Tag: 49ers roster

Ahkello Witherspoon says he’s starting Saturday vs. Vikings

The 49ers got one of their big defensive questions answered Wednesday.

The 49ers defense apparently has an answer to their biggest non-injury question going into the playoffs.

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon on Wednesday told reporters he’ll be starting across from Richard Sherman in the divisional round Saturday against the Vikings.

Witherspoon’s performance declined dramatically over the final three weeks of the season, and culminated in the third-year corner getting benched in favor of Emmanuel Moseley for the final drive against the Seahawks in Week 17. Moseley recorded a pass breakup against DK Metcalf to knock down what would’ve been the go-ahead touchdown.

Witherspoon declined to elaborate on why he was benched against Seattle.

Moseley,  an undrafted second-year corner, started nine games early in the year while Witherspoon dealt with a foot strain. He played well in Witherspoon’s stead, but went back to the bench once Witherspoon was healthy.

It’ll be interesting to see how much leeway Witherspoon gets in the 49ers’ playoff game. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh came to the young cornerback’s defense and said he didn’t play poorly against Seattle.

Witherspoon was having the best year of his career prior to the last few weeks, and his dip in production coincides with the decline of the 49ers’ pass rush. Dee Ford’s return should help immensely with that. Witherspoon will also get help with Jaquiski Tartt’s entry back into the starting lineup at strong safety.

Given how important communication is in the 49ers’ secondary, having the more experienced Witherspoon in the lineup for the playoffs is probably the correct move. However, Minnesota won’t hesitate to target him with their dynamic receiving corps. If he struggles early, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Moseley get some snaps.

Kyle Shanahan not worried about Jimmy Garoppolo under postseason pressure

49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo technically won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. The problem is he played zero snaps in any of the Patriots’ playoff runs during his three full years in their uniform. Garoppolo will get his first …

 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo technically won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. The problem is he played zero snaps in any of the Patriots’ playoff runs during his three full years in their uniform.

Garoppolo will get his first taste of postseason action Saturday when the 49ers host the Minnesota Vikings.

Typically the NFL playoffs come with some additional pressure due to the amplified importance of each game, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Tuesday told reporters he isn’t concerned about Garoppolo wilting in the moment.

“I felt like last week was a playoff game. That was pretty intense,” Shanahan said of the 49ers’ Week 17 win over Seahawks in Seattle. “Or whenever we played Seattle. I think he’s shown he can handle himself in poise. He’s played some really good games. Just like everybody, hopefully he does it this Saturday, which will be his first playoff game. But, I think Jimmy has played in some pretty big games. Anyone who is around him in those games and talks to him and stuff it’s not much different in those games with him as a preseason game. He stays pretty much the same.”

Garoppolo’s unflappable nature helped him orchestrate four fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives this season.

Perhaps the most notable was the one in New Orleans when Garoppolo found tight end George Kittle on a fourth-and-2 to set up a game-winning field goal.

He also converted a pair of third-and-16s in a must-win Week 16 game over the Rams en route to conducting another game-winning field goal drive.

Even San Francisco’s first game against Seattle, Garoppolo had his club in a position to win late despite the fact he hadn’t played particularly well all game.

Shanahan’s overall point is that we’ve seen Garoppolo perform and perform well in high-leverage situations before. The 49ers’ quarterback was excellent in five games against playoff teams this season, and played perhaps his best game of the year Week 17 in Seattle.

Saturday is the biggest game Garoppolo and most of the 49ers have ever played in, but the quarterback buckling under the weight of January football doesn’t seem likely.

49ers look much different than last time they faced Vikings

The Vikings probably won’t recognize the 49ers on Sunday after opening the 2018 season against them.

What a difference a year and a few months make. The last time the 49ers faced the Vikings, their opponent in the divisional round of the 2020 NFL playoffs, the two clubs were in very different places.

Their meeting in Week 1 of the 2018 season ended the way it was supposed to based on preseason prognostication. Minnesota was a Super Bowl contender, while the 49ers were a fringe playoff team. The Vikings prevailed 24-16 in a game where San Francisco’s mistakes and a wide talent gap between the two clubs underscored the disparity in their preseason outlooks.

Now the teams will meet again Saturday at Levi’s Stadium for the divisional round of the playoffs. This time it’s the No. 1-seed 49ers that are Super Bowl favorites, and the No. 6-seed Vikings that are fighting for their playoff lives.

The change for the 49ers has come swiftly and dramatically. They’ve closed the talent gap between them and the Vikings, and perhaps opened it in the other direction.

Consider who saw significant snaps for the 49ers on offense in their loss to the Vikings a season ago.

Joshua Garnett, Garry Gilliam, Alfred Morris, Pierre Garçon, Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis all played more than 20 percent of the offensive snaps in that game. Mike Person’s injury early in the game forced Garnett into the lineup. He then went down with an injury, which pushed Mike McGlinchey to right guard and Gilliam took over at right tackle.

