So, Monday was a slow news day for the San Francisco 49ers. The questions that remain now are who becomes WR3 with the departure of Kendrick Bourne? Will signing Jason Verrett stop the team from drafting a cornerback with their first few selections in the 2021 NFL Draft? We’ll see if anything happens on the quarterback/left tackle front next.
Pete Carroll high on Sam Darnold as possible Russell Wilson replacement: source
“Keep an eye on Seattle for Darnold,” the source said.
The Jets, who hold the No. 2 overall pick, have been fielding calls on Darnold, 23. The Denver Broncos, Washington Football Team and San Francisco 49ers are believed to be among the interested teams.
Word on the street is that the Chicago Bears are leading the charge in pursuit of Wilson, with GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy on the hot seat entering their fourth year as a tandem in the Windy City.
49ers should still prioritize CB in draft after re-signing Jason Verrett
The 49ers don’t need to go spend more money on corners in free agency (nickel corner notwithstanding), but it’s still a position they should be prioritizing in the draft. While they may not need to go that direction in the first round, it should still be an option on Day 2. They’ll need quality depth at that spot not only to back up Verrett in the event he’s unavailable, but also in the event he plays well and leaves next year in free agency. Having an inexpensive player familiar with the defense already on the roster would put the 49ers in a much better spot than if they let the CB depth issue linger into 2022.
Patriots Sign Kendrick Bourne
Had the 49ers matched this Patriots offer and kept Bourne, he would have become by far the highest-paid wide receiver on the 49ers. So it’s no wonder they let him go and signed cheaper free agents such as Kyle Juszczyk, Jason Verrett, Emmanuel Moseley and Samson Ebukam.
Because as good and dependable as Bourne is, he’s only the third-best wide receiver on the 49ers when everyone is healthy — Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are better than him. And the 49ers can’t spend nearly $8 million annually on a No. 3 wide receiver, when they want to use just two wide receivers as much as possible. So Bourne had to go.
San Francisco 49ers’ necessities during free agency include QB help – San Francisco 49ers Blog- ESPN
While we can’t completely rule out the Niners moving on from Garoppolo, the more pressing matter for now is how they improve behind him so if he does stay and again struggles with injuries the Niners won’t have another lost season.
For now, the Niners have Garoppolo, Josh Rosen and Josh Johnson under contract. If Garoppolo remains, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Niners added a veteran in free agency or trade and drafted a developmental prospect.
Multiple reports have indicated the Niners have interest in New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold. A trade for Darnold wouldn’t likely be to replace Garoppolo but to bring in a starting caliber backup who could push him. Still, that would only be a match if the price for Darnold isn’t too exorbitant because he can be a free agent after next season.
2021 NFL mock draft: QBs go 1-2-3 as Panthers, 49ers, Patriots go big on trades
6. ***TRADE***
San Francisco 49ers receive:
No. 6 overall
Philadelphia Eagles receive:
No. 12 overall
No. 103 overall
2022 second-round pick
San Francisco 49ers — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Would this be enough for the Eagles to pass up Kyle Pitts? They’d probably prefer the second-rounder this year, but that would leave San Francisco without anything from No. 6 to No. 103, so they tried to find a win-win.
Phillip Dorsett, Carlos Hyde sign with Jacksonville Jaguars
Hyde was Seattle’s backup running back but did miss several regular season games to injury and to illness. He had 81 carries for 356 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 16 catches for 93 yards. In other words your typical backup running back.
Jacksonville’s coaching staff is populated with former Seahawks — Brian Schottenheimer is the QBs coach, Brian Schneider is the Special Teams Coordinator, and Darrell Bevell is the Offensive Coordinator. Now they’re going after players too.
Report: John Johnson signing with Browns
Johnson, 25, was one of the top safeties on the free agent market this year. A third round pick out of Boston College in 2017, Johnson has started 48 games in his career and posted eight interceptions during that time. In his second season, Johnson recorded a career-high 119 tackles with four interceptions, but then he missed 10 games in year three. Last season, Johnson had arguably his best campaign, calling plays for defensive coordinator Brandon Staley and never leaving the field.
Johnson had 105 tackles and eight passes defensed for LA’s number one ranked defense of 2020.
Cardinals tender RFA Zeke Turner; re-signed Andy Lee to a one-year deal
The soon-to-be 39-year-old has been a consistent punter for the Cardinals since joining the team in 2018.
Lee averaged 44.8 yards per punt while landing 21 punts within the 20-yard line last season. He also completed that 26-yard pass to Zeke Turner in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles.