Blockbuster trade moves 49ers to 3rd pick
The San Francisco 49ers made a big move to grab their quarterback of the future by trading up with Miami to acquire the No. 3 pick in next month’s draft.
The 49ers announced Friday they are trading their No. 12 pick along with first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 and their compensatory third-rounder in 2022 to get the third overall pick.
The Dolphins then immediately traded the 12th pick, the 123rd pick and their own 2022 first-rounder to Philadelphia for the No. 6 and No. 156 picks in the draft, the Eagles announced.
The trade by the 49ers puts them in position to draft a quarterback with Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Trey Lance all possibilities. Jacksonville is expected to take Trevor Lawrence first and the New York Jets also could take one of the top quarterbacks at No. 2.
Drafting a quarterback would likely lead to the end of Jimmy Garoppolo’s tenure in San Francisco either in a trade this season or after a year if the 49ers opt to keep a veteran to help ease the transition for a rookie quarterback.
San Francisco acquired Garoppolo midway through the 2017 season from New England for a second-round pick and gave him a $137.5 million, five-year contract the next offseason.
Garoppolo helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in the 2019 season, but he missed 23 starts the other two seasons because of injuries. That contributed to San Francisco’s desire to find a more dependable option at quarterback in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
The 49ers have rarely taken a quarterback high in the draft, passing up on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in 2017 in the first season under coach Kyle Shanahan.
For the Dolphins, the trade signals they’re not in the market for another potential franchise quarterback, and will stake their future on Tua Tagovailoa. He was the No. 5 overall pick last
year and went 6-3 as a rookie starter.
Instead, Miami is taking a long-term approach toward addressing its many needs after going 10-6 last year, but missing the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.
The Dolphins have stockpiled draft picks since beginning a rebuilding project when Brian Flores was hired as coach two years ago.
The Dolphins have two firstround picks and two secondround picks this year, an extra third-rounder in 2022 and two first-rounders in 2023.
Ravens
Baltimore is expected to sign wide receiver Sammy Watkins to a one-year deal, according to media reports, adding a potential starter and experienced veteran to a much-criticized group. The deal reportedly is worth $5 million, with another $1 million available in incentives. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Watkins will reunite in
Baltimore with Greg Roman, his former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator, and Keith Williams, his former personal wide receivers coach and the Ravens’ firstyear pass game specialist.
Packers
Green Bay announced they had re-signed Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones, nearly two weeks after agent Drew Rosenhaus disclosed that the Pro Bowl running back had agreed to terms on a four-year, $48 million deal with a $13 million signing bonus. Jones rushed for 1,104 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020 while also catching 47 passes for 355 yards and two more scores. That followed a 2019 season in which Jones ran for 1,084 yards and 16 touchdowns while having 49 receptions for 474 yards and three scores.
Rams
Los Angeles signed receiver DeSean Jackson to be the gamebreaking deep threat it lacked
last season, and to be another steady target for fellow veteran newcomer Matthew Stafford. Jackson has played in only eight games over the past two years due to injuries, but he says he’s healthy and refreshed by his new opportunity.
Raiders
Las Vegas signed free-agent wide receiver Willie Snead to a one-year deal. The 28-year-old Snead entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Cleveland in 2014 and has played 86 games with New Orleans and Baltimore. He has 275 catches for 3,393 yards and 16 touchdowns. His two most productive seasons came with the Saints in 2015-16 when he combined for 141 catches for 1,879 yards and seven touchdowns.
Buccaneers
Tampa Bay moved closer to a goal of retaining all 22 starters from their Super Bowl victory, agreeing to a one-year, $3.25 million contract to bring free-agent running back Leonard Fournette back for next season. The fourth overall pick from the 2017 draft rushed for 300 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching 18 passes for another 148 yards and one touchdown during the four-game playoff run Tampa Bay capped with a 31-9 victory over Kansas City in the Super Bowl.
Bears
Chicago signed former Kansas City Chiefs running back and Super Bowl LIV star Damien Williams to a one-year contract, giving them depth to go with David Montgomery. Williams, who opted out last season because of COVID-19 concerns and to spend time with his mother as she battled stage 4 cancer, was released by the Chiefs March 16.
Saints
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was arrested Thursday in his hometown of Cleveland on suspicion of possessing a loaded handgun that had been reported stolen, police said. Lattimore possessed a loaded Glock handgun that was reported stolen in the city of Euclid in suburban Cleveland, Ciaccia said. He is also suspected of failing to inform an officer he was carrying a concealed weapon.
Elsewhere
Zach Wilson gave observers a taste of why he’s projected to go higher in the NFL draft than any BYU player before him. The quarterback only took part in passing drills, following a script of 60 passes drawn up by former BYU and NFL quarterback John Beck. Wilson threw a mix of deep routes, crossing routes, slants, curls, wheel routes and timing routes. Wilson made virtually every pass look effortless. Wilson is projected to go second overall to the New York Jets in the latest mock drafts from ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. The Jets had GM Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur in Provo to watch Wilson throw.