Garnett’s fifth-year option wasn’t exercised and he left this offseason. Gilliam was cut. Morris also left in the offseason. Garçon was released as well.

Goodwin and Pettis are still with the club, but Goodwin saw his playing time diminish greatly before going on Injured Reserve late in the year. Pettis hasn’t played an offensive snap since Week 12. Conversely, now-star running back Raheem Mostert played only one offensive snap in that game.

San Francisco will now face Minnesota with a healthy offensive line, and a new stable of receivers that have become extremely productive. Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders and Kendrick Bourne combined for 123 catches, 1,662 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The 49ers’ top three receivers last season combined for 92 receptions for 1,349 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Jimmy Garoppolo is also substantially more comfortable in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He stumbled through three starts before tearing his ACL last year. This season he’s completing 69.1 percent of his throws, and threw for 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His 102.0 quarterback rating was 12 points higher than his mark from last season’s small sample.

Perhaps the more dramatic change for the 49ers has come on the defensive side.

Safety Adrian Colbert, who was cut this offseason, played every snap of last year’s Week 1 game.

Linebacker Brock Coyle started and played 86 percent of the defensive snaps. His replacement, Elijah Lee, played the other 14 percent. Mark Nzeocha, primarily a special teams player, saw action on 46 percent of the defensive snaps at linebacker. That’s by far the highest mark of his career.

Cassius Marsh, also released this offseason, played 55 percent of the downs as an edge rusher. Solomon Thomas was in for 49 percent of the Vikings’ offensive plays. Thomas has eclipsed that mark just three times this season – all of them coming after the defensive line had been hit hard by injuries.

Now their defensive line is perhaps the strength of their vastly-improved defense. Marsh has been replaced on the edge by Nick Bosa, and Dee Ford is on track to return to rush from the other side. Arik Armstead is having a career year with the added support on the outside, and players like Thomas have fallen into a more rotational role.

Their linebacking corps has also gotten dramatically better. Fred Warner now lines up alongside Kwon Alexander and rookie Dre Greenlaw. Alexander could return from a torn pectoral for the divisional round, which means Greenlaw would slide back to the starting Sam linebacker spot. That position typically isn’t on the field much, but Nzeocha’s heavy snap count last season is an indicator the 49ers may use more three-linebacker looks against a run-heavy Vikings offense. Warner, Alexander and Greenlaw is vastly superior to Warner, Coyle and Nzeocha.

Then there’s the secondary, where Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward now roam in the back end, while Richard Sherman has elevated his game back to an All-Pro level. Whether Ahkello Witherspoon or Emmanuel Moseley line up on the other side is yet to be determined, although both players have been good at times throughout the season. Witherspoon especially benefitted from the revamped pass rush, while Moseley thrived while Witherspoon was sidelined by a strained foot.

The Vikings return a lot of the same players that made them successful a season ago. Kirk Cousins is still throwing to Adam Theilen, Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph, and handing the ball to Dalvin Cook. Everson Griffin and Danielle Hunter are still getting after the quarterback, and Harrison Smith is still monitoring the secondary.

There’s not a better indicator of how far the 49ers have come than the differences in the roster that’ll face the Vikings on Saturday, and the roster they had on Week 1 of the 2018 season. Getting a win over the Vikings would be a better indicator though, and another step toward San Francisco completing its transformation and finding its way back to the Super Bowl.

 

49ers officially sign DL Earl Mitchell, release Antone Exum Jr.

The 49ers defense is starting to get deeper and healthier just in time for the playoffs.

The 49ers on Wednesday officially made the addition of defensive lineman Earl Mitchell. To clear a roster spot, they released safety Antone Exum Jr.

Matt Barrows of the Athletic first reported San Francisco would add the veteran defensive lineman. Mitchell offers an interior presence the 49ers have lacked since DJ Jones went down. Sheldon Day has been getting additional playing time while the coaching staff has tried piecing together a defensive line rotation.

Adding Mitchell and releasing Exum means the 49ers will have extended depth on the line going into the playoffs. It’s unlikely Mitchell will see substantial time, but his ability to plug the middle of the line should help a 49ers run defense that’s struggled through the latter portion of the season.

Exum’s release is also an indication that Jaquiski Tartt is ready for full participation moving forward. The 49ers added the veteran safety after Tartt’s injury against Baltimore in early December. Exum as with the club in camp, released on final roster cuts, re-signed almost immediately, and released in early October before re-signing early last month. He was primarily relegated to special teams work in both stints with the club this season after starting seven games on defense a year ago.

Their move Wednesday is a good sign for the 49ers heading into the playoffs. It means they’ll have more depth along the interior and edges of the defensive front, and they’ll be healthier in the secondary. Those two things should give the 49ers defense a much-needed lift after it stumbled a bit over the final quarter of the season.

