Latest news with #MattBarrows
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers McCaffrey Update Boosts Confidence for Impactful Return
49ers McCaffrey Update Boosts Confidence for Impactful Return originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Just one year after enjoying the most memorable season of his career, Christian McCaffrey suffered perhaps his most forgetful. Advertisement The San Francisco 49ers star running back appeared in just four games in the middle of the 2024 season due to Achilles and knee injuries. In 2023, he powered the Niners' to a conference championship as the Offensive Player of the Year with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage. After a long offseason of recovery, many around the 49ers organization believe "CMC" is back to full strength, threatening a return to team contention after last year's 6-11 season with him on the sideline for most of it. 49ers beat writer Matt Barrows of The Athletic has chimed in with the latest update, it being another quote that is sweet music to the ears of Niners Nation. "Christian McCaffrey is healthy again," Barrows reported in his notebook of takeaways from spring workouts. "Following a 2024 season marred by Achilles and knee issues, McCaffrey said his goal this spring was to be available for all of the 49ers' OTA and minicamp sessions." Advertisement Barrows added: "And while he didn't look quite like he did in the spring of 2023 ... he didn't have to sit out any sessions. That was a boost of confidence for the running back, who said he'll be back to training as usual during the summer break, and to a 49ers offense that missed McCaffrey last season, especially in the red zone." To the man himself, this isn't a surprise. He has always stated his mission of being a full participant in minicamp and the upcoming training camp. McCaffrey - an unfortunately frequent visitor of the rehabilitation department throughout his career - acknowledged that he's learned how to recovery and had to "start from scratch" in order to return to optimal health. With an offense that surrounds him with multiple weapons, McCaffrey may not need to return to an MVP-caliber level, but of course, Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers will take the best that he has to offer. Advertisement That seems not just possible, but probable, thanks to another optimistic report. Related: 49ers 'Psycho' Christian McCaffrey Noted In 'Healthy Workload' Update Related: 49ers Running Back Room Clears Top 15 in Recent Rankings This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
11-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
49ers to release Pro Bowl FB Kyle Juszczyk: Sources
By Matt Barrows, Jeff Howe and Dianna Russini The San Francisco 49ers have told Kyle Juszczyk that they are releasing the Pro Bowl fullback, league and team sources informed The Athletic on Monday night. Juszczyk, who turns 34 in late April, has been named to nine consecutive Pro Bowls, giving the 49ers a unique threat who can block while also being a weapon in the passing game. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder has caught at least 14 passes in 11 consecutive seasons, including 30 as recently as 2021. 💔🧃 — George Kittle (@gkittle46) March 11, 2025 This story will be updated.
New York Times
10-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Talanoa Hufanga in agreement with Broncos on 3-year deal: Sources
By Dianna Russini, Nick Kosmider, Matt Barrows and Chris Licata Former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga has agreed to terms on a three-year contract worth up to $45 million with the Denver Broncos, league sources confirmed to The Athletic. The deal includes $20 million in guarantees. Hufanga, the No. 16 player on The Athletic's list of the top 150 NFL free agents, was among several big-name starters to miss extended time amid the San Francisco 49ers' disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2024. The 26-year-old played seven total games after missing the first two games of the season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November 2023. Hufanga later missed seven consecutive games due to a concussion and torn wrist ligaments. Advertisement His best season came in 2022 when he earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors after notching a career-best four interceptions and 97 tackles. The former fifth-round pick out of USC has started 37 of 49 games across his four seasons with the 49ers, contributing 219 tackles, 14 pass breakups, seven interceptions (including a pick six) and two forced fumbles. Before Day 3 of the draft began in 2021, the 49ers went around their draft room and asked everyone involved – scouts and coaches alike – which player they'd like to see them draft that day. The most common answer: Hufanga, who had dropped due to a slow 40 time at the combine. The 49ers took him in the fifth round and he rewarded them a season later with nine pass break ups, an interception and a trip to the Pro Bowl. His last two seasons were