Arik Armstead open to franchise tag from 49ers

Arik Armstead is open to all avenues for staying in San Francisco.

Defensive lineman Arik Armstead represents perhaps the largest free agency decision awaiting the 49ers in the offseason.

That’s not just because of his stature. The 6-foot-7 defensive lineman had a breakout year in 2019 with a career-high 10.0 sacks. He also graded out as the 49ers’ best run defender per Pro Football Focus.

Armstead may not require a long-term deal right away though as the 49ers will have to do some cap gymnastics to lock up players like DeForest Buckner and George Kittle. Armstead on Wednesday told reporters he’s open to taking a franchise tag – a designation players often prefer to avoid in favor of long-term stability.

The franchise tag number for a defensive end is a projected $19.3 million according to Over the Cap. That number comes down significantly to $15.5 million if Armstead is classified as a defensive tackle.

A franchise tag is a one-year deal that fully guarantees a player’s salary, which is derived from an average of the top-five highest salaries at the position. That would allow the 49ers a little more cap flexibility in the future while also giving them another year to work out a long-term deal with Armstead.

On the other hand, that’s a hefty price to pay for a team that’s already nearing the edges of the salary cap, and Armstead has had just one exceptional year as a pass rusher. It stands to reason the team may want to see if he can produce again at the rate he did in 2019 before signing him to a multi-year deal.

Armstead, a Northern California native who still does a lot of charity work in Sacramento where he grew up, said via Nick Wagoner of ESPN that he wants to stay in San Francisco.

“I would love being here,” he said. “Trying to go back to the Super Bowl, so however that is seen or has to get done, it’s not really my decision what they want to do with me.”

The deadline for teams to franchise tag players is March 10, and free agency opens March 18. We’ll have an answer soon on if or how the 49ers will go about trying to retain Armstead coming off the best season of his career.

Super Bowl 2020: 4 pending free agents for the Saints to target

The New Orleans Saints will be watching pending free agents like Chiefs DL Chris Jones and 49ers WR Emmanuel Sanders in Super Bowl LIV.

[jwplayer XVJavIz2-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints will be bystanders during Super Bowl LIV, but the title game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers gives them an opportunity to do some advance scouting — both teams are on the Saints’ schedule for 2020. However, it’s also a time for the Saints to get a last look at several veteran players headed for free agency in March, providing possible upgrades for New Orleans. Here are four names we’ll be watching

49ers WR Emmanuel Sanders

Sanders is someone who’s been on New Orleans’ radar for a long time, going back to his first brush with free agency after starting his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sanders’ talents were on full display in this year’s Saints-49ers boat race, in which the crafty route-runner caught 7 of 9 targets for a season-high 157 receiving yards. He’s exactly what the Saints need opposite Michael Thomas. The questions surround whether the 49ers will allow him to test free agency after trading multiple draft picks for him, and how much attention he’ll receive on the free agent market as one of the few proven quantities available.

49ers DL Arik Armstead

Just 26, Armstead would be a great boost to an already-stout Saints defensive line — but he won’t be added so easily. Armstead broke out in 2019 with 10 sacks and 54 total tackles, taking advantage of the extra attention drawn by teammates like DeForest Buckner, Dee Ford, and Nick Bosa. He figures to be one of the highest-paid defensive tackles on the market, and the Saints would only consider signing him if they’re comfortable letting co-starters David Onyemata and Sheldon Rankins leave during this coming signing period and the next, respectively.

Chiefs CB Bashaud Breeland

The Saints will make changes to the cornerback position; they have to, with just three corners under contract right now in Marshon Lattimore, Janoris Jenkins, and Patrick Robinson. Breeland would make sense as a starting-quality option who might be cheaper than high-priced veterans Jenkins and Robinson, but the Saints could struggle to fit all three of them under the salary cap (not to mention Lattimore’s looming big contract extension). It is a little concerning that Breeland is already on his third team in as many years with Kansas City.

Chiefs DL Chris Jones

This is the same situation as Armstead, but moreso: Jones has been one of the NFL’s best defenders in recent years, racking up 24.5 sacks in his last 29 games. He’d be an easy fit in New Orleans at the three-technique spot, which Onyemata is set to vacate in free agency. While Shy Tuttle is natural fill-in for Onyemata while Rankins continues to rehab from another lower-leg injury (in a contract year, no less), Jones would be such a big addition that Tuttle could remain a rotational piece, which might be his best usage right now. But will the Saints break the bank for Jones, or any other high-priced free agents?

[vertical-gallery id=26010]

6 Bills storylines to watch for during Super Bowl LIV

Six Buffalo Bills related Super Bowl topics to follow during Super Bowl LIV.

There’s always a Buffalo connection, right?

