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49ers Fire DC Steve Wilks

February 14th, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of San Francisco’s Super Bowl defeat, a major change has taken place on the sidelines. Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has been fired.

The decision had not been made until today, Shanahan said in a conference call. He added (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) that Wilks’ system did not align with what the team had used with its previous DCs. As a result, Wilks is out after one campaign in the Bay Area.

As expected, DeMeco Ryans was one of the top coaching candidates in the 2023 hiring cycle. His decision to take charge of the Texans created a vacancy at the defensive coordinator spot, as was the case previously when Robert Saleh was hired as head coach of the Jets. Wilks was brought in following his run as interim head coach of the Panthers, something which many viewed as being sufficient to earn him the full-time position.

Instead, Carolina went with Frank Reich for the job, leaving Wilks to search out a coordinator gig. Expectations were high when he joined the 49ers as Ryans’ replacement, given his experience as an NFL staffer including DC stints during his first Panthers tenure in 2017 and his time with the Browns in 2019. San Francisco’s defense – featuring one of the league’s most highly-regarded front sevens – managed to help bring the team to the Super Bowl, but the unit endured rough patches along the way.

In the regular season, the 49ers ranked in the top eight in both points and yards allowed. The team fared far better against the run than the pass, something which comes as little surprise given the injuries endured at the safety spot in particular. Things took a different turn in the postseason, however, when both the Packers and Lions put up strong numbers on the ground. The effort and attention to detail of Wilks’ unit was called into question leading up to the Super Bowl, including by the 54-year-old himself.

In Sunday’s title game, the Chiefs were held to just three points in the first half. San Francisco also registered an interception in the third quarter, but the team’s defense regressed in the late stages of the contest. On the final drive of regulation, a stop would have won the game, but Kansas City managed to kick the field goal which forced overtime. In the extra frame, the Chiefs’ first possession saw the team drive 75 yards for the winning touchdown. Kansas City finished the contest with 455 yards of offense.

Wilks interviewed for a pair of head coaching positions in this year’s cycle, but he did not emerge as a finalist for the Falcons’ or Chargers’ postings. A move to a new team as defensive coordinator is out of the question for 2024, as every DC spot has been filled in recent days and weeks. Wilks will move forward in search of a position coaching role or a return to the college ranks. He served as defensive coordinator at Missouri in 2021 before jumping back onto an NFL sideline the following year.

Shanahan noted (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) that he will consider both internal and external candidates to replace Wilks. After going outside the organization last year, it will be interesting if he elects to choose an option more familiar with the scheme used during Saleh and Ryans’ tenures in the position. In any case, the 49ers will have a major vacancy to fill as they begin their offseason.

Commanders Updates: Tapp, Lynn, Toub

February 14th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The Commanders‘ new coaching staff under head coach Dan Quinn is starting to take shape as he and his coordinators continue to hire new assistant coaches. The most recent of which sees yet another former 49ers staffer in assistant defensive line coach Darryl Tapp find his way to the nation’s capital to serve as Quinn’s new defensive line coach, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Following a long playing career that saw him travel the NFC in places like Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay, Tapp went straight into coaching, taking a defensive quality control coaching job at Central Michigan. He followed that up with two more year-long stints as a special teams quality control coach at Vanderbilt and a co-defensive line coach at Virginia Tech.

Tapp got his first NFL coaching opportunity when offered his current position of assistant defensive line coach in San Francisco. He’s held the position for the past three years, helping Kris Kocurek coach up some of the best defensive linemen in the game of football. It didn’t take long for Tapp to get his first opportunity to coach the position on his own.

Washington traded away two of their better defensive linemen this past season in Chase Young and Montez Sweat, but the team still has some extremely talented pieces in Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Tapp got to work a bit with Young after the former second-overall pick was traded, so he may have a bit of insight on how to connect with the Commanders defensive line.

