San Francisco 49ers News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/16/23

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Baltimore Ravens

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

There’s some long snapper news to pass along! Cardona will be returning to New England for his ninth season with the organization, making him the Patriots’ second-longest tenured player (behind Matthew Slater). Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), Cardona got a four-year deal with a $1MM signing bonus, with that latter value being “an important marker” for the veteran to clear.

Meanwhile, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets that Moore will be getting a two-year, $2.5MM deal. The long snapper was non-tendered by Baltimore yesterday but ultimately re-upped with the team on a multiyear deal. Per Zrebiec, Moore received interest from other teams but wanted to stick around Baltimore. The 30-year-old has been with the Ravens since 2020 and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2022.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/15/23

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

49ers To Sign CB Isaiah Oliver

Isaiah Oliver is heading out west. The 49ers are signing the former Falcons cornerback, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner (via Twitter).

Oliver was a second-round by the Falcons back in 2018. He inked a one-year extension with the organization last offseason, extending his Atlanta stint to five total seasons. The cornerback ultimately got into 62 games (38 starts) for the Falcons.

Oliver’s 2021 campaign was limited to only four games thanks to a knee injury, but he managed to get into 12 games (five starts) in 2021. The defensive back finished the campaign having compiled 37 tackles, seven passes defended, and one interception. Pro Football Focus was especially fond of his performance, ranking him 10th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks.

In San Francisco, Oliver is expected to compete for the nickel back job, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). Deommodore Lenoir and AJ Parker will also provide some competition at that spot.

Restructure Details: Cousins, Bills, Cowboys, Saints, Warner, Jets, Texans

Facing a Kirk Cousins cap crunch last year, the Vikings worked out a third contract with their starting quarterback. They did not take that path this year. Minnesota instead agreed to a restructure, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The reworking frees up $16MM in cap space for the Vikings, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweets. The Vikes look to have tacked on two more void years to Cousins’ deal. While the void years — for cap-reducing purposes — run through 2027, Cousins’ contract expires after the 2023 season. No extension is imminent.

The 34-year-old passer has enjoyed leverage throughout his Vikings relationship — via his free agency in 2018, ahead of his 2020 contract year on that fully guaranteed deal, and in 2022 as his second Vikes pact was set to produce a historic cap hit — but Minnesota’s new regime may now be looking toward moving on after the season. This will be a situation to monitor moving forward; Cousins has not played in a contract year since his 2017 Washington finale.

Here is the latest on teams’ restructures:

  • The Bills moved close to the 2023 league year in a cap hole, but they restructured the deals of their two highest-profile players to create considerable space. Buffalo reworked Josh Allen and Von Miller‘s contracts to create approximately $32MM in space, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Bills have moved their way up past $8MM in cap room.
  • Per usual, the Saints have been hard at work on restructures. They adjusted the deals of Cameron Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore to create cap space, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Katherine Terrell (all Twitter links). The Jordan move created more than $10MM in cap space for New Orleans, which was back to being north of $20MM over the cap following its Derek Carr signing. As the league year begins, New Orleans made it under the cap by just more than $300K.
  • In addition to restructuring Tyron Smith‘s deal to ensure the All-Decade tackle plays a 13th season with the team, the Cowboys adjusted the contracts of DeMarcus Lawrence and Michael Gallup, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Between them, the Lawrence and Gallup restructures freed up around $16MM for Dallas, which had already created more than $30MM in space by redoing Dak Prescott and Zack Martin‘s deals last week.
  • The 49ers restructured Fred Warner‘s extension, according to Yates (on Twitter). The move created nearly $9MM in cap space for San Francisco, which gave Javon Hargrave a four-year, $84MM deal to start the legal tampering period. A void year now exists in Warner’s contract, which runs through 2026 (with the void year coming in 2027). Warner’s cap number drops to $9MM but spikes past $24MM in 2024, which will probably prompt more maneuvering from the 49ers. They currently hold just more than $12MM in cap space.
  • Circling back to the Vikings, Jordan Hicks agreed to a restructure that will keep him in Minnesota this season, Insidethebirds.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Hicks signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings last year.
  • Amid their Aaron Rodgers pursuit, the Jets created $4.8MM in cap space by restructuring John Franklin-Myers‘ contract, Yates tweets. Two void years are attached to the defensive lineman’s pact, which runs through 2025.
  • Texans safety Eric Murray agreed to a restructured deal as well, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Attached to a two-year, $10MM deal he signed in 2022, Murray remains on a Texans team that has seen its roster become crowded at safety. The team has added Jimmie Ward and re-signed M.J. Stewart this week. Murray played 17 games for the Texans last season but did not start any. This sounds like a pay-cut agreement, with Wilson adding Murray can make up to $4MM this season.

