Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Thursday, February 20th, 2025
“The NFL sent a memo to every NFL team on Wednesday that projects the cap for the upcoming season to land from $277.5 million to $281.5 million per team, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported.”
Why 49ers likely won’t use franchise tag on their 2025 free agents
“The cost to retain Greenlaw would be a one-year deal worth $27.745 million. The other numbers are $20.89 million for Ward, $20.13 million for Hufanga and $25.8 million for Banks.”
Why 49ers face difficult Mason decision before new league year
“If the 49ers opt to tender Mason at the lowest figure in order to retain the right of first refusal, it would come with a one-season salary of $3.267 million.”
Barrows: From Tyler Warren to Cobee Bryant, finding the 49ers’ perfect NFL Draft fits (paywall)
“This draft is full of quality tight ends with LSU’s Mason Taylor, Texas’ Gunnar Helm and Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson potential nice fits on Day 2. But if Shanahan is craving one of the most versatile weapons in the draft, there is only one. Warren has the size and strength to be an effective in-line blocker and the receiving skills — he had 104 catches last season — for big plays down the field. He’ll even give you some goal-line snaps as a Wildcat quarterback.”
“Membou is less of a project than will be the narrative, but he absolutely has work to do to become a quality tackle in the NFL. But that’s why this fit is stellar. He would get to start at left guard next to Trent Williams and learn from Williams, to one day become his successor. He needs to work on hand placement in both the run and pass game, re-setting against counter moves, and having better eye discipline on picking up loopers and late-oncoming rushers.
There are other tackle options, with the best talent (in my view) being Ohio State’s Josh Simmons. Will Campbell is another option, a technician in the pass protection game (I’m not sold on Kelvin Banks). You could absolutely go that route, but it wouldn’t be filling an immediate need unless you move Colton McKivitz — the team’s most consistent offensive linemen last season — to guard. If you add Membou, you get an offensive line with only a question at center……..
….[Vernon Broughton, DT, Texas] is my favorite defensive tackle in the class and frankly, it’s insane he’s being mocked as an undrafted free agent. He’s the total package. He is a stout, physical run defender who can maintain his own gap consistently. He has astoundingly forceful, quick hands to disengage from blocks and to swipe hands down in the pass game. He wreaked havoc on Ohio State in the College Football Playoff, and he’s probably better, and far more consistent (the gap in pad levels is comical) than his explosive defensive tackle teammate, Alfred Collins, who is viewed by some as a second-round talent. Broughton is going to be a player.”
Branch: Way-too-soon 49ers 2025 mock draft: Getting into the trenches (paywall)
“Whatever the case, Banks’ versatility is a plus. Shanahan highlighted the same traits in McGlinchey in 2018.
“He can start in this league as a right tackle (or) left tackle,” Shanahan said at the time. “I’m sure he can help us at guard, too, if need be.”
Banks made 42 of 43 starts in his three seasons at Texas, missing last season’s SEC Championship Game with a sprained ankle, and won the Lombardi Trophy and Outland Trophy in his final season.
He doesn’t possess prototypical size for an NFL offensive tackle, but he has the nimble feet and athleticism the 49ers prize in offensive linemen. Concerns about his ability to play outside at the next level could be allayed by his dominance against SEC pass rushers: Banks allowed just four sacks in 1,544 pass-blocking snaps in his career.”
NFL Draft: 49ers met with ‘consistent pass-catching threat’ at the Hula Bowl
“[WV TE Kole] Taylor transferred from LSU and spent two seasons at West Virginia, where he recorded 78 catches for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. He believes his performance at the Hula Bowl helped showcase his potential at the next level.”
“The franchise is exploring selling up to 10% to private equity investors or other potential buyers.”
“At a position where it’s hard for players to be consistently elite, he has been just that,” the analytics site noted. “The 28-year-old has been one of the four highest-graded linebackers in football in each of the last five seasons and has now placed second three years in a row, this time earning an 89.2 PFF grade.”
Only Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun earned a higher defensive grade (90.1) when factoring in postseason play. During the regular season, Warner’s 89.2 grade ranked third behind Baun and Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (89.9).
“While he’s the third-ranked linebacker on this list, it’s hard not to view Warner as the gold standard for the position,” Pro Football Focus added.”