Here are a few other staff updates coming out of Washington:

  • Speaking of former 49ers staffers, we already saw today that Washington has hired San Francisco’s assistant head coach and running backs coach Anthony Lynn to their new run-game coordinator position. Well, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, Lynn’s title will also include running backs coach. Lynn leaves Christian McCaffrey in California and will now coach a group that includes Brian Robinson, Chris Rodriguez, and Derrick Gore. Veteran back Antonio Gibson is currently bound for free agency.
  • Finally, on the coaching staff, Jhabvala also reports that offensive quality control coach Shane Toub will remain on staff for the Commanders. Toub just finished his first year on staff in Washington but has four prior years of experience on the Bears’ coaching staff. He will continue to work in Washington, now under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
  • Outside of the coaching staff, Jhabvala also informs that, in the front office, senior vice president of football administration Rob Rogers is set to remain in place “at least through the draft.” It’s unclear if the team has plans to switch things up in the front office after this April, but for now, Rogers’ job is safe.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/14/24

February 14th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Wednesday’s reserve/futures deals:

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Commanders To Hire Anthony Lynn, Sharrif Floyd; Team To Retain Bobby Engram

February 14th, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Sam Robinson

Dan Quinn continues to add high-profile names to his Commanders staff. The latest comes after a background with new football ops president Adam Peters.

Anthony Lynn will join Peters in making a San Francisco-to-Washington trek. The 49ers assistant head coach will join the Commanders as the team’s run-game coordinator, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Commanders pursued the former Chargers HC last year, interviewing him for their OC job, but went with Eric Bieniemy. Despite an ownership change and staff overhaul, Schefter notes Lynn is close with Peters and Quinn. This certainly makes sense as the veteran coach’s next landing spot.

In addition to Lynn, Washington will bring ex-Quinn assistant Sharrif Floyd over from Dallas. Floyd will join the Commanders as their assistant defensive line coach, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The former Vikings first-round pick was in place as a Cowboys assistant under Quinn last season. Despite new Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer having coached Floyd in Minnesota, the latter is following Quinn to Washington.

The Commanders, however, will not let their wide receivers coach go. Bobby Engram will stay in that role, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. The former NFL wideout joined Washington’s coaching staff last year. Although Engram was a Ron Rivera addition, he will stay on under Quinn. Outside interest in the veteran assistant emerged, Jhabvala adds.

Lynn, 55, made the most to San Francisco after washing out as Lions OC. Dan Campbell booted Lynn after one season, having taken play-calling duties away. The longtime running backs coach has since played a role in boosting the 49ers’ ground attack. The 49ers hired Lynn to aid their run game, and he received an unexpected personnel boost midway through the 2022 season (via the Christian McCaffrey trade). As a result, San Francisco’s ground attack has enjoyed dominant stretches.

This will be Lynn and Quinn’s first time on the same staff; Peters was with the 49ers for both of Lynn’s seasons in the Bay Area. Lynn, who has been an NFL coach since 2000, went 33-31 as Chargers HC from 2017-20. Lynn joins Kliff Kingsbury as former head coaches on Quinn’s Commanders staff.

Engram, 51, broke into coaching just after his lengthy playing career wrapped. He joins Lynn in having never coached with Quinn. Prior to coming to Washington in 2023, Engram served as Wisconsin’s OC. He was on John Harbaugh‘s Ravens staff from 2014-21, however. Floyd served as the Cowboys’ assistant D-line coach last season. He will follow DC Joe Whitt to Washington.

The Commanders are also hiring Tom Donatell as their defensive backs coach, The Athletic’s Ben Standig tweets. The son of veteran DC Ed Donatell, Tom spent the past three seasons with the Chargers. The Bolts promoted Tom Donatell to defensive pass-game coordinator last year. Quinn and Ed Donatell worked together with the Jets back in the 2000s. The team is also hiring David Raih as its tight ends coach, Schefter adds. Raih worked as the Cardinals’ wide receivers coach under Kingsbury from 2019-20, becoming Vanderbilt’s OC in 2021. He spent last season on the Buccaneers’ staff.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/13/24

February 13th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Oruwariye spent much of the 2023 season on the Jaguars practice squad, with the defensive back getting into just one game. The former fifth-round pick has more experience than your standard reserve/futures contract, as Oruwariye started 29 games for the Lions between 2020 and 2021. That latter season was one of his strongest, as he finished with 57 tackles, 11 passes defended, and six interceptions.

49ers’ Arik Armstead To Undergo Knee Surgery, Miss Extensive Offseason Time

February 13th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Arik Armstead missed extensive time down the stretch for the 49ers, but the veteran defensive lineman was back on the field for each playoff game. Now that the season has ended, the former first-round pick revealed the injury he played through.

