They gave the stamp of approval for Leonard Floyd.
Sometimes, getting an outside perspective on a player or prospect is important. It’s easy to talk yourself into a player when you root for the team. Those differing points of views are helpful when we’re not talking about a household name.
Pro Football Focus went through each team’s signings and shared their favorite and least favorite signings so far during free agency. PFF gave the San Francisco 49ers a thumbs-up for the Leonard Floyd signing:
Favorite: EDGE Leonard Floyd
2023 PFF Grade: 58.7 (86th/112)
2023 PFF WAR: -0.02 (133rd)
Value grade: C+
Contract: Two years, $20 million ($10 million per year), $12 million guaranteed
PFF projected contract: One year, $6 million fully guaranteed
Floyd’s career arc is a funny one, with his rookie contract in Chicago a story of a player who was uber-athletic and disruptive but could never get the sack numbers to match. Now as a veteran with the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills, Floyd managed to exceed his down-to-down impact in his sack numbers, and San Francisco paid for that a bit here.
In recent years, Floyd has made a living out of being the “clean-up” guy. The 49ers are hoping he can win his 1-on-1s playing on a stacked defensive line. If Floyd is competent, he should be productive. It’s also imperative for the veteran to stay healthy, which is another reason the Niners paid Floyd.
PFF wasn’t as optimistic when it came to the other edge rusher:
Least favorite: EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos
2023 PFF Grade: 65.4 (60th/112)
2023 PFF WAR: 0.04 (58th)
Contract: Two years, $18 million ($9 million per year)
Gross-Matos wasn’t a great fit in Ejiro Evero’s base 3-4 defense as a big defensive end (6-foot-5 and 265 pounds), and he was never all that productive in Carolina throughout his contract. San Francisco must have really liked him as a prospect when he was the No. 38 overall pick in 2020, because this move is a bit of a head-scratcher.
PFF isn’t the only “outsider” to question the Gross-Matos signing. As is the case with anything, we have to let this play out and see what the 49ers’ plan is with Matos-Gross.
Remember, you’re not signing somebody for past production in free agency. You’re hoping to buy low on a missing puzzle piece. But the $9 million per season sticks out like a sore thumb when you see 13 sacks in four seasons.
However, the 26-year-old Gross-Matos is a former second-round pick out of Penn State. That alone tells you the baseline athleticism is there. Many are assuming that his role will be an interior pass rusher. If Gross-Matos can rival what Charles Omenihu brought to the table two seasons ago, $9 million will be a steal.
Perhaps the pro personnel department saw enough in Gross-Matos’ tape with the Carolina Panthers and envisioned a bigger role for him. It’s dangerous to put any player in a box, which is why giving the signing a “D” for value isn’t fair. If anything, considering who the defensive line coach is and how he’s squeezed every ounce of talent out of the players he coaches, the 49ers should get the benefit of the doubt.
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