49ers, DE Clelin Ferrell Agree To Deal

Clelin Ferrell‘s time with the Raiders did not go according to plan, but he will now have an opportunity to rebuild some of his value in a new home. The defensive end is signing a one-year deal with the 49ers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

The Raiders raised eyebrows when they drafted Ferrell fourth overall in 2019. That decision upped expectations for the Clemson product, who profiled as a solid contributor at the NFL level, but not the focal point of a team’s edge rush group. He operated as a full-time starter for the first two years of his career, but totaled just 6.5 sacks across that span.

A dramatic drop in playing time followed, as fellow 2019 draftee Maxx Crosby established himself as the team’s top performer in the pass rush department. Ferrell saw his snap share fall to 24% that year, leaving his future with the team very much in doubt. He, like the Raiders’ other first-rounders from the 2019 class, had his fifth-year option declined in a move which came as little surprise.

The 25-year-old’s roster spot was thought to be in jeopardy during training camp, given the arrival of a new coaching and defensive staff, along with his struggles early in his career. He did manage to remain on the 53-man roster, though his name was included in trade talk in the build-up to this year’s deadline. In 2022, Ferrell played in a rotational role, recording a pair of sacks and drawing a middling review in terms of PFF grade.

In San Francisco, he will have the chance to play alongside a number of highly-regarded d-linemen. The 49ers have already added Javon Hargrave to their defensive interior, and have Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead available as productive veterans up front. The team is set to lose Charles Omenihu to the Chiefs, so Ferrell could step into his place as a young option aiming to serve in a rotational capacity and play his way into a more substantial deal next year.

49ers To Re-Sign C Jake Brendel

After a few years of changes at the position, the 49ers will establish some center continuity. They are re-signing Jake Brendel, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Inserted into San Francisco’s starting lineup following Alex Mack‘s retirement, Brendel started all 20 49ers games last season. He agreed to terms on a four-year extension, per Rapoport, who adds the Jets made a push to add him as well. The 49ers are giving Brendel $8MM guaranteed, with Rapoport adding (via Twitter) the deal maxes out at $20MM.

The 49ers showed considerable confidence in Brendel ahead of last season, passing on adding a proven option to give the career backup an opportunity. Brendel, who had made three starts over the previous six seasons, displayed consistency and helped the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey-led rushing attack during the team’s 12-game win streak. ESPN’s run block win rate metric graded Brendel fifth among centers.

Pro Football Focus graded Brendel as the league’s No. 20 center, and a number of options — Connor McGovern (the older one), Ethan Pocic and Garrett Bradbury — were available. We have seen a run on center re-signings, however, with Pocic and Bradbury also returning to their teams (the Browns and Vikings, respectively). It will be interesting if these developments lead the Jets to keep McGovern.

Brendel will turn 31 before the season starts. The 49ers liked enough about what they saw from the former UDFA last year to reinvest. Brendel has been with 49ers O-line coach Chris Foerster since the latter’s Dolphins days, but he only started three games in Miami. The 49ers used Brendel as a backup option dating back to 2020.

The 49ers spent to fortify their center position early in Kyle Shanahan’s tenure, but Weston Richburg ended up suffering a career-ending injury to cut his time in San Francisco short. They used veteran Ben Garland post-Richburg, and Shanahan linked up with former Falcons pupil Mack in 2021. While Mack started every game for the 49ers that season, he retired last summer. The Niners now have Mack’s successor locked in at a reasonable rate. That contract will accompany Spencer Burford and Aaron Banks‘ rookie deals, along with Colton McKivitz‘s low-cost extension, on the Trent Williams-fronted line.