The nine-year 49er said Tuesday he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during the team’s Dec. 3 win over the Eagles, indicating (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver) he will undergo surgery. This operation is expected to sideline Armstead for most of the team’s offseason program, though NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco adds the veteran hopes to return by training camp. Armstead will join Dre Greenlaw in missing offseason time, though the concern regarding the linebacker will overshadow worries on the Armstead front.

Armstead, 30, has run into a number of injuries over the course of his career. The Oregon alum has missed 31 regular-season games since going off the 2015 draft board 17th overall. That said, Armstead turned his career around following some early-career setbacks. He played every 49ers game from 2018-21, earning a lucrative extension during that span. But the past two seasons have brought injuries back into the equation.

Upper-body injuries cost Armstead time early in his career, though he rallied back in time to have the 49ers pick up his fifth-year option and ultimately extend him on a five-year, $85MM deal. In 2022, however, Armstead battled trouble with this same knee. A sprain during the 49ers’ 2022 training camp cost Armstead time, and while he returned for Week 1 that year, a hairline fibula fracture led to a half-season absence. This season, Armstead battled knee and foot injuries before coming back for the 49ers’ divisional-round game.

Despite these setbacks, Armstead has remained vital to the 49ers’ defensive blueprint. The team opted to pay Armstead over giving DeForest Buckner a more lucrative extension, trading the latter to the Colts in 2020. Both Buckner and Armstead have remained upper-echelon D-linemen, though Armstead’s ex-Oregon teammate is a higher-level performer. Buckner has received three Pro Bowl nods while picking up two All-Pro honors, whereas Armstead profiles as more of a high-end role player on the 49ers’ Nick Bosa-led D-line.

One season remains on Armstead’s deal, and the void years San Francisco added upon restructuring the contract make the 6-foot-7 interior defender more difficult to cut. Armstead is set to carry a $28.4MM 2024 cap number — third-highest on the team — and would cost more than $25MM to release in a non-post-June 1 capacity this year. If the 49ers do not extend Armstead before the start of the 2025 league year, they will be hit with $15.5MM in dead money due to the three void years tacked onto the deal. Armstead recorded one sack in the playoffs and five during the regular season, grading as Pro Football Focus’ No. 16 overall interior D-lineman.

With Armstead available, the 49ers rolled out a formidable defensive line in the playoffs. San Francisco paired he and Bosa with big-ticket free agent signing Javon Hargrave, trade pickups Chase Young and Randy Gregory, and former first-round pick Javon Kinlaw. Young and Kinlaw are on track for free agency, while Gregory’s contract — a bill the Broncos footed almost entirely this season — may need to be adjusted or shed from the team’s payroll. Backup defensive end Clelin Ferrell is also a free agent-to-be; Ferrell and Drake Jackson missed Super Bowl LVIII.

Ferrell also suffered a torn meniscus, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. The 49ers placed the free agency pickup on IR in January. Despite the 49ers trading for Young and Gregory, Ferrell started 17 regular-season games opposite Bosa. The former Raiders top-five pick elevated his stock this season, though the knee injury stands to interfere with Ferrell’s attempt to parlay that rebound into a nice contract.

Armstead is the 49ers’ longest-tenured starter, beating out George Kittle by two years. Injuries have nagged him at points, but the veteran remains a productive player for San Francisco. He and Greenlaw, who suffered an Achilles tear while merely trotting onto the field for a defensive possession, will be out of the picture for a while.

Latest On 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

February 13th, 2024 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers’ run to the Super Bowl was driven in large part by the team’s skill-position corps. Most of its members are under contract through the next two seasons, but that is not the case for wideout Brandon Aiyuk.

The 2020 first-rounder is set to play out his fifth-year option in 2024, which carries a value of $14.12MM. A new contract will cost more than that on an annual basis, and Aiyuk’s name has previously been floated in trade talks. He recently made it clear (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post), however, that he expects to remain in San Francisco next season and beyond.

The 49ers made one of the most noteworthy additions at the trade deadline, acquiring defensive end Chase Young from the Commanders. In the aftermath of that move, however, it was learned the team would make a second contract for Aiyuk a higher priority than Young, who is a pending free agent. A report from last month confirmed an Aiyuk extension is at or near the team’s offseason to-do list.

The Arizona State product has delivered back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and he earned a second-team All-Pro nod for his production in 2023 (75 catches, 1,342 yards, seven touchdowns). Aiyuk, 25, added a 9-149-1 statline in the postseason, and he has established himself as one of Brock Purdy‘s top targets. The latter will be not be eligible for an extension until next offseason, giving the team at least one more campaign with its current offensive nucleus.

