Tag: free agency

It may be time for 49ers to part with superstar playmaker in offseason

It might be time…

It appears the San Francisco 49ers are headed toward an offseason full of difficult decisions.

The salary cap and quarterback Brock Purdy’s impending contract extension were always going to make the 2025 offseason a rough one, but the team’s sluggish 5-5 start to the 2024 campaign is an indicator that significant changes need to be made to their roster.

One of those changes may be parting ways with wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

It’s nigh impossible to envision the Kyle Shanahan 49ers without Samuel. His rookie season was in 2019, the year the club turned around a sustained run of mediocrity and catapulted to the Super Bowl. In that year we saw glimpses of what eventually made him an All-Pro in 2021.

He is a unique play maker whose 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021 may be a stat line we never see again from a wide receiver.

Samuel was also a consistent offensive spark for San Francisco, and Shanahan wasn’t afraid to lean on him when the team needed to generate offense.

It appears this season that version of Samuel may not be there anymore for the 49ers. In nine games he’s produced 33 receptions, 490 yards and one touchdown on 52 targets. He’s also carried 27 times for just 79 yards and one touchdown. Of his 27 carries, only two have generated either a touchdown or a first down, and his longest run of the season is just 12 yards.

In Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks where the 49ers didn’t have tight end George Kittle, there was a prime opportunity for Samuel to have a major impact. Instead he hauled in four balls for 22 yards and lost one yard on his only carry of the game.

Samuel’s yards after catch per reception are a career-low 7.7 so far this season. His yards-per-route run of 1.98 are the second-lowest mark of his career. He’s also forced only eight missed tackles on 33 receptions after forcing 40 on 73 catches last year. That trend continues in the run game where he has eight missed tackles forced on 27 carries this year, down from 22 missed tackles forced 43 carries a season ago per Pro Football Focus.

The explosiveness that made Samuel the NFL’s most dangerous playmaker through the early portion of his career seems to have evaded him. It’s hard to blame him given the physicality that defined his playmaking ability.

However, the 49ers need to start devising new ways to create offense, and parting ways with Samuel is starting to look like more of a necessity if they want to turn the page to the next chapter of football in San Francisco.

If they make Samuel a post-June 1 designation, they’ll have a $10,751,753 dead cap hit while saving $5,206,105 against the cap per Over the Cap.

With the type of high-priced contracts the 49ers are holding, that extra $5 million in room would be helpful, and Samuel would be able to find a new opportunity with a team that can differently maximize him.

It also opens the door for players like Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Jauan Jennings to be more involved in whatever the next evolution of the 49ers’ offense looks like.

Parting ways with the 2021 All-Pro wouldn’t be easy, and it would be perhaps the single biggest move the 49ers could make to signal that a new era has arrived. It may be a necessity though given everything we know after 11 weeks of the 2024 season.

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49ers free agency prediction: Former All-Pro walks for big contract

The 49ers have telegraphed their plans at safety.

The San Francisco 49ers have been telegraphing their plans in the back end of their secondary since the 2023 draft, and those plans don’t involve bringing back former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga.

In the 2023 draft they weren’t slated to pick until late in Round 3, but they traded up to the No. 87 overall pick where they selected safety Ji’Ayir Brown. His versatile skill set made him an easy fit in the 49ers defense, and they needed to get younger at that position.

They affirmed their commitment to their plans in the 2024 draft when they used a fourth-round pick to select safety Malik Mustapha. That choice confirmed Hufanga’s time in San Francisco wouldn’t likely last beyond his rookie contract, which is up after the 2024 season.

Choosing to move on from Hufanga isn’t because he hasn’t had a strong four seasons with the 49ers. He was a quality special teams contributor as a rookie, then earned a First-Team All-Pro nod in 2022 in his first season as a starter on defense.

Injuries cut his 2023 season short and may cost him a majority of the 2024 campaign, but he’s still a quality player who will likely earn a contract in free agency north of what the 49ers can afford.

At some point the 49ers have to decide where they’re going to trim their roster financially, and the two safety spots are an easy choice given the other talent they’ve paid on the defensive side of the ball. That they used two draft picks at the position was confirmation they’d be going with rookie contracts at the two safety spots.

There’s always a chance Hufanga’s market is muted and he returns to the 49ers, which gives San Francisco a good problem on their depth chart. However, his penchant for generating turnovers and creating big plays for a defense should make him a valuable asset on the free agent market. If there’s even a handful of teams interested, his value will quickly sail above what the 49ers can realistically afford.

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49ers All-Pro predicted to cut ties with San Francisco, join Saints

49ers All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga was predicted to cut ties with San Francisco and join the New Orleans Saints in 2025 free agency:

Never say never, but it could be tough for the New Orleans Saints to rationalize some big moves in 2025 free agency. Between needing a new head coach and the salary cap costs of past decisions, they might be better served sitting out another spending cycle to get their books in order.

But that doesn’t mean they won’t sign any new faces. And if they do go after a blue-chip player in free agency, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has a great fit in mind. Knox argues San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga could be just what the Saints defense has been missing:

The Saints—who tapped into the San Francisco pipeline with edge-rusher Chase Young and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak this offseason—could be very interested if Hufanga is available.

“The Saints could use some safety help and Tyrann Mathieu could be another cap casualty this offseason,” Holder wrote.

New Orleans, however, will have to free up a lot of cap space to pursue any marquee free agent. The Saints are projected to be $77 million over the 2025 cap.

The Colts should also be interested in adding a playmaker like Hufanga. Nick Cross has been a tackling machine in Indy this season but has too often been a liability in coverage. Hufanga’s ball skills and versatility would make him a great addition to the Colts’ secondary.

Injuries have limited Hufanga to a dozen games through 2023 and 2024, though he’s expected to return later this season. The 2022 All-Pro makes plays all over the field with 7 interceptions, 14 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and 2 sacks to go with 189 combined tackles (7 tackles for loss). But while he could be a viable replacement for Mathieu as a roving defender who can line up at any depth, he’s played his best football hanging back over the top of the defense. They could coexist.

Still, getting out from under tens of millions of dollars in negative salary cap space will be a challenge. The Saints will need to accomplish that before they can begin looking for help on the free agent market. But when you look at the players they have added recently like Chase Young, Khalen Saunders, and Willie Gay Jr., Hufanga fits the bill as an obviously talented playmaker with a bit of an injury history. Maybe he ends up in New Orleans after all.

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Colby Parkinson is the latest FA signing to be benched by the Rams, and he might not be the last

With Colby Parkinson being demoted, the Rams’ 2024 free-agent class is shaping up to be one of the worst in recent memory

The Los Angeles Rams didn’t shy away from spending in free agency this past offseason, something they haven’t done in recent years in an attempt to be financially smart. They opened up their wallets for Jonah Jackson, Colby Parkinson, Darious Williams, Kam Curl and Tre’Davious White, signing them to contracts worth a total value of $109.25 million.

Though Williams and Curl are playing well, the rest of the free-agent class has been a bust. Parkinson is the latest offseason addition to be benched by the Rams, a terrible sign for the veteran tight end who earned a $22.5 million deal this offseason.

In Week 10 against the Dolphins Parkinson played a season-low 11 snaps, per PFF. He wasn’t a starter on offense, being the third tight end to get on the field behind Davis Allen and Hunter Long. The Rams were confident he’d be an impact player for them when he was signed to a three-year deal but he’s done very little to help a struggling offense.

Allen, a fifth-round pick in 2023, led the tight end group with 56 snaps played, the second straight week he’s gotten more opportunities than Parkinson. He was targeted six times in the Rams’ 23-15 loss to the Dolphins, catching five of those passes for 34 yards.

