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In today’s links, you’ll see a few names to get familiar with, including an old friend. As well as a lengthy argument in defense of Jimmy G, why the Browns won’t pursue Richard Sherman, Peter King’s thoughts on who the 49ers QB will be once Week 1 rolls around, as well as an out of the box idea if Trent Williams walks in free agency.
Perhaps the 49ers would like to not revisit a union with their former first-round pick, but Smith is coming off a strong year in Dallas where he played in all 16 games and picked up 5.0 sacks in his first NFL action since 2015. Smith may also want to avoid coming back to the Bay Area. Still, adding a defensive end who can stay on the field all three downs or be a situational edge rusher is something the 49ers should be looking to do. Smith fits that bill.
Just because Garoppolo has missed 23 games in the last three seasons due to injury doesn’t mean he will always be injured
This one is just a statement, not a conclusion. There’s little question that Garoppolo has been less nimble since his 2018 ACL tear and that might’ve multiplied the effect of his high ankle sprains in 2020. And we don’t know what Garoppolo will be like as he moves into his 30s (he turns 30 on Nov. 2). The best predictor of future injury is past injury.
But there is no guarantee that any QB will remain healthy, including several of the ones rumored with the 49ers. And if the 49ers strengthen their interior offensive line, any concerns about Garoppolo’s mobility will take on a far less urgent note. The issue with his inability to throw deep regularly? That’s probably not changing. Oops, this was supposed to be a defense of Garoppolo! (But not an unreasonable one.)
4. Richard Sherman not likely to be on the radar
The Browns are willing to pay Watt, but they’re not expected to heavily pursue five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman, 32, who played for Woods in San Francisco.
The Browns are counting on starting cornerback Greedy Williams to return from the nerve damage in his shoulder, and they’ll likely try to re-sign his 2020 replacement Terrance Mitchell and slot corner Kevin Johnson. In addition, they’ll look to add other cornerbacks, either through the draft, free agency, a trade. In the case of the latter two, they’ll likely look for a younger cornerback than Sherman, who will be 33 next month.
Peter King believes Jimmy Garoppolo will be the 49ers QB for Week 1
“[Lynch] wouldn’t be human if he didn’t think to himself, ‘Man, if we went hard after Brady, if we gave the full-court press, we probably could have had him,’” King told Rich Eisen this week. “And you know what? Maybe they could have. I don’t know.
“But I just think that you have to logically look at Jimmy Garoppolo, and say, ‘Unless there’s a great offer or a great something out there, we’re going to stick with Garoppolo, and he’s going to be really good, and we’re going to be happy with it. It will be fine.’”
Another interesting possibility involves a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for OT Orlando Brown Jr.
Brown wants to play left tackle after spending most of his career in Baltimore at right tackle, opposite star LT Ronnie Stanley. After Stanley went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 8, Brown slid over to left tackle and performed well. Now he’s looking for a permanent move to the blind side.
It wouldn’t be easy for San Francisco to acquire the 2018 third-round pick. He’s a very good player who Baltimore probably isn’t going to be eager to part with.