The WR market saw a sharp spike in the 2022 offseason, with the position’s high mark now sitting at $30MM per year. It would come as a surprise if Aiyuk managed to approach that figure, but he could join the growing list of wideouts earning $20MM or more on their current pacts when an extension is worked out. Deebo Samuel is attached to a $23.85MM-per-year deal for the next two years, and making another sizable investment at the receiver spot would be cumbersome from a salary cap perspective.

A new Purdy deal, along with the Nick Bosa extension (which sees a jump in cap hits beginning in 2025) will make a major impact on San Francisco’s financial outlook in the near future. Aiyuk figures to be a central part of both the short- and long-term outlook for the 49ers, though, so talks on a new deal will be a storyline to watch with the team’s offseason now underway.

Saints Hire Klint Kubiak As OC

February 12th, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 12: With the Super Bowl now in the books, the agreement between Kubiak and the Saints has indeed been finalized, Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes. Kubiak’s second coordinator gig will take place in New Orleans in 2024 as part of a staff which has undergone a number of changes.

FEBRUARY 11: Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network confirms that Klint Kubiak’s deal with the Saints is expected to be finalized after today’s Super Bowl (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). Kubiak reportedly plans to add former Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko to his staff — Chicago dismissed Janocko at the end of the season — and longtime O-line coach John Benton is also likely to be hired, as previously reported.

FEBRUARY 2: Another Kyle Shanahan staffer is on track to move up the ladder. The Saints are working on a deal to hire Klint Kubiak as their next offensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

No agreement between Kubiak and the Saints can be announced until after Super Bowl LVIII, with the current 49ers pass-game coordinator preparing for the game. Following the Super Bowl, the deal can go through. But it appears the Saints have decided on a name to conclude their long-running OC search.

This will bring a second chance for Kubiak, who spent the 2021 season as the Vikings’ OC. Succeeding his father (Gary) as Minnesota’s play-caller, Kubiak needed to look elsewhere after Mike Zimmer‘s firing. He landed in Denver, and while that brought a Colorado return for the second-generation coach, the Nathaniel Hackett-guided season produced disastrous results. Kubiak, 36, has managed to land on his feet, working alongside QBs coach Brian Griese as Shanahan’s top assistants on offense.

The Saints’ OC search produced some twists and turns. Four interviewees bowed out early or accepted jobs with other teams. Shane Waldron (Bears), Dan Pitcher (Bengals) and Zac Robinson (Falcons) landed OC gigs; Jerrod Johnson agreed to stay with the Texans. This led to a search that will end up taking more than five weeks to complete, with the Kubiak agreement not becoming official until after the 49ers’ eighth Super Bowl.

Kubiak will follow Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur as Shanahan-tree coaches to have moved into HC or OC positions. The Saints also interviewed Griese, but they will go with the more experienced coach. Kubiak also barely qualifies as a Shanahan tree branch, though the younger Shanahan’s offense is derived from the attack Mike Shanahan and Kubiak’s father used with the Broncos in the 1990s and 2000s. The Shanahan-Sean McVay-based attack continues to succeed, and the Saints are the latest team to buy in.

With Zimmer a defense-based HC, the Kubiaks served as the Vikings’ play-callers in back-to-back seasons. Returning to the sideline in 2020 to replace Kevin Stefanski, Gary Kubiak spent one season as Minnesota’s OC. Klint took over a year later. The Vikings ranked 14th in scoring in 2021, an 8-9 campaign, and 12th in total offense. That year brought Justin Jefferson‘s first All-Pro nod, a 10-touchdown Adam Thielen slate and Dalvin Cook keeping his 1,100-yard rushing streak intact.

Nothing especially positive can be said about the 2022 Broncos’ offense, but Hackett did give Kubiak a play-calling shot — over OC Justin Outten — as that season went south. This season has obviously brought a Kubiak bounce-back effort. Brock Purdy has continued his stunning ascent from his Mr. Irrelevant status, becoming a Pro Bowler and helping the 49ers make up for their Trey Lance misstep. Purdy’s 9.6 yards per attempt is the best mark by a full-season starter since the 1950s, with Kurt Warner‘s 2000 number (9.9) coming in 11 games. The 49ers’ passing attack also nearly became the sixth team in NFL history to see three pass catchers eclipse 1,000 yards, seeing Deebo Samuel‘s October shoulder injury impede that path. Brandon Aiyuk reached a career-high 1,342 yards this season, while George Kittle surpassed 1,000 as well.

