Credit: Jason O. Watson-USA TODAY Sports

Over the weekend the NFL announced former 49ers linebacker and current free agent Larry Grant will be suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season. The suspension was handed out because Grant violated the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Grant has only had a handful of visits with teams after he became a free agent in March. He was originally selected in the seventh-round of the 2008 draft by San Francisco, but he played his rookie season with the St. Louis Rams after being signed off the 49ers practice squad.

The Niners re-signed Grant in 2011 and he has played in every game the last two seasons either at linebacker or on special teams. If you recall, Grant made a name for himself in 2011 filling in for injured starter Patrick Willis. In the three games Grant started in place of Willis, the linebacker recorded 28 tackles, five passes defensed, one sack and one forced fumble. Last season, however, he saw limited action on the field at linebacker.

This will likely end Grant’s quest to find a team where he can compete for a starting job at linebacker. It also means he may not sign with a team until after he serves his four-game suspension in the regular season. If a team does sign Grant before the start of the regular season, he would be able to practice and play in the preseason. But this is highly unlikely as teams will not want to waste a roster spot on a player who would not be available until the fifth week of the season.

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According to a multiple reports, San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said the team is “still interested” in signing former Green Bay Packers safety Charles Woodson. In one of the reports, an Associated Press reporter tweeted:

Baalke on #49ers possible signing Charles Woodson: “We feel he can still play the game. That’s something we’re going to continue to look @.”

— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) April 17, 2013

Baalke made the comment while speaking to reports on Wednesday. Back in March, Woodson made a visit to 49ers headquarters but left without a contract offer. There has not been a big market for Woodson in free agency, despite him being a three-time All-Pro and showing last season he can still play at a top-level. One reason could be his age, he is 36, and the fact that teams don’t want to overpay for his services.

The news that the 49ers are still interested in Woodson was not too big of a surprise considering he has not visited with any other teams. This gives the 49ers leverage and is a reason why to wait to sign him at a lower rate than what he is looking for. It does not make much sense for the 49ers to outbid themselves when no other teams have asked the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year to make a visit.

There have been no reports on what Woodson in seeking in terms of contract money, but with veterans like linebackers Brian Urlacher and James Harrison also not signed to contracts yet, teams are being cautious. One reason why so many defensive veterans have not signed a contract could be the players themselves as they’re used to making big money each season and signing multiple year deals. While team executives want the veterans to sign a one-year contract to prove they’re still worth the big money. See Brian Urlacher.

Basically, the 49ers and the rest of the NFL are telling veterans like Woodson to play at the same level they have during their careers, but at much lower rate than they’re used to. But the window for the 49ers to sign Woodson will not stay open forever. He could garner more interest from other teams after the NFL draft next week as teams might not select the safety they were hoping for and have to resort to a backup plan.

Credit: Jason O. Watson-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback Colt McCoy was traded to San Francisco on April 1, 2013 from the Cleveland Browns.

Trade Details: 49ers received Colt McCoy and Browns 2013 6th-round draft pick. Browns received 49ers 5th- and 7th-round picks in 2013. 

Three-year Stats In Cleveland: 58.3 completion percentage, 21 touchdown passes, 20 interceptions, and a 74.8 QB rating.

Grade: C+

The move all 49er fans were expecting was made on April 1 with the team trading for a backup quarterback in Colt McCoy. The former Browns quarterback will compete with last season’s No. 3 QB Scott Tolzien who has been with the 49ers since 2011.

There were plenty of veteran options for the 49ers at quarterback whether through trade or free agency when the 2013 season started on March 12. McCoy has been in the NFL for only three seasons, so it would be a stretch to call him a veteran. Although, he does have 21 career starts at quarterback, which is 14 more than Tolzien (zero) and Colin Kaepernick (seven) combined. However, I believe the 49ers could have added a true veteran who also has playoff experience like Matt Cassel or Matt Hassellbeck before they were signed by other teams. Either of those players would have been a better fit for the 49ers than McCoy.

Despite McCoy’s none playoff experience and a 6-15 record as a starting QB, the trade gives Jim Harbaugh an insurance backup at QB just in case Kaepernick is injured or if Tolzien cannot win the No. 2 job at quarterback. Another plus is McCoy is young (26) and he is in the final year of his contract that will pay him $1.5 million this season. Which means McCoy is likely just a one-year fix as a backup for the 49ers at quarterback.

McCoy can be a dual threat quarterback and he has athleticism, although not on the same level as Kaepernick, so he could fit right in with Harbaugh’s offense. In his three seasons in the NFL he has rushed for 363 yards and averaged 3.9 yards a carry. But, the 49ers could have reached a deal to acquire a better option at quarterback which is why a C+ grade was awarded.