Tag: NFL trades

Former 49ers LT Joe Staley advocates for Julio Jones trade

The San Francisco 49ers should trade for Julio Jones according to Joe Staley.

As long as Julio Jones trade rumors are swirling, the 49ers are going to be in the conversation as potential suitors. While there are pros and cons to San Francisco making such a significant move, at least one former 49er is in on the idea.

Recently-retired left tackle Joe Staley hasn’t been absent since leaving the team. He still regularly tweets about the club during the season and may wind up being involved in the organization in some capacity down the line. For now his involvement remains online, where he made his thoughts known on a potential Jones acquisition.

Staley on Thursday responded to a tweet asking which team would be the most dangerous with Jones, and pointed to the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan:

Shanahan was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016, and Jones turned in his only two seasons as a First-Team All-Pro. Jones in those two years posted 219 receptions, 3,280 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 30 games.

Staley’s tweet isn’t likely to sway the front office, but it’s hard to argue with his logic. The 49ers in 2019 were the No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL. Adding a receiver like Jones would elevate them to a new level that could far surpass what they did during that 2019 campaign.

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49ers should take another big swing with Julio Jones trade

The 49ers should be calling the Falcons to hammer out a trade for WR Julio Jones.

The 49ers already took a big swing this offseason when they traded up to the No. 3 overall pick. Now there’s an opportunity to make another big splash. Jeff Schultz of the Athletic wrote that the Falcons under new general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith would like to move wide receiver Julio Jones to help alleviate a volatile cap situation.

This is something the 49ers, with their unproven receiving corps, should be making calls on.

San Francisco off the bat is handicapped by the fact they’re without first-round picks in either of the next two drafts, and they’ve already unloaded their supplemental third-round selection in the 2022 draft.

Any deal for the 32-year-old receiver would need to start with a second-round pick in 2022, and maybe a second or third-round choice in 2023. That feels like a steal for the 49ers, but it’s where their best offer is going to land.

It remains to be seen what kind of market there will be for Jones, and whether another club will come over the top and offer a first-round pick and then some. If that’s the case, San Francisco would be out of the running early.

Adding Jones is the kind of move that would elevate the 49ers’ passing game to a level it can only reach with a player of Jones’ caliber. There are maybe three pass catchers in the league that impact games the way he does.

Between 2014 and 2019, Jones averaged 103.8 receptions, 1,564.7 yards and 6.2 touchdowns per season. During that stretch he went to six Pro Bowls and earned two First-Team All-Pro nods, both of which came while Shanahan was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016.

Jones is a big, fast, physical pass catcher that would step in and be the team’ No. 1 target right away, while taking a lot of the focus off Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. Not to mention adding a security blanket like Jones would be especially helpful for a young quarterback.

His cap numbers over the next three years are $15.3 million, $11.5 million and $11.5 million according to Over the Cap. While those numbers are high for a receiver, the 49ers are in a spot to withstand that kind of cap hit, especially if Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract comes off the books next year while the salary cap sees an uptick. Any minor cap maneuvering in 2021 would be well worth the addition of one of the league’s most dominant wide receivers.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan in 2018 said he’d do whatever it took to get Jones if given the opportunity. The opportunity is there, and the 49ers should be turning over every leaf to make a deal happen.

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Steve Wyche confirms Falcons fielding calls for Julio Jones

On Monday morning, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Falcons are fielding trade calls for Julio Jones, and doubled down on those reports Monday afternoon.

On Monday morning, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Falcons are fielding trade calls for Julio Jones, and doubled down on those reports Monday afternoon.

“That Julio Jones contract, which is great for him, is one of the worst contracts I’ve ever seen for a team. It really has helped their salary cap explode so much, so that they need to create room just to sign their draft picks,” stated Rapoport on NFL Total Access.

Steve Wyche, National Contributor for the Atlanta Falcons and NFL Network TV analyst, echoed the earlier reports from Rapoport that the Falcons are indeed taking calls from teams inquiring about Jones.

“Teams have called about potentially trading the franchise wide receiver,” confirmed Wyche. He also reiterated that this trade could come solely as a need to clear cap space. The Falcons currently have $929,851 of cap space left, which is only 13 percent of the projected cap space needed to sign this years rookie class. “The Falcons cap situation is absolutely captivating right now,” Wyche continued.

Cap Hit Savings Pre-June 1 Savings Post-June 1
Julio Jones $23,050,000 ($200,000) $15,300,000

The Falcons trading Jones now makes the most sense as they would be saving $4 million less in 2022 and 2023, as opposed to trading Jones away in 2021. For points of notice, teams would need to have the allotted cap space of $15 million and be in need of a receiver now. With three seasons remaining on his current contract, Jones base salary would cost a team a combined $38,326,000. Only $17,300,000 million of that salary is guaranteed though.