When the Chiefs and 49ers square off on Sunday evening in Super Bowl LIV, there’s a couple of Bills-related things to keep in mind.

Here are six Bills storylines to follow during the Big Game:

Kansas City Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy. Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Will LeSean McCoy play?

The Bills cut running back LeSean McCoy at the end of training camp. Most were surprised because the Bills backed him and his playing abilities until the very end. McCoy sings the praises of Bills Mafia, loving the fans that once rooted him on, but because of that backing only to be dumped, McCoy said this week that he wished the Bills’ front office were more honest with him.

But once things were all said and done with Buffalo, McCoy, a free agent, quickly signed with the Chiefs. Many pegged McCoy as a guy who would be a difference maker. Instead, he’s been anything but for KC. McCoy was healthy all season, but only played in 13 games, rushing for 465 yards with four rushing scores.

McCoy’s been inactive in several games this year, including down the stretch. He hasn’t had a carry since Week 15. In the Chiefs’ first playoff game, he was active, but didn’t see a touch. In the AFC title game vs. the Titans, he was inactive. So the question is simple. Does Shady suit up?

Pages: 123456

7 players in the Super Bowl the Bills could target in free agency

7 players from the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV that Buffalo Bills could target in free agency.

Super Bowl LIV could be the crowning achievement for the careers of many players on the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

But it also could be the final game some players suit up for their respective teams. In the modern day NFL with free agency spending going up and up, players move often.

Could any of them make their way to the Bills during free agency?

Here are seven pending free agents suiting up in Super Bowl LIV that the Bills could have interest in:

Kansas City Chiefs

CB Bashaud Breeland

Bashaud Breeland has had an interesting NFL career. He had a strong first four seasons with the Redskins and inked a three-year contract with the Panthers in free agency. However, he cut his foot during a trip to the Dominican Republic, causing his contract with Carolina to be voided.

With that in mind, the Bills run a similar defense to Carolina’s from that year with Sean McDermott having come from there. So could Breeland be a fit in Buffalo? He did have two interceptions and eight passes defended last year, but his Pro Football Focus marks… aren’t grade. The football analytics outlet graded him the 99th best cornerback in the NFL this past season.

In addition, he’s a vet, and the Bills have had a thing for signing vets (EJ Gaines, Kevin Johnson, Vontae Davis) to suit up in their No.2 corner role.

Bashaud Breeland scoops up the loose ball and returns it 100 YARDS for the @Chiefs TD! @Bree2Land6 #ChiefsKingdom

📺: FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/lm0vvtP8ei pic.twitter.com/D5gctECK9U

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2019

Pages: 1234567

4 impending free agents Colts should watch in Super Bowl LIV

Colts should watch these players in Super Bowl LIV.

The big game is almost here. When the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs battle it out in Miami for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIV, the whole world will be watching.

That includes the Indianapolis Colts, who have already begun preparing for the offseason. Part of that preparation is finding out which free agents to go after when the new league year begins in March. There are a few they should keep an eye on during the big game.

Here are four impending free agents the Colts should watch in Super Bowl LIV:

DT Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs

The Colts desperately need help at the interior defensive line position and Jones will be one of the biggest free-agent targets across the entire league. How invested the Colts will be this offseason remains to be seen, but Jones should be one of their top priorities.

Though he didn’t have an elite season, Jones was solid in most regards. Where it matters most, he recorded 9.0 sacks. That would be a huge boost to the Colts defense from the three-technique. Even with his size (6’6, 310), he could side over and play some nose tackle if needed as well.

The Colts got close to nothing with their interior pass rush and Chris Ballard has made it clear that is the position that drives the defense. If Jones hits the market, he should be one of the top targets.

Pages: 1234

6 players in the Super Bowl the Jets should target in free agency

Emmanuel Sanders and Demarcus Robinson are among players the Jets should target that will be playing in Super Bowl 54 down in Miami, Fla.

All eyes will be on the Super Bowl on Sunday, and that should include those belonging to members of the Jets front office.

Team officials should be glued to the game, as there are several players playing in Miami that are set to hit the open market in March. The best two teams in the NFL are strapped with talent and it would be foolish for the Jets to not want to model their franchise like the Chiefs and 49ers have.

With that said, let’s take a look at six Super Bowl participants that the Jets should have their eyes on come free agency.

49ers: WR Emmanuel Sanders

While Emmanuel Sanders will be 33 years old this March, he proved his worth in San Francisco, making a significant impact down the stretch for the 49ers passing attack.

The Jets are lacking a true threat on the outside and Sanders has shown no indication that his production is going to slow down. While New York would like to have Robby Anderson back, Sanders would be the complement that would continually allow Gang Green’s true homerun threat to take the top off of defenses.