49ers To Sign DT Javon Hargrave

9:40pm: We have a few more details on Hargrave’s new four-year, $84MM contract, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. The $40MM amount guaranteed at signing consists of a $23MM signing bonus, a $6MM option bonus, $1.17MM of his 2023 base salary, $8.85MM of his 2024 base salary, $750,000 per game, and a $200,000 workout bonus.

Over the course of the four-year deal, Hargrave is set to hold cap hits of $6.62MM in 2023, $15.54MM in 2024, $26.55MM in 2025, $28.3MM in 2026, and $7MM of dead money in a voidable 2027. The contract also includes a voidable year in 2028, as well.

The 49ers have an out built into the deal after two years so that cutting Hargrave at that time would result in $8MM of cap savings, though it would force them to burn $18.6MM in dead money.

12:25pm: The top defensive tackle on the market is set to find a new home. Javon Hargrave has agreed to terms on a four-year, $84MM deal with the 49ers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The pact includes $40MM guaranteed at signing.

Hargrave enjoyed a productive three-year stint in Philadelphia, which came after a highly-regarded tenure with the Steelers. This first foray out of Pennsylvania will give him an opportunity to build on his production, and give San Francisco yet another high-end contributor on defense.

The 30-year-old was said to be seeking a deal in the range of $20MM per season, and he has landed one. The $21MM-per-year AAV of this pact puts Hargrave in a tie for third at the position, behind only Aaron Donald and the recently re-signed Daron Payne. It also marks another significant investment made on the defensive line on the part of the 49ers.

Arik Armstead has two years remaining on his current deal, with scheduled cap hits of $23.7MM and $25.6MM. That will make it difficult for San Francisco to accommodate another monster deal in the middle of their defense, but keeping the pair in place would add even further to the strength of their d-line. Hargrave posted a career-high 11 sacks in 2022 as part of the Eagles’ devastating pass rush. Philadelphia has 2022 first-rounder Jordan Davis in place to assume a larger role with Hargrave gone.

The 49ers already had the top defense in the league last season, so adding the Pro Bowler will be allow them to remain elite on that side of the ball. The structure of this deal will be noteworthy not only in terms of how it could affect Armstead’s future, but also because Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa is due for a mega-extension at some point. Regardless of how the 49ers handle his situation, they will have a vaunted defensive front for years to come.

49ers Re-Sign DT Kevin Givens To One-Year Deal

Despite the star power the 49ers are planning to bring over from Philadelphia in Javon Hargrave, San Francisco has no plans of allowing its depth at the position to suffer. One of those moves to secure depth was re-signing defensive tackle Kevin Givens.

An undrafted free agent out of Penn State from 2019, Givens has slowly earned the trust and confidence of the coaching staff in San Francisco. After factoring into the team’s defense as a rotation piece off the bench for much of his first three years, Givens was given plenty of starting opportunities in 2022.

With injuries plaguing the position room and holding players like Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead to a combined 15 total games this past year, Givens heard his named called. Givens started 11 games for the 49ers this season in their absence. He could’ve started a few more if not for a few games missed with a sprained MCL. He matched or tallied career-highs in total tackles (20), tackles for loss (7), quarterback hits (3), and sacks (2.0). Givens struggled in run defense, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but graded out much better as a pass rusher.

Givens doesn’t provide the 49ers with a top-level of play on the defensive line, but the team isn’t asking him to give that. They expect that high-level of play from their top draft picks and acquisitions like Hargrave, and Givens is expected to fill in as an injury or rotation replacement without missing a beat. Givens provides that for San Francisco, and his success when called into action this season has been rewarded with another one-year deal.

49ers To Sign QB Sam Darnold

John Lynch indicated the 49ers may need to add a veteran quarterback. Rather than seek an experienced backup, the 49ers are landing a veteran starter to join their Brock PurdyTrey Lance QB room.

