49ers are placing a huge bet on a player they haven't had in a long time
The San Francisco 49ers haven't had a true nose tackle on their defense since D.J. Jones left the team at end of the 2021 season, and they are paying a pretty penny to bring in a rookie with the chance to fill that void. It was reported after the 2024 NFL Draft that the 49ers […]
The San Francisco 49ers haven't had a true nose tackle on their defense since D.J. Jones left the team at end of the 2021 season, and they are paying a pretty penny to bring in a rookie with the chance to fill that void.
It was reported after the 2024 NFL Draft that the 49ers had agreed a deal to sign undrafted free agent nose tackle Evan Anderson out of Florida Atlantic. Anderson met with the 49ers on a top-30 visit during the pre-draft process.
On Sunday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported that Anderson's contract features $280,000 in total guaranteed money, with $30,000 to sign and $250,000 of his base salary guaranteed.
That is a substantial guarantee to give to an undrafted rookie and indicates that Anderson has a shot to make the final 53-man roster. For context, the minimum salary for the practice squad in 2024 is set to be around $220,000, per David Lombardi of The Athletic.
While the practice squad is the most likely destination for Anderson, the 49ers don't have a great deal of interior defensive line depth. Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins are the likely starters, with Jordan Elliott set to play significant snaps on run downs after signing a two-year deal in free agency.
Kevin Givens and Kalia Davis figure to be strong bets to be part of the rotation but, after that, there are no clear favorites to make the roster, giving Anderson a clear chance to stake his claim.
A massive human being at 6ft 3in and 356 pounds, Anderson ranked seventh among interior defensive linemen in the 2024 draft in Pro Football Focus run defense grade. He had 20 run stops in 2023, putting him 15th in the draft class at the position.
For a 49ers team that struggled mightily against the run down the stretch and in the playoffs, having a space eater in the middle of the line figures to be extremely valuable.
And they have proven as such in the contract they have given him. Anderson may not have done enough during his college career and the pre-draft process to get drafted, but he clearly made enough of an impression to be in an excellent position to be a member of the 49ers during the 2024 regular season.
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