Of course, the Falcons wouldn’t get any of those savings until after June 1, but a deal can be worked out beforehand and finalized afterwards. However, this would only be for future draft picks. Despite this, trading Jones would certainly influence where the Falcons go in the draft, and would make Kyle Pitts at No. 4 much more reasonable.

Not only Pitts, but Ja’Marr Chase becomes a heightened candidate as well — a player with very little likelihood of going to Atlanta prior to these reports. A deal would be very difficult for the Falcons to pull off, but not impossible.

Hear Wyche’s full statements on NFL Network via his Twitter.

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How much draft capital do the 49ers really have?

A trade value chart for the 2021 NFL draft shows 49ers relatively limited draft capital despite nine picks.

An underrated aspect of the 49ers’ climb up to No. 3 in this year’s draft is that it cost them no picks in the 2021 draft. The move not only jumped them to No. 3 in 2021, it kept them in contention to be factors in other areas of the draft.

Here’s what San Francisco’s draft capital looks like numerically, using the Rich Hill trade value chart, which is slightly different from the one popularized by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson:

 

While the 49ers do hold nine selections, their 747 points worth of picks isn’t a massive number. However, they have enough back end capital that they can facilitate some moves up in the middle rounds if they see fit.

Given how aggressive the 49ers’ front office has been moving around the board since general manager John Lynch took over in 2017, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them squeeze every ounce possible out of the draft capital they do have. If they can make a couple moves up, they could wind up walking away with a much higher-quality class than their current picks are lined up to retrieve.

49ers poised for more trades up in 2021 draft

The 49ers already made one big trade in the 2021 NFL draft, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make more.

The 49ers made one big jump up from No. 12 to No. 3 in this year’s draft, but they could be poised to make more moves up the board. General manager John Lynch explained in his press conference following the trade that the impetus for the move was the club’s success in retaining their own free agents and signing some others. That same logic could apply when it comes to making more trades in the draft.

They went into the offseason needing to hold onto their picks to restock their roster after what was sure to be a mass exodus in free agency. The free agency period dominoes fell in their favor though, and left them with a little bit of wiggle room to walk away from the draft with six or seven picks instead of nine-plus.

Here are San Francisco’s selections going into the draft:

Round 1, Pick 3
Round 2, Pick 43
Round 3, Pick 102 (Compensatory)
Round 4, Pick 117
Round 5, Pick 155
Round 5, Pick 172 (via New Orleans)
Round 5, Pick 180 (Compensatory)
Round 6, Pick 193
Round 7, Pick 229 (via New York Jets)

While they hold nine picks, they only have four in the top 150, and two in the top 100.

It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the 49ers try and maneuver their way up in the third and fourth round to try and target some higher-quality players who could serve as depth this year before taking over as starters in 2022 when they could once again be facing a free agency crunch as a slew of one-year deals expire.

They also don’t have a first-round pick next year, and have extensions for Fred Warner and Nick Bosa both coming in a year or two. The 49ers need to capitalize now and start finding starting-caliber players who’re cost-controlled.

On the other hand, the argument could be made that San Francisco needs as many darts to throw at the board as possible. That would involve holding on to all their picks and perhaps trading back once or twice to come away with a 10-plus player draft class.

Given the team’s roster and their readiness to compete for a championship though, simply filling the roster with lower-end draft picks may not behoove them in the present or future. They’re in a spot where they can afford to make a couple moves up, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them do that.

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49ers should be involved in trade talks for Bears WR

The San Francisco 49ers need a slot receiver, and Bears WR Anthony Miller could be their answer.

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The Bears have made wide receiver Anthony Miller available via trade. NFL Media’s Ian Rapaport reported that several teams were involved in trying to make a deal happen. If the 49ers aren’t one of those clubs, they should be.

Miller was a second-round pick out of Memphis by the Bears in the 2018 draft. He posted a strong rookie campaign with 33 receptions for 423 yards and seven touchdowns. In Year 2 he jumped to 52 catches for 656 yards and two scores. His third season was productive as well with 49 receptions, 485 yards and two touchdowns.

San Francisco need a third receiver after Kendrick Bourne’s departure, and an established veteran slot receiver like Miller would be a perfect replacement. If the 49ers were already going to use a draft pick on a receiver, finding a player who’s already been productive in the NFL makes a lot of sense.

Miller and Bourne were essentially the same player from a production standpoint over the last three years. Bourne posted 1,512 yards and 11 touchdowns on 121 receptions. Miller tallied 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns on 134 receptions.

The 49ers shouldn’t aim to move premium capital for Miller given that he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal. However, if he can be had for a couple of later picks, he’d give the 49ers a strong answer to one of their offense’s big questions going into the season.

Watch: How the NFL draft trades impact the Detroit Lions at No. 7

Who comes off the board and what trade options are still there for the Lions?

Friday was a chaotic day for the upcoming 2021 NFL draft. Two major trades in the span of about 15 minutes shook up the draft order in the top 10.