This offseason brought new territory for the Saints, who had not changed offensive coordinators since promoting Pete Carmichael in 2009. Carmichael served as one of the longest-tenured coordinators in NFL history, but after two seasons calling the plays post-Sean Payton, Carmichael received his walking papers (Payton has since hired Carmichael in Denver). The Saints did rank ninth in scoring and 14th in total offense this season, but the unit submitted inconsistent work during a 7-10 campaign. Kubiak will be charged with elevating the Derek Carr-led attack in 2024.

Here is how the Saints’ OC search wrapped:

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

February 12th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVIII in the books, the 2023 campaign has come to a close. Teams outside Kansas City and San Francisco had already turned their attention to the offseason well before Sunday’s game, of course.

Regular season standings determine the order for the top 18 picks, so they have been known since the conclusion of Week 18. For the second straight year, the Bears face the question of dealing away the top selection and starting over at quarterback or re-committing to Justin Fields. Expectations still point toward Caleb Williams heading to Chicago, although the Bears will not move the No. 1 pick at a discounted price.

With the Commanders also in position to add a signal-caller second overall, the Patriots and Cardinals will be worth watching closely. New England will be in the market for a QB, but it may not come via the team’s top selection. Arizona’s position could also be a trade-up target for teams seeking a quarterback addition. This year’s class is expected to be dominated by blue-chip prospects under center, as well as at wide receiver and offensive tackle.

The final 14 spots in the draft order are filled by postseason results. The Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory picking at or near the end of the first-round order for the fourth time in the past five years following another Super Bowl appearance. The team has a mixed track record with its selections in that regard, but another impact rookie would of course help its bid to sustain its impressive run.

While a number of selections will no doubt be swapped between now and draft day, here is the full 2024 first-round order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-13
  3. New England Patriots: 4-13
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
  6. New York Giants: 6-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Chicago Bears: 7-10
  10. New York Jets: 7-10
  11. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
  12. Denver Broncos: 8-9
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
  14. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  15. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
  16. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
  19. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
  21. Miami Dolphins: 11-6
  22. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
  23. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  24. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  25. Green Bay Packers: 9-8
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
  27. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  28. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  29. Detroit Lions: 12-5
  30. Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
  32. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6

Final Transactions Before Super Bowl LVIII

February 11th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Ely Allen

FEBRUARY 11: McKinnon is a game time decision, but NFL Network’s James Palmer reports he is expected to play. Sunday’s contest would represent his first action since Week 14, but it would also mark an impressive recovery in relatively short order from his core muscle surgery. McKinnon is a pending free agent, and a strong performance would help his market on another Chiefs deal or one with a new team.

FEBRUARY 10: With the NFL’s season finale taking place tomorrow night, both participants have made their roster moves in anticipation of the biggest game of the year. The 49ers‘ moves are simple as they choose to promote defensive tackles Alex Barrett and T.Y. McGill as standard gameday elevations, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The Chiefs will make an elevation, as well, while also choosing to swap out an active roster player for a player off of injured reserve.

[Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LVIII?]

The Chiefs standard gameday practice squad elevation will once again be nose tackle Mike Pennel, who has been activated for each of Kansas City’s three playoff victories thus far. In the past, Pennel has been joined by practice squad cornerback Keith Taylor or defensive tackle Matt Dickerson, but it appears Pennel will be the lone practice squad defender activated for tomorrow.

As for the active roster addition, the Chiefs have made the move to officially activate running back Jerick McKinnon off of IR. The veteran rusher has mostly been a non-factor in the Chiefs offense this year but has served a role as the team’s backup pass-catching back. Despite the activation, McKinnon is still listed as questionable going into Sunday night’s game. In order to make room for McKinnon on the active roster, the Chiefs placed All-Pro guard Joe Thuney on IR. Thuney’s status was already known, so clearing him from the active roster should have little consequence at this point.

For San Francisco, Barrett and McGill are expected to be among the seven players listed as inactive for the big game. While this may make the elevations seem trivial, it’s the 49ers way of rewarding the reserve defenders. Elevating Barrett and McGill will provide the two with an additional playoff paycheck before the season ends.

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