marred by injuries, including an ACL tear in 2023. Still, the Broncos are getting a sharp safety who's an excellent communicator and who only recently turned 26. The 49ers, meanwhile, will ride with Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha at safety in 2025. They also could add another safety in a draft that is solid at the position. — Matt Barrows, 49ers senior writer Hufanga brings a talented, physical presence to Denver as the team was determined to add to the back end of its defense this offseason. The Broncos last season signed safety Brandon Jones to a three-year, $20 million deal, and the contract became a major bargain. Jones led the Broncos in tackles and was a constant playmaking force. P.J. Locke has been serviceable during the past 1 ½ seasons as a starter at the other safety spot, but the Broncos viewed that position as one they needed to upgrade to fortify their defense up the middle. Hufanga has missed 17 games across the past two seasons due to ACL and wrist injuries, but he's been among the league's best safeties when he's been healthy. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2022, his second season in the league, after finishing with four interceptions, nine passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two sacks and 97 tackles in 17 games. He had three more interceptions in 2023 before suffering an ACL tear 10 games into the season, an injury that kept him out of San Francisco's run to the Super Bowl. Advertisement Hufanga is a physical presence near the line of scrimmage, and he also has the coverage skills necessary to cover opposing tight ends. If Hufanga, who just turned 25, can return to the healthy form of a couple of seasons ago, he and Jones could give the Broncos one of the best young safety tandems in the NFL. — Nick Kosmider, Broncos staff writer Hufanga will immediately slot into a starting role next to Jones, giving defensive coordinator Vance Joseph two safeties he can freely interchange in alignments within the team's run and pass game schemes. Jones and Hufanga are capable blitzers who can be used as chess pieces to disguise pressures. Perhaps most importantly, Hufanga (6-foot, 200 pounds) brings the kind of physical edge and toughness the Broncos have been intentional about trying to add to their roster since Sean Payton took over as head coach in 2023. Locke could still serve as a valuable depth piece for the Broncos. He started 15 games last season and has played in 74 games overall for Denver since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He has experience playing the dime position and was a key figure on special teams before stepping into a starting safety role midway through the 2023 season. But Locke has no guaranteed money remaining on the final year of the two-year extension he signed last offseason. The Broncos could save $4.19 million in salary cap space by releasing Locke, according to Over The Cap, with just $1 million in dead money left behind. — Kosmider The Broncos were set to enter free agency with roughly $40.5 million in salary cap space, according to Over The Cap. That was before signing Jarrett Stidham to a two-year, $12 million contract ($7 million guaranteed) to remain the backup quarterback and before re-signing defensive tackle D.J. Jones to a three-year, $39 million deal with $26 million in guarantees. They are also reportedly re-signed offensive tackle Matt Peart worth $7 million. Advertisement We'll have to wait to see how those contracts are structured to know the full impact on the cap, but the Broncos should have enough room to make one more major move — free-agent tight end Evan Engram visited the Broncos on Monday, and they could use a starting upgrade at inside linebacker — and potentially a few depth signings on the margins. — Kosmider The Broncos entered the offseason with their roster largely set at premium positions. They have young, ascending players at quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback and edge rusher, and their two offensive tackles (Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey) are under contract for at least the next two seasons. That Denver is aggressively spending at so-called luxury positions early in free agency — tight end Evan Engram visited the team's facility Monday and is a target — speaks to the team's belief that it is ready to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West crown in 2025. The recent injury history with Hufanga is reasonable cause for concern. But he's a young player who joins a franchise that has been among the league's best at injury prevention and treatment. The Broncos also have depth elsewhere at the position and could seek another addition in the NFL Draft as a backup plan. The risk with Hufanga is worth taking because the Broncos are already the NFL's reigning sack leaders (a franchise-record 63 last season), and strengthening the back end of the defense would give the Broncos every opportunity to take another step toward becoming one of the league's elite units. — Kosmider