Parkinson, meanwhile, wasn’t targeted a single time for the second straight week and has only 17 yards receiving in his last three games combined. At this point, he’s not even contributing much as a blocker, with those snaps going to Long when the Rams are in 12 personnel.

Considering Allen’s performance against the Dolphins and Parkinson’s lack of involvement, it’s hard to see Parkinson going back to a starting role anytime soon.

Sadly, he might not be the last free-agent signing to be benched by the Rams. Jackson could be next.

In his first game back since Week 2, Jackson struggled badly at center. His biggest mistake was a high snap that resulted in a 13-yard loss, killing what was an otherwise promising drive.

Sean McVay said after the game that “everything’s on the table” when discussing the offensive line, an indication that perhaps even the $51 million lineman could be benched in favor of Beaux Limmer, a sixth-round rookie.

Championships aren’t won in free agency, but between White, Parkinson and Jackson, the Rams seem to have whiffed on three of their biggest signings.

Jonathon Cooper’s contract is even better than initially reported

Jonathon Cooper’s contract is worth an average of $13.5 million per season, even better than the initially-reported $15M per year.

When news broke earlier this week that pass rusher Jonathon Cooper signed a contract extension with the Denver Broncos, it was reported as a four-year, $60 million deal. That would average out to about $15 million per season, a very reasonable price for a productive edge defender.

It turns out that the deal was even better than initially reported (agents have a tendency to leak the “max value” of their clients’ deals). Cooper’s four-year extension is worth $54 million, giving him an average yearly salary of $13.5 million. He could earn an additional $6 million through incentives.

Cooper probably could have waited until the spring and earned more in free agency, but he wanted to stay in Denver.

“The process was pretty quick, easy and simple,” Cooper said of negotiating his second contract in the NFL. “I have really good agents and the people across the team, they like them. The process went really smooth, and I felt like I didn’t need to take it any further than what it was because I love this program. I love this team. I love the organization, and I just felt like I didn’t need to go any further and signing it there in the hotel, it just worked out as well as it could.”

Cooper received a $6,025,168 signing bonus that will be prorated as $1,225,168 cap hits in each of the next five seasons, according to OverTheCap.com. He also has a $4 million roster bonus due next spring and $510,000 game-day bonuses in each of the next four seasons.

Here’s a look at Cooper’s base salaries and cap hits from 2025-2028, courtesy of OTC:

2025: $5,635,000 / $11,345,000
2026: $11,490,000 / $13,200,000
2027: $12,990,000 / $14,700,000
2028: $12,990,000 / $14,700,000

Cooper gets a well-deserved raise with more than $16.7 million guaranteed and the Broncos got a team-friendly deal by getting the extension done before free agency. It worked out well for both sides.

“I’m very proud of ‘Coop’” cornerback Pat Surtain said this week. “When you talk about a guy who came in with the right approach, right work ethic and everything along the lines of becoming a great player, that’s him. Him being a seventh-round pick and going through the roster this and that — for him to be able to secure that contract is huge to him. I’m very proud of him.”

Cooper, 26, is tied with Nik Bonitto for the team lead in sacks over the last two seasons (14). After leading the club with 8.5 sacks last fall, Cooper is now on pace for the first double-digit sack season of his career in 2024. He deserves of penny of the new deal.

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Former Broncos draft bust is now a free agent

The Eagles cut former Broncos fourth-round draft pick Albert Okwuegbunam this week.

The Philadelphia Eagles released tight end Albert Okwuegbunam on Tuesday, making him a free agent.

Okwuegbunam (6-5, 258 pounds) was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Missouri. After reuniting with former college teammate Drew Lock, “Albert O” was projected to serve as Denver’s top receiving tight end.

Okwuegbunam was relatively productive when healthy — he totaled 33 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns in his second season — but the tight end struggled to stay on the field with the Broncos.

