According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers have traded Pro Bowl punter Andy Lee to the Cleveland Browns for a 7th round draft pick in 2017. Yes, 2017 and not 2016.
The 49ers used a 5th round selection in this year's draft to select Clemson punter Bradley Pinion, who general manager Trent Baalke had said would offer competition for Lee. It looks as though that competition is over.
While there had been early speculation, due mainly to his college field goal experience, that Pinion might actually offer some competition for kicker Phil Dawson, he will likely start at punter for the 49ers and Lee will start for the Browns.
Lee was drafted by the 49ers in the 6th round of the 2004 NFL Draft and selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2007, 2009 and 2011 seasons. His contract with the 49ers had run through 2018.
Lee was going to count $2.55 million against this year's cap whereas Pinion will count only account for $483,550.
Lee had averaged 46.2 yards per punt during his career with the 49ers with a net average of 39.6 yards per punt.
And now, some Bradley Pinion punting highlights...
Cleveland is trading a 7th-round pick in 2017 to San Francisco for three-time Pro Bowl punter Andy Lee, league sources told ESPN.
Pauline: Kyle Shanahan was 'pretty upset' Andy Dalton got away, 49ers wanted to trade Garoppolo
By David Bonilla
May 7, 2021
The San Francisco 49ers were reportedly interested in signing Andy Dalton this offseason. The former Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys quarterback ended up signing a one-year, $10 million deal with the Chicago Bears, where he will help mentor rookie Justin Fields.
That was too pricey for the 49ers, apparently,
According to analyst Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, head coach Kyle Shanahan really wanted to add Dalton and wasn't happy when the veteran quarterback slipped through the 49ers' fingertips.
"They wanted to sign Andy Dalton in free agency as their veteran quarterback and then trade (Jimmy) Garoppolo and draft Lance,"
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the San Francisco 49ers are signing veteran wide receiver Marqise Lee. He took part in this weekend's rookie minicamp, trying out for the roster. The wideout obviously showed enough over the three practices to earn a contract.
Former #Jaguars and #Patriots WR Marqise Lee is signing with the #49ers today,
Jason Smith throws out wild theory that 49ers could trade Trey Lance for Aaron Rodgers
By David Bonilla
May 6, 2021
And here you thought the Aaron Rodgers-to-San Francisco 49ers chatter was over.
I'll preface this by saying what Jason Smith of FOX Sports Radio said about the 49ers and the Green Bay Packers quarterback might be the most ridiculous thing you read today. Now that you have been sufficiently warned, brace yourself, and proceed, if you wish.
Smith believes San Francisco remains interested in Rodgers, and drafting Trey Lance of North Dakota State with the No. 3 overall pick last week hasn't changed that. Now, any rational reporter or fan clearly understands that the Niners heard about the disgruntled Green Bay quarterback and did their due diligence, as head coach Kyle
Why John Lynch was fine sweetening the 49ers' offer in draft trade to No. 3
By David Bonilla
May 10, 2021
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch was at his daughter's school tennis match when his phone rang. The Miami Dolphins were still mulling over the trade offer he had presented on March 4 for the No. 3 overall pick. San Francisco was willing to surrender its first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 to swap spots in 2021. It had been weeks since Lynch presented the offer. The Dolphins were very interested but needed a little more motivation.
"We weren't going to officially do the deal with that," Miami general manager Chris Grier told Peter King of NBC Sports, "because we knew the importance of that third pick."
The Dolphins
