With 49ers OTAs in full swing, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the team’s roster to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, potential dark horses to make the team and other nuggets about the players who will be competing for jobs on the 53-man roster.
The 49ers made a choice on their defensive interior after the 2019 season when they traded away defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Since then they’ve had a hard time finding stability in the middle of their very good defensive line. They finally went out this offseason and fixed it by signing former Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
That one move changes the entire complexion of the 49ers’ defensive interior where Hargrave pushes players down the depth chart and into roles likely more suitable for their success.
Despite some injury issues up front, the 49ers still managed to put together a good pass rush and a stout run defense last year. They’ll have an opportunity this year with a reworked DL to have even more success in the trenches, which should help the rest of their very good defensive unit.
Let’s look at how the defensive tackle group on the 49ers’ 90-man roster is shaking out heading into camp:
Javon Hargrave
Hargrave was the 49ers’ biggest offseason move by a sizable margin. They added him on a four-year deal worth up to $81 million in hopes that he’ll solidify their interior pass rush that so badly lacked last season. While Hargrave alone is capable of producing double-digit sacks from the interior, having him wreaking havoc should make life a little easier for the rest of the defensive line. If San Francisco winds up winning a Super Bowl, this addition will be pointed to as a key factor.
Arik Armstead
There may not be a player who benefits more from playing with Hargrave than Armstead. His best year as a pro came in 2019 when he played next to DeForest Buckner. The 49ers haven’t had a dominant force alongside Armstead since then and he’s subsequently struggled to put up big numbers. Armstead has always been a good player and figures to continue that trend this year, but now he’ll have a chance to put more production on paper. He does have to stay healthy though. It looked like his injury woes were behind him until he missed eight games last year after not missing any the previous four seasons.
Javon Kinlaw
It’s a make-or-break year for the 2020 first-round pick. The 49ers didn’t exercise his fifth-year option and now they have enough depth that he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot. Kinlaw’s struggles haven’t been for a lack of talent. He just hasn’t been able to stay on the field. Since playing 14 games as a rookie, he’s missed 24 of the team’s last 34 games including 11 last season. There’s a real chance for him to revive his career in 2023 with Armstead and Hargrave ahead of him in the rotation. If he can play 17 games and put together a solid year he could work his way back into the team’s long-term plans. If he struggles in the preseason, he may have played his last down in red and gold.
Kevin Givens
Givens has quietly gone about his business as a key rotational defensive lineman for San Francisco since signing with the club as an undrafted rookie before the 2019 season. He didn’t find a real role until 2020 and since that season he’s played in 13 games each year. He had a pair of sacks last season and he continues to be stout against the run. Givens is a perfect role player who gets in the range of 40-45 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, and he should continue that this year.
Kerry Hyder Jr.
Hyder splits time as a defensive end and a defensive tackle. He could wind up having a bigger role as a DE this year depending on how the team feels about its unproven edge group. Hyder led the team in sacks in 2020 when he was their top edge rusher following injuries to Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. He struggled in Seattle in 2021, and then returned to the 49ers where he landed in a more hybrid DT/DE role. He played 36 percent of the snaps last year as a versatile rotational piece. He’ll have a battle on his hands for a roster spot on a deep 49ers DL.
T.Y. McGill
McGill is an interesting player to keep an eye on this offseason. The 49ers had some injury issues on the DL last year that forced them to bring in McGill. The eight-year NFL veteran played in nine games for San Francisco and notched eight tackles. He wound up playing about 30 percent of the snaps and had a handful of nice splash plays against the run. He could wind up missing out on a roster spot, but he might also wind up with a permanent spot in the rotation.
Kalia Davis
The 49ers selected Davis in the fifth round of the 2022 draft knowing they wouldn’t have him for his rookie season because he tore his ACL during his final year in college. He’s a good athlete who got to practice some during the last three weeks of last season. Now he figures to battle for a spot on the defensive line where some flashes of versatility could help the converted linebacker’s case for his first NFL job.
Marlon Davidson
The 49ers added Davidson in early May to bolster their offseason DL depth. Davidson, the Falcons’ 2020 second-round pick, hasn’t found much success in the NFL with 1.0 sacks in 19 games between 2020 and 2021. He didn’t play at all in 2022, but now he’ll like to revive his career under 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. It’ll be an uphill climb for Davidson to make the roster, but he has the upside as a former Round 2 selection to shine alongside other talented players.
State of the Roster
Here are the other positions covered so far in our State of the Roster series:
