The San Francisco 49ers were active in changing things around on the roster. They reunited with Robert Saleh, and at the same time, they made sure to give him enough defensive linemen.
They drafted Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West, while also trading for Bryce Huff. These guys joined Nick Bosa upfront, along with Yetur Gross-Matos. This group has nice depth, but it will likely be Gross-Matos' last season in the Bay.
He is playing in the final season of a two-year, $18 million deal. Going into a contract year, he will be hungry, and with the depth San Francisco has at edge, you can see him landing a more lucrative deal elsewhere.
Yetur Gross-Matos May Be Playing His Last Season With 49ers
Last season with the 49ers, he finished with 19 total tackles, seven QB hits, 21 pressures, and four sacks.
Those numbers should only go up, considering he'll be playing in a Robert Saleh scheme that emphasizes pinning your ears back and getting after the quarterback. What makes this better is all the additions San Francisco made to improve at the position.
Having more talent upfront will only lead to better opportunities for Gross-Matos to generate pressure. The 27-year-old was drafted with the 38th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers.
In his first four seasons with the Panthers, he had 142 tackles, 30 QB hits, 13 sacks, and two forced fumbles. The Penn State product has the size (6-foot-5, 265 pounds) and strength that consistently make him an intriguing option.
Saleh could move Gross-Matos to the inside for certain reps, allowing him to use his speed and length combo to collapse the pocket from the interior.
While it's exciting to think about his potential in this scheme, the 49ers aren't going to shell out any major dollars to bring him. With Bosa, Williams, and Huff at the top of the rotation, the 49ers could look into cheaper replacements or even look into the 2026 NFL draft to add another body.
Meanwhile, Gross-Matos will be going into his age-28 season and may look to land the best deal on the market.