco reiterates that the 49ers will look to re-sign LB Brock Coyle, assuming the team is confident that Coyle will make a full recovery from his offseason shoulder surgery. Maiocco is also more optimistic than other writers that the 49ers will be able to retain DE Tank Carradine .

49ers Activate DL Tank Carradine

November 25th, 2017 at 3:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have now used both of their IR-return slots this season. Both roster decisions involved defensive linemen.

San Francisco brought Tank Carradine off IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He will take the place of the recently waived Ray-Ray Armstrong on the 49ers’ 53-man roster.

Ronald Blair already came off IR for the 49ers, and Carradine will now resume his work on the 1-9 team’s defensive front. A 2013 second-round pick, Carradine has a significant six-week stretch in front of him. The career backup is in a contract year and could be auditioning for another team at this juncture, considering new management is in place.

The Trent Baalke draft choice played in three 49ers games this season before going down with a high ankle sprain. This also ends Arik Armstead‘s season. Armstead broke his hand in October.

While Kyle Shanahan confirmed the team made the choice to prioritize a Carradine return due to Carradine going on IR before Armstead, and thus having more time to contribute upon returning, this ensures Armstead’s third season will include only six games. The former top-10 pick played in just eight last season. John Lynch offered praise for Armstead as a future piece recently. The 49ers have a fifth-year option decision on Armstead due in early May.

NFC Notes: Griffin, Stafford, Forbath, 49ers

November 24th, 2017 at 6:15pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Seahawks defense continues to take hits on the injury front as the team has now learned that starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin has been ruled out for Sunday’s game vs. the 49ers with a concussion, according to Gregg Bell of The News Tribune (Twitter link). Bell adds that lineman Oday Aboushi will miss the matchup with a shoulder injury as well, so Seattle will once again have to expose backups to expansive playing time.

It would seem that cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane will get the starts on the outside, with either rookie Ethan Pocic or third-year lineman Mark Glowinski filling in for Aboushi at right guard.

Seattle’s roster looks a whole lot different without the likes of Griffin, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor in the starting lineup, which has contributed greatly to the Seahawks up-and-down sort of season. The team still has an outstanding defensive line and is right in the thick of the playoff race, but is currently facing a lot of adversity as it continues to lose quality players as the season wears on.

  • In what was a tremendous show of resiliency on Thanksgiving, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford actually finished the game after he suffered what looked to be a serious leg injury. However, even though the talented QB was able to return, you can clearly see that he is not 100% in a video posted to Instagram by Davie Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, depicting Stafford hobbling away after his postgame press conference. It remains to be seen whether Stafford can continue to play in the weeks to come, but we should learn more about the overall severity of the injury next week.
  • Vikings kicker Kai Forbath apparently cut his foot on the nullified block field goal, but should not miss any time moving forward, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Forbath had been one of the best kickers in the league up until the last few weeks when he missed two field goals against the Rams and suffered the aforementioned blocked kick yesterday.
  • The 49ers are as expected not in playoff contention this year, but still await some key decisions on potential free agents at season’s end. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, looked at six impending free agents who could be on the way out after the 2017 season is over. Branch noted running back Carlos Hyde, safety Eric Reid, center Daniel Kilgore, defensive end Aaron Lynch, defensive lineman Tank Carradine and cornerback Dontae Johnson as all guys that seemed primed to test the open market. There are a variety of factors that go into these decisions, but it’s interesting to see how the team may approach these players in the final six weeks of the season given their impending free agency.

49ers Waive LB Ray-Ray Armstrong

November 24th, 2017 at 3:57pm CST by Micah Powell

The 49ers have waived linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (Twitter link). The move was made to clear a roster spot for the return of Tank Carradine. Ray-Ray Armstrong (vertical)

Armstrong, who received a two-year extension in December, had been relegated to primarily playing special teams after being supplanted in the starting lineup by Brock Coyle in early November. The team leader in snaps at linebacker with 532, Armstrong saw the field for just 14 snaps in Week 10 vs. the Giants.

With emergence of Coyle and first-round pick Reuben Foster in recent weeks, there just wasn’t any room in the linebacker corps on a Niners team looking toward the future. Armstrong ends his tenure with San Francisco with 53 tackles and one sack on the season.

 

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