49ers to re-sign DL Earl Mitchell

The 49ers are adding some depth along the defensive line with a player they released this offseason.

The 49ers are set to bulk up their interior defensive line with a familiar name. Matt Barrows of the Athletic on Tuesday reported that San Francisco will be bringing back defensive tackle Earl Mitchell.

Mitchell played in 30 games with 28 starts the last two years with the 49ers before getting let go this offseason. The 32-year-old went unsigned, and now he’ll aim to give some fresh depth to a worn out defensive front.

With DJ Jones out for the year with a high ankle sprain, the 49ers didn’t have a true nose tackle to help in the middle of the line. Sheldon Day took over for Jones, but Day is most effective as a rotational player in the middle.

Getting Mitchell back will limit Day’s snaps, and allow the coaching staff to deploy a deeper defensive front and keep players fresh for longer. Mitchell, combined with the return of defensive end Dee Ford, should give the 49ers enough reinforcements to stay effective through four quarters like they were early in the season.

Mitchell recorded 36 tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack in his two years in San Francisco. There’s no word on a corresponding roster move yet, but the 49ers will have to release someone to add Mitchell to the 53-man roster.

49ers to place DL Jullian Taylor on IR, activate DL Kevin Givens

The 49ers’ defensive line was hit with another injury.

The 49ers’ defensive line depth took another hit just as it was getting ready to improve. Defensive lineman Jullian Taylor was due to return Sunday vs. the Seahawks after missing the last three games with an elbow injury, but he tore his ACL on Thursday and will go on injured reserve according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Taylor’s move to IR will open a roster spot for undrafted rookie defensive lineman Kevin Givens, who’s spent the year on the 49ers’ practice squad. Givens had a nice preseason after signing with the club in 2019 as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State.

Givens played for three years with the Nittany Lions and had 83 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in 36 games. He should make his NFL debut Sunday on a depleted 49ers defensive line.

Taylor will join Ronald Blair, Damontre Moore and DJ Jones among defensive linemen on the 49ers’ IR. Dee Ford is also out Sunday while he nurses a hamstring injury.

Taylor hasn’t had a ton of action since joining the 49ers as a seventh-round pick out of Temple in last year’s draft. He played in six games as a rookie and saw time in six games before his injury this season. Taylor was good in limited snaps this year with nine tackles, four tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Defensive line depth has been a huge problem for the 49ers late in the season, but if Givens can pick up where he left off in the preseason and offer a handful of effective snaps, it would be a huge boost for San Francisco’s banged up defensive front.

49ers release DL Jeremiah Valoaga, sign DL Anthony Zettel

The 49ers bolstered their defensive line depth by swapping out Jeremiah Valoaga for another defensive lineman Anthony Zettel.

The 49ers on Monday attempted to bolster their struggling pass rush by swapping a pair of reserve defensive linemen. San Francisco announced the release of defensive lineman Jeremiah Valoaga, who was replaced on the active roster by defensive lineman Anthony Zettel.

Valoaga had two tackles and played 44 defensive snaps in four games after being activated off the practice squad following a season-ending injury to Damontre Moore. He was a preseason star for the 49ers with 4.5 sacks. His productivity in the regular season was minimal though for a unit that badly needs depth.

The 49ers are hoping Zettel provides a little more production. He has just 7.5 sacks in four NFL seasons after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 draft by the Detroit Lions. 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek held the same position in Detroit for the first two seasons of Zettel’s career.

Zettel’s second season was his best, when he posted 6.5 sacks in 16 starts for Detroit.  He spent 2018 in Cleveland where he put up 14 tackles and three tackles for loss in 15 games. Cincinnati signed him for four games this year before cutting him in December.

The 49ers won’t need Zettel to star for them. They do need him to be more effective than Valoaga was though and give some more productive snaps late in games to help limit the snaps of San Francisco’s top linemen.

Report: 49ers put in waiver claim on Terrell Suggs

The 49ers tried adding pass rusher Terrell Suggs to their roster, but the Chiefs received him off waivers.

The 49ers didn’t get former Cardinals defensive end Terrell Suggs, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported the 49ers were among four teams that put a claim in on the veteran pass rusher. They were joined by the Chiefs, Patriots and Seahawks. Kansas City was awarded Suggs because they had the worst record of the teams that claimed the 37-year-old.

It’s not a huge surprise San Francisco tried to snag the former All-Pro. They’re beat up at defensive end with Dee Ford nursing a hamstring injury, and Ronald Blair and Damontre Moore both out for the season.

Rapoport reported after Suggs’ release that the longtime Raven wanted to go back to Baltimore and may not report if claimed by another team. There’s a chance the 49ers and other teams made the claim to try and keep him out of Baltimore. All four teams that put claims in are Super Bowl contenders that could have their championship hopes threatened by the league-leading Ravens.

