HEADLINES

Transactions News & Rumors

49ers’ Matt Breida Signs Tender

April 16th, 2020 at 7:00pm CST by Zachary Links

49ers running back Matt Breida has signed his tender, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Per the terms of the second-round level cuff, Breida will earn $3.1MM in 2020. 

[RELATED: 49ers Re-Sign Verrett, Johnson]

The Niners reportedly used the second-round tender on Breida because they sensed that at least one other team was fixing to poach him at the original-round level. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s in the team’s plans for 2020 – reportedly, the Niners tendered him with the thought that he could be traded at a later date.

With Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman in the fold, Breida isn’t on track for a major role in the 49ers’ backfield. Jerick McKinnon is also in the mix – many thought that the Niners would cut Jet this offseason, but he’s on the books at a cheaper rate following his mid-March haircut.

At times, Breida impressed – he’s averaged at least 5.1 yards per tote in each of the last two seasons. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Over the course of three seasons, the Georgia Southern product has totaled just 381 carries.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/16/20

April 16th, 2020 at 5:20pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Chicago Bears

New England Patriots

  • Signed RFA tender: OL Jermaine Eluemunor

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Broncos’ Mike Purcell, Elijah Wilkinson Sign RFA Tenders

April 16th, 2020 at 10:52am CST by Dallas Robinson

Broncos defensive tackle Mike Purcell and guard Elijah Wilkinson have both signed their second-round restricted free agent tenders, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). They’ll each earn $3.259MM for the 2020 campaign.

While Purcell isn’t much of a pass-rusher, he’s excellent as stopping the run. In fact, Pro Football Focus ranked 6’3″, 330-pounder as the league’s best run-defending interior player in 2019. Purcell, who turns 29 years old later this week, played in 13 games (seven starts) for the Broncos last season while posting 48 tackles (eight for loss).

Purcell, an undrafted free agent in 2013, bounced around the league before finding a landing spot in Denver. The Wyoming product spent time with six other NFL teams and the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF before signing with the Broncos last April.

An undrafted free agent like Purcell, Wilkinson joined the Broncos out of UMass in 2017. Promoted to the starting lineup last season, the 25-year-old played on nearly 90% of Denver’s offensive snaps.

The Broncos have since added free agent Graham Glasgow on a multi-year deal, so it’s unclear if Wilkinson will still have a starting job in 2019. Glasgow can play center as well as guard, leaving Denver with multiple possible combinations up front.

Roy Robertson-Harris Signs Bears Tender

April 15th, 2020 at 2:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Bears defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris signed his second-round tender, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). With that, he’ll return for another season in Chicago while earning just over $3.2MM. 

Robertson-Harris was set for restricted free agency, but the Bears didn’t want to let him get away. The $3.2MM+ tender was enough to scare off any possible suitors – any team that signed him to an unmatched offer sheet would have had to pay a steep tax in draft capital. Since he entered the league as an undrafted free agent, there would’ve been no compensation for the Bears had they tendered and lost him at the original-round level.

The UTEP product spent his entire 2016 rookie season on the reserve/NFI list, but earned his spot on the team in 2017. Ever since, he’s been getting more and more time on the field. Last year, he appeared in 15 games and started seven, racking up 30 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three passes defended from the interior. All together, he played on more than 50 percent of Chicago’s defensive snaps.

Seahawks Rescind Malik Turner’s Tender

April 14th, 2020 at 5:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have pulled their exclusive rights tender for Malik Turner, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). With that, Turner has gone from the ERFA property of the Seahawks to a full-fledged free agent.

It’s rare for an ERFA to have his tender pulled, especially since those deals are inexpensive with no real guarantees, but the Seahawks apparently had second thoughts. Turner, 24, appeared in 15 games for Seattle last year. He managed 15 receptions for 245 yards and a touchdown in his second season with the club.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks re-upped a pair of their own free agents this week. Guard Mike Iupati, entering his age-33 season, will return on a one-year deal. Ditto for cornerback Neiko Thorpe, who is also looking to stay healthy after finishing the 2019 season on IR.

Seahawks To Re-Sign Mike Iupati

April 14th, 2020 at 4:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have agreed to a brand new deal with Mike Iupati, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The veteran guard will return on a one-year deal as he looks to battle back from a neck injury. 

Iupati signed with the ‘Hawks on a one-year pact last spring, bringing him to the third NFC West team of his career. The former 49ers and Rams protector stepped in to replace J.R. Sweezy and played on the first-string unit for 15 games, up until the injury bug struck late in the year. Iupati was unable to play in either one of Seattle’s playoff games and had to watch from afar as the Seahawks fell 28-23 to the Packers in the divisional round.

Iupati, 33 in May, has four Pro Bowl appearances to his credit, but injuries have hampered him over the last few seasons. At his peak, he inked a five-year, $40MM free agent deal with Arizona.

The Seahawks managed to keep Iupati, but they’ve watched offensive linemen George Fant (Jets) and Germain Ifedi (Bears) depart in free agency this season. To help replace them, they’ve added new faces in B.J. Finney and Chance Warmack. Meanwhile, Joey Hunt remains unsigned.

Chargers To Sign XFL TE Donald Parham

April 13th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Donald Parham‘s NFL career consisted of a 2019 UDFA agreement with the Lions. While he did not make the team, the 6-foot-8 tight end went on to be one of the XFL’s top targets. That will land him another NFL opportunity.

The Chargers reached an agreement to sign Parham on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). Parham, 22, received five other offers, per Rapoport, but will head to a Chargers team that rosters one of the league’s top tight ends.

Hunter Henry signed his franchise tender Monday, and 10th-year veteran Virgil Green remains with the Bolts. Parham profiles as an interesting addition, however, after starring for the Dallas Renegades in XFL 2.0.

Parham caught 24 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns in five XFL games. The 307 yards ranked third in the league and led all other XFL tight ends by over 150 yards. Prior to his XFL run, Parham previously saw game action as a college standout at Division I-FCS Stetson.

Chargers TE Hunter Henry To Sign Franchise Tag

April 13th, 2020 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Chargers tight end Hunter Henry will sign his franchise tag on Monday afternoon, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). With that, he’ll return to the Bolts on a one-year, ~$11MM guaranteed deal. 

Last month, the Chargers made Henry the first tight end to be franchise tagged since Jimmy Graham in 2014. Despite the injury concerns, the Chargers were unwilling to leave things to chance. Now, they have Henry locked in for at least one more year and they have a few months to negotiate a long-term deal with the 25-year-old. If they’re unable to come to terms, they’ll have to wait until after the 2020 season to revisit talks.

The Chargers might not rush matters – Henry missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL and missed four games last year with a knee injury, so they might want to see how he looks before making a major commitment.

In just 12 games last season, Henry posted career highs in catches (55) and yards (652). If he can stay healthy for a full year alongside Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, the Chargers will project to have one of the league’s most potent offenses. Of course, it remains to be seen who will be throwing the ball to them. For now, Tyrod Taylor is set to be the man under center.

In March, the Browns made Austin Hooper the highest-paid tight end of all-time with a four-year, $42MM deal. Soon, George Kittle is expected to take over that mantle, but Henry might not be far behind if he can stay healthy and play up to expectations.

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