The Detroit Lions are still at No. 7, but the trades involving the No. 3 pick (from Miami to San Francisco) and No. 6 pick (from Philadelphia to Miami) directly impact the Lions. What do the deals signify? Who are the targets more likely to be on and off the board for the Lions when they make their pick? If the Lions want to trade back, what can Detroit expect in compensation?

We learned a lot of those answers on Friday. In conjunction with the Detroit Lions Podcast, I recorded a video breakdown on all the ripple effects for the Lions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itmJaDxg_Rs

49ers leapfrog the Falcons to take the No. 3 spot in draft

With the draft just over a month away, teams are already being proactive with trades.

With the 2021 NFL draft just over a month away, teams are already jockeying for position. The Falcons, who hold the No. 4 overall pick, were leapfrogged in the draft order on Friday afternoon by the San Francisco 49ers.

As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers moved up from No. 12 overall to No. 3 after a trade with the Miami Dolphins.

The 49ers gave up their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, they gave up their 2022 third-round selection (originally reported as a 2021 third-round selection).

Schefter went on to report that San Francisco had been trying to move up for weeks, discussing potential trades with the Falcons and Bengals as well.

Draft experts have consistently predicted Atlanta to trade down. We don’t know what kind of deal with the 49ers may have been discussed, but the lack of a deal doesn’t mean the Falcons won’t still pull off a trade before draft day.

Some others teams that Atlanta could look to trade with are the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and possibly the Carolina Panthers.

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Blockbuster NFL trades shake up the draft order above the Lions

The compensation frameworks are now in place for the Lions looking to trade up or back, too

Toss the mock draft projections in the garbage. Two trades with massive 2021 NFL draft ramifications happened within minutes of one another on Friday afternoon. The outcome of the trades has a direct impact on what the Detroit Lions can do with the No. 7 overall pick, too.

The trades

The Miami Dolphins trade the No. 3 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the No. 12 overall pick, a 2021 third-round pick and additional first-round picks in both 2022 and 2023.

That’s essentially the same return compensation the Lions received for trading Matthew Stafford to the Rams, with Los Angeles also throwing in Jared Goff and his considerable contract.

Miami wasn’t done, however…

The Dolphins quickly traded away the No. 12 pick and a 2022 first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 6 overall pick.

So now the updated draft order, once the trades are official:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars
  2. New York Jets
  3. San Francisco 49ers
  4. Atlanta Falcons
  5. Cincinnati Bengals
  6. Miami Dolphins
  7. Detroit Lions
  8. Carolina Panthers
  9. Denver Broncos
  10. Dallas Cowboys
  11. New York Giants
  12. Philadelphia Eagles

The 49ers still have QB Jimmy Garoppolo, but his long-term fate with San Francisco is directly in question now. If the Lions are looking to move up, the Jets at No. 2 make the most sense. And we now have the blueprint for the type of compensation it will take to get there, if that’s what GM Brad Holmes wants to do.

The second trade offers a glimpse into what Holmes and the Lions could get if they trade back from No. 7. While they lost a potential trade partner, the framework for what picks Detroit could expect is now clearer.

Brad Holmes: Lions had several ‘aggressive offers’ for Matthew Stafford

Holmes talked about the intense interest around the league in Stafford

The time between the Detroit Lions revealing that longtime quarterback Matthew Stafford was available via trade and the deal worked out between the Lions and Rams didn’t take nearly as long as many expected. Lions GM Brad Holmes quickly worked out a deal with his old employer to send Stafford to Los Angeles in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick.

In his press conference on Friday introducing Goff to the Detroit media, Holmes let it be known he had multiple strong offers for Stafford. But in the end, he was drawn to getting Goff as part of the return.

“There was quite a number of teams, not to say anyone specifically, but quite a number of teams that had all aggressive offers,” Holmes said. “So, when we started discussions with the Rams and with (GM) Les (Snead), obviously, that’s when Jared (Goff) came into play. I did think that out of all the aggressive offers, and competitive offers that we were weighing, that to be able to acquire a quarterback at the status level of what Jared has accomplished, I thought that was very, very intriguing from a compensation standpoint.”

Holmes didn’t name names, obviously. But based on the frenzied reporting around the subsequent Carson Wentz deal and possible presences of Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson on the trade block, it’s easy to validate Holmes’ claim. Teams like Indianapolis (which traded for Wentz), Chicago, Dallas (which re-signed Dak Prescott), Washington and Denver had been commonly linked to talking to the Lions about Stafford’s availability prior to the trade between the Lions and Rams.

Based on the return the Eagles got for Wentz–a younger QB than Stafford–Holmes did well in getting the return he did for Stafford. The Eagles received a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 draft choice that will be a first- or second-round pick as part of the deal. The Rams including Goff, albeit with a hefty cost to the salary cap, was too sweet for Holmes to pass up.