San Francisco’s claim is an indicator that they’re aiming to bolster their pass rush, which sputtered in their Week 15 loss to the Falcons. They have only three sacks in the last three weeks after having three or more sacks in 10 of their first 11 games. That’s a huge area of concern moving forward, and Suggs may have been their only opportunity to add a pass rusher before the end of the year.

 

49ers place WR Marquise Goodwin on IR, shuffle practice squad

The 49ers injuries continue piling up entering the final three games of the regular season.

The 49ers on Tuesday placed wide receiver Marquise Goodwin on Injured Reserve with knee and foot injuries. They also made a trio of practice squad moves.

Injuries help explain the dramatic drop in playing time for Goodwin over the last few weeks. He played just 10 snaps in Week 10 against Seattle, and 23 in Week 11 vs. Arizona before an inactive designation against the Packers in Week 12, and one special teams snap against the Ravens the following week. Goodwin showed up on the injury report for Week 14 with knee and foot ailments, and wound up inactive.

Goodwin looked like a budding star in 2017 when he posted 56 catches for 962 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games. Injuries limited his 2018 campaign to 11 contests, and his 2019 season was cut short after he played in nine games.

San Francisco’s receiving corps is now even thinner than it was. Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders and Kendrick Bourne have emerged as the three primary options, while Richie James has carved out a role as the team’s primary kick and punt returner. Dante Pettis rounds out the group of five pass catchers.

While each of them has a role, it stands to reason the 49ers may add a player at that position. Former 49ers receiver Jordan Matthews is a free agent. Chris Thompson is the only receiver on the practice squad.

For now, Goodwin’s roster spot remains unfilled. The 49ers may be saving it for defensive lineman Kentavius Street, who is working his way back off IR. His practice window was opened prior to the Saints game.

San Francisco didn’t add a receiver to the practice squad among their three moves there. They did release one, Deontay Burnett, who signed with the team in mid-October. The 49ers also released linebacker Christian Sam.

They filled one of the two vacancies with linebacker Joey Alfieri. Alfieri was an undrafted free agent signee by the Eagles after the 2019 draft. He was cut during camp by Philadelphia before making his way to the New York Giants where he was released during final roster cuts.

Alfieri played for four years at Stanford. He racked up 156 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

San Francisco has an open spot on their 10-man practice squad, which could be an indication more moves are coming.

It’s impossible to ignore Raheem Mostert’s historic production

Raheem Mostert is playing like an all-time great running back.

Raheem Mostert’s emergence over the last three weeks has buoyed a struggling 49ers run game. It’s not the first time he’s flashed as a productive NFL running back, but now he’s leaving the 49ers’ coaching staff no choice but to play him.

With Tevin Coleman struggling and Matt Breida dealing with an injury, Mostert has become an integral part of the rushing attack. He’s responded to the opportunity with 35 carries for 260 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and three touchdowns, along with five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

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His three touchdowns have come in each of the last three games, including one against the Ravens when he set career highs in carries (19) and yards (146).

His 29 carries the last two weeks are his most ever in a two-game stretch.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the touches aren’t going away as long as Mostert keeps producing.

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“Raheem’s earned it over these last few weeks,” Shanahan said. “I mean, how many games can you go and how many years can you go averaging six yards a carry, somewhere in there? I mean, we keep trying to balance it out and stuff, but what Raheem has done these last few weeks and has continued to do, we need to give him more opportunities. He’s given us no choice. I’m happy for him and it’s been great. He’s been extremely impressive.”

Mostert is averaging 6.0 yards per carry on 102 attempts. Only 27 players have ever averaged 6 yards per carry on 100-plus rushes over the course of a season, and 11 of them were quarterbacks.

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This is proving to be more the norm than a flash in the pan for the former undrafted free agent. His numbers in three seasons have been eye-popping despite inconsistent work.

Since Shanahan arrived in 2017, Mostert has 899 yards and five touchdowns . on 142 attempts. That’s good for 6.3 yards per carry. Only five other players have ever done that in their careers: Michael Vick, Tavon Austin, Bobby Douglass, Randall Cunningham and Percy Harvin. Mostert is the only running back in that group.

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Shanahan said part of the reason for Mostert’s success is his speed, and teams’ inability to adjust to it:

“Well, he’s faster than most people and I think sometimes it’s a little bit deceptive,” Shanahan said. “I mean, you see guys who have an angle on him and all of a sudden, they just don’t. I don’t know if they don’t know that he’s that fast, because our other guys are fast too. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but when you do it week in and week out, I mean, it’s time for people to notice. I mean, he’s been pretty damn good and he needs some more opportunities because he’s making the best of it.”

Mostert didn’t enter the season with a big role on offense, but he’s played his way into one just in time for the most important stretch of the year.

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