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Will Redmond

49ers Sign Third-Round Pick Will Redmond

June 23rd, 2016 at 7:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The list of unsigned 2016 draft picks shortened to 10 on Thursday night after the 49ers reached an agreement to sign Will Redmond, CSNBayArea.com reports.

Redmond entered Thursday as one of five third-rounders yet to sign, but San Francisco moved a step closer to wrapping up its draft class by coming to terms with the cornerback out of Mississippi State. For the 49ers, only first-round lineman Joshua Garnett remains unsigned.

The 22-year-old corner saw action in three seasons for the Bulldogs, playing in 27 games and making seven starts — all of which coming during the 2015 season. He made 25 tackles and two interceptions for Mississippi State last season, and despite the lack of experience as a starter decided to leave school early.

His accord leaves Max Tuerk (Chargers), Carl Nassib (Browns), Kevin Byard (Titans) and Maliek Collins (Cowboys) as the lone remaining third-round picks yet to sign with their respective teams. The CBA being murky on the compensation coming for third-round picks has led to these selections’ longer negotiation processes.

As for the 49ers, they remain somewhat thin at cornerback, prompting Redmond’s selection. As Roster Resource details, Tramaine Brock and former first-round safety Jimmie Ward are in line to start for the NFC’s Bay Area franchise, with Kenneth Acker being the only component with much experience behind the projected first-teamers.

However, the 49ers already came to terms with fourth-round pick Rashard Robinson, so he figures to battle Redmond for playing time behind San Francisco’s starters come training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Seven Rookies Remain Unsigned

June 22nd, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

Updated on June 25th, 2016 3:32pm CT

The overwhelming majority of the rookies in the 2016 draft class have officially signed. However, as we approach July, we still have a small group of stragglers. Seven rookies have yet to put pen to paper with their respective teams and that group includes three first-rounders: Joey Bosa (Chargers, No. 3), Darron Lee (Jets, No. 20) and Joshua Garnett (49ers, No. 28). Joey Bosa (vertical)

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Bosa, of course, stands as the most high-profile player yet to sign his rookie pact and his negotiations are also the most public of the bunch. This week, agent Todd France and team president of football operations John Spanos both discussed the negotiations in radio interviews and it appears that the two sides aren’t even in agreement as to what the disagreement is all about. Spanos says the two sides are hung up on the idea of offset language. France, meanwhile, says there are other reasons behind the protracted talks, including cash flow.

The latest Collective Bargaining Agreement has made rookie contracts much simpler than they used to be. Every rookie from No. 1 through (roughly) No. 256 receives a four-year deal with varying salary amounts based on where they are selected. However, offset language is among the key clauses which may be discussed. If a player with offset language in his contract his released midway through the deal, the original team is only on the hook for the difference in salary between the two contracts. Without offset language, the player can effectively double dip and collect two paychecks. Naturally, there are many player agents who are disinclined to forfeit that potential earning power.

Of the seven players without signed deals, four of those players are third-round picks. That’s because contracts in the third round are, for some reason, far less regulated than the rest of the draft. While third round picks have slotted signing bonuses like everyone else, the base salaries can be brokered and that’s probably at least part of the holdup for these four rookies. However, one pattern to note is that first-rounders Bosa, Lee, Fuller, and Garnett are all represented by powerhouse agency CAA.

Here is the complete list of 2016 rookies who have yet to complete their contracts with signatures and initials:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

New York Jets

San Diego Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Notes: Quarterbacks, Smith, Clemson

January 16th, 2016 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

An AFC team’s scout revealed North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz rates as his team’s No. 1 quarterback in the 2016 draft class, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report writes.

Said team doesn’t expect the Division I-FCS national champion signal-caller to be on the board, however, when they select late in the first round.

Missing time due to injury this season, Wentz threw for 42 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in his two years starting for the Bison.

Conversely, early-entry player Paxton Lynch did not impress one school’s scouting director, who told Miller, “Go watch him against any good team and tell me how he did. He’s overrated.”

In Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft, the 6-foot-7 Lynch goes off the board at No. 15, with Wentz lasting until No. 22.

Here is some more about the upcoming draft class:

  • Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams announced he’d return for the 2016 season after fracturing his neck in a preseason accident. He would have rated as Miller’s No. 1 receiver in this class had he declared early. Miller also places Tigers defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd among his top 25 prospects.
  • Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith‘s floor should be no lower than No. 18, an AFC scouting director tells NFL.com’s Albert Breer. The anonymous scouting director hasn’t seen any medical reports on Smith’s knee, recently repaired via reconstructive surgery, and how the early-entry linebacker’s medical evaluations go at the Scouting Combine next month will contribute to his placement, notes Breer, who adds the Irish’s top prospect would have gone in the top three or four picks had he not torn his ACL and MCL.
  • Another collegiate player with an ACL injury — Mississippi State corner Will Redmond — is also drawing attention from NFL scouts, per Breer. Redmond, who injured his knee in October, could be ready for the beginning of the season, and while he is now projected as a mid-round pick, he was garnering interest as potential first-rounder prior to his ACL tear.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.