Training Camp Day 10: Turnovers and Newcomers - Looking at 3 free agents and 3 trades the 49ers should consider

Day 10 was... a mixed bag to say the least.

Aug 27, 2020

San Francisco 49ers/YouTube

Day 10 has wrapped up, and well… it was a rollercoaster. Shades of the now infamous 5 interception practice were on display today, with Jimmy throwing 3 interceptions. Sherman had a 99 yard pick six on a bum ankle, which was great to see. He might be better this season for all we know, the further he gets from his achilles injury, the better. Jonathan Cyprien has continued his outstanding production with another pick as well, this time courtesy of 6th round pick Tim Harris, who tipped a pass. And then Javon Kinlaw gets his first big play in training camp, catching another tipped pass at the LOS for an interception, sort of like how DJ Jones had one yesterday. This is not really a big deal, Jimmy is supposed to use training camp to test out throws and see which are bad, which aren’t, but either way, 3 picks is not amazing to hear about.

The skill positions again played great. Dante Pettis had a great practice, with a couple of contested catches. Jauan Jennings also caught a TD and played well. As usual Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor showed out as always. There is an argument that Bourne can start even when Deebo and Aiyuk are healthy, although it probably won’t happen. Either way, Bourne starting is not a bad thing at all. Ross Dwelley is still out with his foot injury, and Jordan Reed also was limited today in practice, probably to ease him into playing shape.

Emmanuel Moseley played the #2 corner today and balled out, showing why he started in a Super Bowl and why he should be the corner opposite Sherman. He’s thoroughly outplayed Verrett and Witherspoon, and while he does not have the same ball production as the two, he does not give up big plays at all, and is great in the run game. He’s solidifying himself as a long-term starter at CB. Tarvarius Moore is again playing well, he’s borderline elite in man coverage. He could honestly start in absence of K’Waun Williams in the slot, but his skills are best at FS. The Jimmie Ward extension was not a very good move for a couple of reasons:

Tarvarius Moore can be better than Ward and cheaper.
Letting Ward walk, means that you can use that money on someone like Tartt instead who we do not have a replacement for at the moment.

I would have rather seen a Tartt extension, and waited on Ward and Moore. Money management is what caused decisions like keeping Arik Armstead over DeForest Buckner, and with all the talent on the roster, Lynch has to think every move fully over. Who’s the replacement for Tartt? Because the contracts coming up include:

Richard Sherman
Fred Warner
Trent Williams
Jaquiski Tartt
Trent Taylor
Nick Mullens

And you have to think even more ahead with the eventual McGlinchey and Bosa extensions. There’s a limited amount of money going around, and signing Ward that early probably means Jaquiski Tartt won’t be a 49er by the start of next season.

UDFA Watch

As usual with this front office, their ability to identify talent with UDFAs is unmatched and this season is no difference. Some of the biggest names: Kevin Givens, JaMychal Hasty, Darrion Daniel, Chase Harrell, and Josh Hokit.

Kevin Givens is a UDFA from a prior year but many reports indicate that he has played well and has a shot at the roster.

JaMychal Hasty is the primary competition for Jeff Wilson in terms of that 4th running back spot, and while Wilson has the in-game experience and ability, Hasty is no slouch either, although the pre-season would have really helped in evaluating the too. Hasty will be a 49er one way or another, most likely through the practice squad.

Darrion Daniel is yet another DL who has made a splash so far in training camp, he does not really have a shot at the roster, but his run stuff ability gives him a great shot at getting onto the practice squad.

Josh Hokit is a UDFA fullback!!!, and he is very versatile. Good blocker, pass catcher, and he will run you over. He even trucked Kwon Alexander on his way to the end-zone a couple practices ago.

Finally, probably the best player here, Chase Harrell. Harrell is a TE who has been sharing snaps with Charlie Woerner while battling for that last TE spot. The issue with Harrell is that he does not seem to be nearly as good of a blocker as Woerner, which will probably end up being the deciding factor. Woerner has NFL-ready blocking, and while Harrell is better in the pass game (much better), with Reed and Dwelley already there, I don’t see the Niners keeping a roster spot for Harrell. He is a prime target for the practice squad.