Sam Darnold is signing with the 49ers, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. San Francisco will add the former No. 3 overall pick to a one-year deal. The 49ers now have two former No. 3 overall picks in the draft, in Lance and Darnold, though Purdy is the early favorite — depending on his post-surgery timetable — to stick as their starter.

Darnold will follow Josh Rosen as 2018 first-rounders to have joined the 49ers under the Lynch-Kyle Shanahan regime, and it will be interesting to see the former Jets and Panthers starter’s role on his new team.

The 49ers are in an unusual position, with both their top QBs coming off injuries. Lance is expected to be ready to return from his broken ankle by OTAs, but Purdy may not be fully cleared until September. Given the form Lance has shown so far, the 49ers entered free agency in an odd position. Darnold stands to provide intriguing insurance.

The Panthers had begun negotiations to keep Darnold, but their plans changed after pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade for the No. 1 overall pick. Darnold, 25, will exit Carolina after two seasons. Those two seasons did not produce what the Panthers sought when they traded three draft choices — including a 2022 second-rounder — for him in 2021, but the USC product does bring considerable experience to this Purdy-Lance room largely devoid of it. Darnold has made 55 NFL starts.

During Matt Rhule’s third and final year with the franchise, the Panthers gave Baker Mayfield their starting job out of training camp. Darnold suffered a high ankle sprain late in the preseason but had already lost the job. It took the ex-Jets franchise-QB hopeful until midseason to return, but Darnold regained his starting job. He finished last season with an 8.2 yards-per-attempt number — by far the highest of his career — and threw seven touchdown passes compared to just three interceptions. This came with a 58.6% completion rate, but Darnold looked in better form compared to what he showed for most of the 2022 season.

Purdy did not need Tommy John surgery and is tentatively expected to begin throwing in June. His UCL repair will still mean extensive first-team reps for Lance, reopening the door for the former North Dakota State prospect. Purdy has been expected to hang onto his staring gig, but that cannot be considered a lock given the circumstances. Darnold’s experience may throw another wrench into San Francisco’s mix, which stands to be one of the more fascinating QB rooms in recent memory. It will be interesting to learn the 49ers’ offseason plans for their newest passer.

49ers Re-Sign S Tashaun Gipson

Following up on yesterday’s rumor that the 49ers were interested in bringing back potential free agent safety Tashaun Gipson, the two parties have agreed to a new one-year contract to keep Gipson in red and gold, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Gipson will return to start in the defensive backfield opposite first-team All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga.

Gipson joined the 49ers just prior to the start of the 2022 season, eight days before the 53-man roster cut deadline. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster and was signed to the practice squad. Gipson was a practice squad elevation in Week 1 to fill in for an injured Jimmie Ward and, two days later, was officially promoted to the active roster.

Gipson had a resurgent 2022 season for San Francisco returning five interceptions for 141 yards, numbers he hadn’t reached since his early years in Cleveland. He started every game of the season at safety alongside Hufanga, with both helping to form the league’s best scoring defense.

Gipson’s new deal is worth $2.9MM, according to Doug Kyed of A to Z Sports. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $2.17MM consisting of a $1MM signing bonus and $1.17MM of salary. Gipson will receive a per game active roster bonus of $40,000 for a potential additional season total of $680,000. He’ll also receive a $50,000 workout bonus. The deal also includes $300,000 in potential incentives that can be triggered through interceptions, fumble recoveries, playing time, team achievements, and a Pro Bowl selection. The contract includes three voidable years to spread out Gipson’s cap hit.

It was assumed that only one of Gipson or Ward would be re-signed, sending the other to the free agent market. With Gipson’s new contract, Ward, the longtime 49ers defensive back, will likely be testing the free agent waters. It may be difficult to say goodbye to Ward, who has been with the team since 2014, but it’s hard not to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Gipson’s surprising year.

From beginning the year on the practice squad to starting every game of the season, Gipson surpassed all expectations and had a strong season while doing so. In return, Gipson has earned an opportunity to stay with one of the league’s top defenses, which should only assist him in continuing to excel.