The 49ers general manager compared Gross-Matos’ usage to Charles Omenihu and Arden Key
A few analysts were puzzled by the San Francisco 49ers signing Yetur Gross-Matos. The former Carolina Panthers defensive end doesn’t produce the type of production that warrants an $18 million contract.
It’s worth noting that Gross-Matos has a cap number of $3.2 million in 2024, with only $1.1 million guaranteed in his salary. So, that’s all the 49ers owe Gross-Matos outside of his signing bonus of $8.26 million, which is spread out over five years. When you look at the signing through the lens of a player costing 3.2 million, the deal makes more sense.
49ers general manager John Lynch spoke at the league meetings on Monday and shared why the team is excited for the former Panther:
“Yetur, his agent, I thought he handled it like a house in Los Altos. You priced it low and got the whole league interested and everybody went up and up. And Yetur was the guy, probably of all of them that we signed that we had the most people in the league say, ‘Man, we were in on him.’
He’s a long, skilled athlete. I think we’ve been at our best when we’ve had one of those guys — Arden Key, Charles Omenihu — that can play outside and then slide down and go to the inside. It gives you another layer of versatility to your D-line. We’re really excited about that.”
Gross-Matos played 465 snaps for Carolina in 2023. He was predominantly used on the edge, as 376 of those came on the edge. The rest of his snaps, outside of 11, came at defensive tackle — where most of his pressures came from. Interestingly enough, those other 11 snaps took place at slot corner.
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