Okwuegbunam missed 24 games during a three-year tenure in Denver before being traded to the Eagles ahead of the 2023 season. The Broncos sent “Albert O” and a seventh-round draft pick to Philly in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He dressed for four games with the Eagles last fall but only drew one target and did not record any catches.

Okwuegbunam started the 2024 season on injured reserve after undergoing core muscle surgery. After recovering from that surgery, “Albert O” was cut by Philly. The 26-year-old tight end now hits free agency with 54 receptions for 546 yards and four touchdowns on his resume.

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Broncos’ 2021 draft class is paying off big time

The Broncos picked Pat Surtain, Quinn Meinerz and Jonathon Cooper in the 2021 NFL draft. They’re now all signed through at least 2028.

The Denver Broncos made 10 picks in the 2021 NFL draft. Half of those players started for the team this season, and at least three of them will remain core players for the foreseeable future.

The Broncos used their first-round pick that year to select cornerback Pat Surtain, who received a four-year, $96 million contract extension in September. The team’s second-round pick was running back Javonte Williams, who remains Denver’s starting RB.

In the third round, the Broncos picked guard Quinn Meinerz, who signed a four-year, $80 million deal in August. In the final round of that draft, Denver picked pass rusher Jonathon Cooper. He received a four-year, $60 million extension earlier this week.

That’s three players at three key positions — cornerback, pass rusher and offensive line — who are now signed through at least the 2028 season. Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix also has a fifth-year option in his contract for 2028.

Building through the draft is the most sustainable way to build a winning roster in the NFL and three years later, Denver’s 2021 class is paying off.

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Broncos kept Jonathon Cooper’s contract quiet, but there was a clue

The Broncos kept Jonathon Cooper’s contract extension quiet, but there was a clue on social media.

The Denver Broncos made a statement last Saturday when they gave outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper a four-year, $60 million contract extension. With that deal, Denver declared that Cooper is the team’s top pass rusher going forward. That declaration was made quietly, though.

Perhaps not wanting to upset any trade talks, the Broncos did not leak Cooper’s extension until after they agreed to trade fellow outside linebacker Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday.

With both players scheduled to become free agents in 2025, Denver opted to keep Cooper instead of Browning. That decision was made official with Cooper’s extension on Saturday, but the team kept it quiet while finalizing the Browning trade.

There was a social media clue that the deal was done over the weekend, but nobody could be blamed for missing it (Broncos Wire didn’t notice it until after Cooper’s extension).

Cooper took to Twitter/X on Sunday evening to respond to Devin Jackson’s three-year-old story about Cooper’s football journey.

“I don’t usually look up articles of myself or read them if it’s positive but I just wanted to say thank you for this and thank you for helping me remember where I came from,” Cooper tweeted Jackson on Sunday.

After getting an extension, it seems that Cooper was reflecting back on his journey to the NFL. That was perhaps the first public clue that the pass rusher had received an extension from the Broncos.

Denver now has Cooper signed through the 2028 season.

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Cardinals will pay all of Baron Browning’s remaining salary in 2024

The Broncos will get some salary cap relief after trading Baron Browning to the Cardinals.

After agreeing to trade a sixth-round draft pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for pass rusher Baron Browning, the Arizona Cardinals are set to pay all of Browning’s remaining salary this season.

Browning went into the year with a $3.116 million base salary. Nine games into the season, he is still owed $1.56 million and the Cardinals will pay all of it, according to the Denver Post‘s Parker Gabriel.

It’s not much, but everything adds up for a team like the Broncos who are eating $53 million in dead money this season after cutting quarterback Russell Wilson in the spring.

Denver could have potentially received a compensatory draft pick if Browning walked in free agency next spring, but that would have depended on his next contract and the Broncos’ own free agency moves. Instead of weighing comp formulas next year, Denver decided to take a guaranteed sixth-round pick to trade Browning now.

The Broncos now hold seven draft picks in 2025.

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