Who are the three most important newcomers for the 49ers in 2024?

admin June 13, 2024 No Comments

The San Francisco 49ers made a number of moves to bolster the roster this offseason.

The San Francisco 49ers made a bevy of moves this offseason, adding talent on both sides of the ball in free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft in hopes of remaining one of the strongest teams in the NFL this season.

The 49ers did lose a few key players, such as defensive tackle Arik Armstead and defensive end Chase Young, but still made a few improvements to a top-notch roster, while primarily focusing on depth.

With that said, who are the three most important newcomers for Wisconsin in 2024?

DE Leonard Floyd

When it comes to the 49ers success, especially on the defensive end, maintaining a good pass rush is one of the biggest priorities.

The 49ers addressed that in the offseason by adding the durable veteran Leonard Floyd on a two-year, $24 million deal.

Floyd, entering his age-32 season, played most recently for the Buffalo Bills, and has accumulated 39.5 sacks over the past four years, while missing virtually zero time over the past six years.

Last season, the 49ers made midseason moves to add Randy Gregory and Chase Young to their pass-rush, but didn’t get the high-end results they’d hoped for.

This year, San Francisco will look for Nick Bosa to start stronger, but more importantly for there to be ample contributions in the spot opposite of him, which is why Floyd will be a crucial part to the 49ers defensive success in 2024.

DT Jordan Elliott

The 49ers signed defensive tackle Jordan Elliott on a two-year, $10 million deal this offseason to serve as depth at the position after cutting longtime starter Arik Armstead.

In addition, they traded a seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans for Maliek Collins, who should aid the team’s pass-rushing efforts on the interior.

But, Elliott’s value will be important, as the 49ers saw their run defense slip towards the second half of the season last year, with issues seen down the stretch in several games.

While injuries played a factor, the 49ers looked to address the issue by signing Elliott, who has been known as a top interior run stopper over the past few seasons.

Elliott was sixth among defensive tackles in run stop win rate a season ago at 40 percent for the Cleveland Browns, which will come in handy for the 49ers this year.

Now, Elliott isn’t a high-end pass rusher, and will likely be used in more of a rotational role, but the 49ers need improvements to their run defense, and the former third-round pick is the logical answer to the problem this year.

CB Renardo Green

There were a few other additions that could’ve made the list, including some at the cornerback position, but I decided to go with second-round pick Renardo Green.

Green, a product of the Florida State Seminoles, was known as a strong press-cover corner in college, leading him to play physically, both in the pass and the run game.

The 49ers have options with Green, as his frame indicates he may be more of a slot cornerback, while his film suggests he could stay on the outside given his coverage skills.

San Francisco faced inconsistencies with their No. 3 cornerback last season, flipping between 2021 third-round pick Ambry Thomas and free-agent addition Isaiah Oliver, which is why they looked for an upgrade this offseason.

With Green, the 49ers could field a strong cornerback trio with he, Charvarius Ward, and Deommodore Lenoir, adding another layer to an already-strong San Francisco defense.

Additionally, we’ve seen that each of the last few Super Bowl winners have had a rookie contribute in a major way in Year 1. Green has the best shot for early playing time among the rookies, and could fit the bill there.