3. Maliek Collins, Defensive Tackle
Veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins could be on the chopping block this offseason as San Francisco looks to revamp their roster in 2025.
The 49ers acquired Collins last offseason from the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick. Collins had recently signed a two-year, $23 million contract extension with the Texans in 2023.
With Javon Hargrave getting hurt early this past season after a solid 2023 season, this was the perfect opportunity for Collins to step up in the middle of the defensive line. Collins started in all 17 games for the 49ers, posting 33 combined tackles, 12 quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries.
However, Collins’ advanced stats tell a different story. The veteran defensive lineman had an overall grade of 57.9 on PFF (ranked 96th among 219 defensive linemen), despite a shocking 70 pass rush grade (ranked 33rd).
But the 29-year-old defender struggled noticeably in stopping the run with a horrible 42.8 grade (ranked 168th). The 49ers defense gave up the 15th-most rushing yards per game (124.6) and 24 rushing touchdowns this past season.
This was a far cry from how San Francisco’s defensive unit played in 2023, where they allowed the third-fewest rushing yards per game (89.7) and only 10 rushing touchdowns.
That said, if the Niners cut Collins, the best way would be using a post-June 1 designation, saving San Francisco $3.4 million.
However, teams can only use the post-June 1 cut tag on two players per year. And with Javon Hargrave likely getting one, the 49ers would have to make a tough choice between Collins and Gross-Matos.