On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The San Francisco 49ers are bringing in a player who has done what they weren’t quite able to do last season.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that the 49ers have agreed to sign defensive end Leonard Floyd in free agency. Floyd, who spent the 2023 campaign with the Buffalo Bills, is getting a two-year, $20 million deal that has $12 million guaranteed in the first year and could be worth up to $24 million overall.
A first-round pick in 2016 (No. 9 overall), Floyd, 31, is a major addition on the edge for San Francisco. He has 58.0 career sacks and tied a career-high last season with 10.5 of them for the Bills. Floyd was also a starter for the Los Angeles Rams when they won Super Bowl LVI in the 2021 campaign.
San Francisco’s pass rush was already formidable with 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and former Pro Bowler Chase Young leading the way.
But Young is a free agent himself, and the 49ers just parted ways with another prominent member of their defensive line. The addition of Floyd should thus help them maintain their scariness up front.
More must-reads:
- 49ers to release veteran DT
- Way-too-early San Francisco 49ers 2024 NFL Draft preview
- The 'NFL Offensive Player of the Year' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Browns reporter says rookie is 'not an NFL QB'
As of the first Monday of August, there was no indication that 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel or 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders had any real chance to emerge as the Cleveland Browns' Week 1 starting quarterback. During a Monday morning appearance on Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan, Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter offered quite a worrisome update regarding how Gabriel has looked during training camp practices. "He's not good," Ruiter said about Gabriel. "He's not an NFL quarterback. Not right now, and the fact that they keep running him out there for first-team reps ... they're cramming this guy down our throats, and it's not good." Numerous NFL analysts viewed Gabriel as a third-day selection before the Browns made him the 94th overall pick of this year's draft. The perception, up until Sanders was held out of Saturday's practice due to arm soreness, was that he has been the team's fourth-choice option at the position behind Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. All signs are reportedly pointing to Flacco getting the start for Cleveland's Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Gabriel is listed at 5-foot-11, but some who cover the team have expressed doubts about that measurement. It seems that a lack of desirable size for playing the position in the pros isn't all that's gone against Gabriel this summer. "It's not a height thing," Ruiter continued. "It's not personal. He's rolling out and can't hit guys who are wide open. He's not all that great, at times, in the warmup periods. ... He's just not a good quarterback." Ruiter said that he feels Gabriel "has no business being in contention to start a football game" for the Browns this season. "It's god awful when he's on the field," Ruiter added. Browns general manager Andrew Berry revealed in late July that he could stash all four active quarterbacks on the roster for at least Week 1. For an article published on Sunday night, Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand wrote that there's "zero chance" either Gabriel or Sanders will be cut this summer. Perhaps Gabriel will look better when he sees some action in Cleveland's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8. That said, it sounds like fans should keep their expectations low for Gabriel's unofficial debut this coming Friday.
Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump
The Boston Celtics have made yet another curious offseason move, trading 32-year-old 3-point specialist Georges Niang and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for RJ Luis Jr., an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract. On the surface, this trade was more or less a salary dump. While a rebuilding team, the Jazz are expected to absorb Niang’s 2024-25 salary ($8.2 million) in the trade exception they generated from shipping John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers. This reduced Boston’s luxury tax by $50 million, according Third Apron salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan. For their efforts, the Jazz not only got a pair of second-rounders but a veteran that can teach their young players the nuances of professionalism. Celtics’ Georges Niang Trade Wasn’t Just About Salary Dump Though the Celtics obviously wanted to reduce their bill, the deal wasn’t just about that. Boston genuinely wanted Luis, per ZAGSBLOG draft expert Adam Zagoria. With that in mind, he entered the 2025 NBA Draft out of St. John’s, he played his freshman season at local UMass. That season, he averaged 11.5 points per game on 45.5 percent from the field. He also earned 10 starts, averaging 15.5 points per game in those contests. As a junior in 2024-25, Luis exploded for 18.2 points per game. His season ended on a low note. In a