San Francisco has elected to replace Chase Young with two players
The San Francisco 49ers‘ defensive line was at its best when it could come at you in waves with multiple pass rushers. That was missing in 2023. Based on their signings on Monday, that’ll change in 2023.
After signing edge rusher Leonard Floyd to a two-year deal, the Niners have signed former Panthers edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos to a two-year deal worth $18 million, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The former second-round pick in 20220 missed Weeks 7 through 12 this past season with a hamstring injury that landed him on the injured reserve. Per PFF, Gross-Matos had pretty evenly split rushing from both the right and the left.
He’s a Penn State alum, so you know he’s a long, lengthy athlete. The 26-year-old is 266 pounds with 35-inch arms. That put him in the 92nd percentile. Gross-Matos was also in the 86th percentile for the broad jump and 77th percentile in the vertical jump, which is a sign that he’s an explosive athlete.
On the field, Gross-Matos had a career-high in sacks last season at 4.5. He also had his best season percentage-wise in sacks, quarterback hits, knockdowns, and pressure. This could be the 49ers buying low on an ascending athlete.
So, instead of re-signing Chase Young or signing a player to a bigger deal, the 49ers elect to use that money on two players and add depth instead.
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