When the 49ers denied that linebacker NaVorro Bowman was available via trade, the statement permitted a reasonable inference that, while he currently isn’t available, he previously may have been. Meeting with reporters on Tuesday in connection with the commencement of the team’s Organized Team Activities, coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that there have never been any trade talks involving Bowman.
And in doing so, Shanahan admitted that another veteran 49ers name came up in connection with a potential trade.
"[T]he only trade discussions we had was when another team asked us about [tight end] Vance [McDonald] on draft day,” Shanahan told reporters. “And after a team asked us about Vance then we asked other teams if they’d be interested in that same thing. When it came to NaVorro or any other player on our team, no one’s asked and we haven’t either.”
And so Bowman, who tore an Achilles tendon last season, will remain with the team. He participated in Tuesday’s OTA session, and Shanahan likes what he saw.
“I thought he’s looked real good, kind of what I told you guys the last time I spoke with you,” Shanahan said. “Anytime you’re coming off an Achilles you’re waiting for him to ease into it and from what I’ve seen just watching him, I would have never known that just by watching him. He looks like the guys I’ve seen on tape over the years.”
Bowman signed last year a contract that runs through the 2022 season. He’s due to make $6.75 million in 2017.
McDonald is signed through 2021. He’s due to make $2.1 million this year and presumably remains available in trade. Which maybe should be the real headline of this item but the second period of Penguins-Senators is about to begin.