nine-point loss to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, he went just 3-17 from the field, scoring nine points. Nonetheless, his body of work shouldn’t be overshadowed by the last sentence. Nor should the pedigree he enters the NBA with. In 2024-25, he was a Consensus All-American. His father, Reggie Charles, was a professional basketball player who spent 15 seasons overseas. For the last two seasons of his college career, he was coached by Rick Pitino. The Celtics undoubtedly have a complex history with their former head coach but there’s no denying his greatness at the collegiate level. What Can RJ Luis Jr. Bring To The Celtics? Flawed though he may be, Luis is a good get for Boston, especially on a two-way contract. With Jayson Tatum likely to miss at least the first half of 2025-26 after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics have a lot of minutes to fill in at forward. As a result, players like 2023 No. 38 pick Jordan Walsh and 2025 No. 28 pick Hugo Gonzalez have a real chance of barging into the rotation. In a vacuum, they’re both rotation-caliber forwards but they’re raw, particularly offensively. That being said, if they’re trying to step into Tatum’s shoes, their limitations at that end are problematic. Tatum’s one of the most dangerous scorers in the league, averaging 27.5 points per game over the past five seasons. Luis probably won’t explode onto the season looking like a perennial All-Star. Still, he’s a more masterful scorer than either Walsh or Gonzalez right now. In the open court, he’s exciting, like many athletic wings with his length (6-foot-7). Yet, he’s not refined to impacting the game on the break. In the halfcourt, he’s able to use his handle and footwork to create space whether in the drive or in the post. Indeed, utilizing his instincts and body control, he’s actually pretty nifty with the ball in his hands. He even follows up his own shot, leading to frequent putbacks. Though he doesn’t have elite efficiency in any area, he’s a multifaceted offensive player who also has a knack for playmaking, particularly with regard to pocket passes. To improve his efficiency, he should cut down on his off-the-dribble attempts due to his tendency to take tough jumpers. All the same, while Boston waits for Tatum to return, the 22-year-old could play an important role.
Jerry Jones vocal in defense of handshake deal not being honored by Micah Parsons
Jerry Jones seems to be a firm believer that a handshake deal is as binding as any written contract. The Dallas Cowboys owner has maintained his stance that he had reached a verbal agreement with Micah Parsons on a contract extension back in March. On Tuesday, Jones was asked by NFL Network’s Jane Slater about the agreement not being put in writing. The 82-year-old claimed his initial acquisition of the Cowboys in 1989 started with a similar handshake deal. “I bought the Dallas Cowboys with a handshake,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later. As a matter of fact, one of the details involved a lot of money and I had to flip a coin over that. But the fundamental, ‘I’m buying and you’re gonna sell it to me for that range,’ that’s done. And those are done with eye contact and handshake. “Just so you understand the way that I communicate with people that I negotiate with. Let’s leave it at that. There’s no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing. All parties do. We have a contract in writing, yet we’re still talking about renegotiating, so so much for that.” Parsons does not deny that he talked about contract terms with Jones in March. However, the star linebacker claims that he did not believe the conversation to be a formal negotiation. Parsons asserted in his trade request statement that he believed the conversation was going to be about team leadership before Jones shifted gears to talk about an extension. You can read more about Parsons’ side of the story here.
Fabrizio Romano drops evening bombshell that catches Liverpool in its radius
Fabrizio Romano now reports that Manchester United are increasingly confident of completing a deal for Benjamin Sesko. The Red Devils officially threw their hat into the ring with a total package valued at €85m [£74m]. Newcastle’s competing bid (a second offer following a rejected first) is understood to comprise a fixed rate of at least €80m [£69.5m]. Manchester United confident they’ll beat Newcastle to Benjamin Sesko There’s potentially quite a bit riding on Newcastle’s transfer clash with United for Sesko’s signature. Those of a Liverpool persuasion will certainly be keeping a close eye on proceedings, given the surrounding context around Alexander Isak. Reports coming out of St James’ Park indicate that the Magpies will only consider selling the Swede if they manage to secure a replacement. Following Fabrizio Romano’s latest update on X (formerly Twitter), however, matters are about to become complicated. If a club is near openly briefing they’re confident of beating a Premier League rival to a deal, it probably doesn’t bode particularly well for Eddie Howe’s men. That said, this update isn’t conclusive until Romano throws out his trademark ‘Here We Go’.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