Signings keep coming

The Niners are expected to sign River Cracaft, the former Broncos wideout, after he impressed the coaches in a workout. They had also worked out Kevin White, Justin Hardy, and Johnny Holton with Cracaft, and they have not ruled out a signing there either. Shanahan seems set on trying to find any sort of WR help wherever he can, and a lot of his signings tend to be not roster candidates, but the veteran practice squad instead. Niners still have not signed a depth player in the interior officially, which is very interesting with how thin that part of the line is at the moment.

5 Free Agents/Trade Targets the 49ers should pursue

Jabaal Sheard, DE - I’m honestly surprised this has not already happened. Our edge rushing core is extremely injury prone, and Sheard is a guy who since 2011 has consistently averaged 5 sacks each season as a situational pass rusher. Think Elvis Dumervil a couple years ago. That’s the exact role Sheard would fill, especially with guys like Ronald Blair not being 100% healthy. He fills a need and does it with no drama, and for a contender like the 49ers, it should be a no brainer.
Trumaine Johnson, CB - Another guy I’m surprised has not at least gotten a workout, Johnson is no longer the good corner he was on LAR a couple years ago. But with guys like Dontae Johnson getting roster spots and depth snaps, I don’t see why a long, good press corner like Johnson has not gotten a look at least as depth. Jason Verrett, Ahkello Witherspoon, most of our corner core is extremely injury prone, and a good tackling corner like Johnson would be a relief coming off the bench instead of an unproven rookie like Tim Harris, or a less-than-ideal player in Dontae Johnson (to put it lightly). It would also be better than having to again mess with Tarvarius Moore’s position. Signing him would also allow the 49ers to let Jason Verrett fully recover and focus on nickel CB, which we are dangerously thin at due to the loss of DJ Reed.
Josh Kline, OG - A veteran OL, Kline, the long-time Viking was released this offseason to clear some salary cap after having a down season. Still, with the 49ers depth at IOL shot, Kline would be a much better option at OL instead of someone like Tom Compton, who’s best season came.. 5 years ago. Compton has been terrible in training camp with Colton McKivitz, the rookie 5th rounder getting more snaps on the interior. Kline fits the scheme as an athletic, light footed interior OL, and he’s consistently had PFF grades in the upper 60s. Not amazing, not bad either.

Trades

Yannick Ngakoue, DE - It sounds outlandish, but Ngakoue has been on the market for so long that his value has depreciated to a 2nd round pick, the same that we got Dee Ford for. The difference: We can literally trade Dee Ford for Yannick Ngakoue. A small pick may be needed to be included, but Ford and a 6th or something as such would easily be the best the Jaguars could get for an expiring edge rusher. Where would the money come from for the extension? Easy: The Dee Ford money that we recoup. This is a win-win for both teams, as the Jaguars still want that edge-rusher, while the 49ers upgrade and while they may have to pay a little bit more, a healthy edge rusher like Ngakoue who has history with our DC? Sign me up.
Alex Mack, IOL - We all wish this, but will it happen? I think this might be the best chance of all the moves. Couple of reasons: Mack is an expiring contract, and is nearing the end of his career. ATL is good but not good enough to compete in a stacked division like the NFC South, meaning that they would take any sort of value for Mack. He is at his lowest value thus far in his career. The problem: His salary is pretty big. The solution would be some sort of swap including Weston Richburg, where the 49ers would surrender the worser contract and younger player for a more established, cheaper, but older option. Mack would likely be a one year rental, meaning the 49ers would have to either draft or sign another FA in the following year to play center, assuming Mack wants too much money or retires.
Trade Away Tevin Coleman, RB, to the Bears - The Bears just lost David Montgomery to a serious groin injury, expected to be long-term. They run an outside zone offense and are severely in need of a workhorse RB who can play the 1st two downs, and after Tarik Cohen takes over 3rd down duties. Coleman is about as seamless of a fit as they can get, and the 49ers would be recouping fair value if they were able to send him for a mid to late round pick. The Bears don’t have many enticing players on their roster that they would give up for this, but they do have some picks which the 49ers would most likely ask for. Coleman is probably the most likely player on the team to get traded in my opinion. He is good, but with Mostert taking over lead RB, and McKinnon taking over 3rd down duties and healthy again, I can’t see a role for Coleman on this team. Jeff Wilson and Hasty waiting on the bench as well.

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