49ers reportedly bring back restricted free agent Moseley
The 49ers cleared up a small part of their defensive secondary puzzle Friday.
Emmanuel Moseley, a three-year veteran out of Tennessee, agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth up to $10.1 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Moseley was scheduled to become a restricted free agent when the negotiating period begins Monday, with the 49ers retaining right of first refusal.
Moseley has played in 29 games with 17 starts over three seasons. He played 12 games with eight starts in 2020 and had one interception while being hampered by a concussion and a hamstring strain.
It was Moseley who got lost in coverage in Super Bowl LIV against Kansas City Chiefs, surrendering a 44-yard gain on third-and-15 with 7:13 left in a play which sparked a comeback win for the Chiefs. Moseley joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2018, starting out on the practice squad and being promoted to the 53man roster in November of his rookie season.
The 49ers still have much work to do before and after free agency. Cornerbacks scheduled for free agency include Richard Sherman, Jason Verrett, K’Waun Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, Dontae Johnson and Jamar Taylor.
• Daniel Brunskill, a 16game starter on the offensive line, was brought back on a one-year tender as an exclusive rights free agent.
Ronald Blair III, a defensive end who last played in 2019 with a torn ACL in Week 10, was released. Blair started last season on the physically unable to perform list with complications from the injury and did not play in 2020.
BRADY SIGNS EXTENSION,
FREES SALARY CAP SPACE FOR BUCCANEERS >> Tom Brady has agreed to a contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that provides the Super Bowl champions with
much-needed salary cap relief and will help the seventime NFL champion reach a goal of playing until he’s at least 45.
The extension confirmed by the team frees about $19 million in salary cap space, a move that improves Tampa Bay’s chances of returning as much of its championship roster as possible for 2021.
Seven starters from the Super Bowl were among two dozen Buccaneers eligible to become free agents next week.
Brady’s extension adds an extra season on the twoyear, $50 million contract he signed in free agency last March following a 20year run with the New England Patriots.
NEWTON TO RETURN TO PATRIOTS >> The New England Patriots are completing an agreement to re-sign freeagent quarterback Cam Newton, according to The Associated Press.
The one-year deal is worth close to $14 million. The deal was first reported by The Boston Globe.
Men’s basketball
POSITIVE COVID-19 TESTS DERAIL KANSAS, VIRGINIA TOURNEY RUNS >> For the second time in as many days, major conferences have called off tournament games due to COVID-19 concerns — this time involving
No. 11 Kansas and No. 16 Virginia.
The Jayhawks withdrew from the Big 12 Tournament on Friday after a positive COVID-19 test within the program, which led to the cancellation of their semifinal matchup with No. 13 Texas.
And earlier Friday, the Atlantic Coast Conference canceled the league’s semifinal game between the top-seeded Cavaliers and Georgia Tech due to a positive test, quarantining and contact tracing within the Cavaliers program. The announcement came less than 12 hours before the Yellow Jackets and Cavaliers were set to play the first of two semifinal games.
It is unclear what the COVID-19 issues mean for the Virginia and Kansas going forward, though the Jayhawks released a statement that they would continue preparing for the NCAA Tournament.
Golf
WESTWOOD TAKES LEAD AT PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP >> Lee Westwood knows he’s playing some of his best golf, and he gets another chance to see if it can hold up against the best field.
Westwood had all the shots Friday in a bogeyfree round at The Players Championship, with two birdies at the start and a
nifty pitch to a troublesome pin on the par-5 ninth to close with a another birdie and a 6-under 66.
That gave him a oneshot lead over Matt Fitzpatrick (68) going into the weekend on the Stadium Course at the TPC Sawgrass, with U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau not too far behind.
Westwood, who turns 48 next month, played well enough to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week at Bay Hill except that DeChambeau was one shot better in a fascinating duel of generations on a course that favors power.
He was at 9-under 135 and will be part of the AllEngland final pairing Saturday.
MLB
MARKAKIS RETIRES AFTER 15 YEARS WITH BRAVES, ORIOLES >> After a 15-year career that came up just short of the World Series, Nick Markakis has retired.
Markakis spent his first nine years with the Baltimore Orioles before moving to his hometown Atlanta Braves for his final six seasons. A free agent after last season, Markakis, 37, told The Athletic in a story published Friday that he was done playing after accumulating 2,388 hits, earning his lone AllStar selection in 2018.