New York will have to get creative in its search for Sam Darnold’s No. 1 wide receiver. The 49ers not only gave Sanders a lifeline after his best days were behind him in Denver, but he also recorded 36 receptions for 502 yards and three touchdowns in 10 regular-season games.

Although the Jets may not have the cap flexibility to extend Anderson and ink Sanders to a lucrative deal, Sanders provides some veteran experience that the position group would be lacking with Demaryius Thomas and Quincy Enunwa unlikely to return.

Pages: 123456

20 candidates for NFL franchise or transition tags

Dak Prescott heads a list of 20 candidates for the NFL’s franchise and tags.

When all else failed in negotiations in past years, NFL teams had the option of using either the franchise tag or transition tag to keep a player they didn’t want walking away as a free agent. This year is a little different. In the final year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are allowed to use both the franchise and transition tags.

The tags can be designated between Feb. 25 and March 10. There are two types of franchise tags, exclusive and non-exclusive. A player with the non-exclusive franchise tag can negotiate with other teams. If an offer is received from outside, the current team has the option to match the offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. The franchise tag is calculated by the average of the top five salaries at a given position or 120 percent of the player’s salary from last year (whichever number is greater).

The transition tag is valued at an average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position or 120 percent of his salary from the previous year. There’s one big difference between the franchise and transition tags. With the transition tag, the current team receives no compensation if it elects to not match an offer from another team.

Some players, such as New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, New England quarterback Tom Brady and Seattle defensive end Jadeveon Clowney have language in their contracts that forbids the use of franchise and transition tags.

Let’s take a look at the top candidates for franchise or transition tags in 2020:

20. James Bradberry, CB, Carolina Panthers

General manager Marty Hurney has told Bradberry the team wants to keep him. That makes sense because Bradberry is Carolina’s best cornerback in a division that features receivers Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. But there’s a potential problem on the horizon. Former Carolina coach Ron Rivera is now in Washington and Bradberry was one of his favorites. The best way to box out Rivera may be to franchise Bradberry.

Pages: 1234567891011121314151617181920

Super Bowl LIV: 6 potential free agent targets for the Panthers

This year, the Chiefs and the 49ers are meeting in the big game and both teams have several pending free agents who could potentially make a good fit with the Panthers.

Every year, the two teams who make it to the Super Bowl inevitably lose a lot of talent in free agency as competitors try to get some of that championship vibe to rub off. This year, the Chiefs and the 49ers are meeting in the big game and both teams have several pending free agents who could potentially make a good fit with the Panthers.

Here are six players we will be watching during Super Bowl LIV.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones

Age: 25 years old

Career stats: 61 games, 33 sacks, 72 QB hits, 37 tackles for a loss

The Chiefs would be nuts to let Jones walk, as his return to the lineup in the AFC championship proved how valuable he is for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. Keeping him around won’t come cheap, though. Meanwhile, the Panthers could lose Gerald McCoy and Vernon Butler to free agency and Dontari Poe might get cut. Signing Jones to pair with star DT Kawann Short would help keep a strong interior rotation going and make it younger.

Pages: 123456

5 pending free agents to watch in NFC title game between 49ers, Packers

Who could be a target for the Arizona Cardinals?

The NFC Championship Game features the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers. Between the two teams, there are a number of pending free agents who could be targeted by the Arizona Cardinals in March when free agency officially begins.

Who could be on the Cardinals’ radar?

49ers DL Arik Armstead

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Armstead had a breakout season in 2019. He had nine career sacks in three previous seasons. He had 10 in 2019. The Cardinals need help on the defensive line and could target a big-ticket player. Armstead would be such a player and would immediately upgrade the defensive front and give the Cardinals an interior threat to counter Chandler Jones off the edge.

[protected-iframe id=”5a077b6c80e43549964e9cb25d81401e-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/21468690/download.mp3″ ]

Pages: 12345

4 free agents Colts should watch in AFC, NFC Championship games

There are some free agents to watch in the championship games.

The AFC and NFC Championship games kick Sunday afternoon between the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

The Colts are still two months away from NFL free agency being an actual thing, but there are still players they can keep an eye on during the playoffs that might intrigue them when March rolls around.

Here are four pending free agents the Colts should watch on Sunday:

49ers DE Arik Armstead

After a career of being labeled mostly as a bust, Armstead had a career campaign in 2019. It came at the perfect time as the former first-round pick is set to hit free agency following the expiration of his rookie contract.

Through his first four seasons in the NFL, Armstead recorded 9.0 sacks combined. Things weren’t looking good for the Oregon product until he exploded for 10.0 sacks in 2019, which could intrigue teams more when he hits the market.

Armstead (6’7, 292) could play both on the edge and the interior for the Colts. They certainly need some help in the latter area.

Pages: 1234