Most teams spend the offseason looking to add pieces to improve from the previous season. But for the San Francisco 49ers, it’s been more about who is leaving the Bay Area than who has been coming in to help the team.
The 49ers finished 6-11 last season and it’s led to a mass exodus. Deebo Samuel created early headlines with his trade to the Washington Commanders but San Francisco also parted ways with several veterans including Javon Hargrave, Chavarius Ward, Jordan Mason, and Jaylon Moore. There’s even a chance San Francisco isn’t done as Brandon Aiyuk and even quarterback Brock Purdy have been floating in trade rumors as the latter works toward a long-term extension.
It’s led to a lot of speculation as to who could be the next 49ers player to leave town. But while most are grounded in rumors, there’s one player who could be on his way out as the team prepares for the NFL Draft.
49ers EDGE Drake Jackson Could Be On His Way Out Ahead of NFL Draft
The San Francisco 49ers selected Drake Jackson in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft in hopes that he could be a long-term partner with NIck Bosa. Jackson was a productive edge rusher at USC with 5.5 sacks in his freshman year in 2019 and five more sacks during his junior season in 2021 and had a solid start to his professional career, recording six sacks in his first 23 games in San Francisco.
But things changed when Jackson suffered a torn patellar tendon midway through the 2023 season. The injury not only forced him to miss the rest of his sophomore year but also knocked him out for the entire 2024 season. While the 24-year-old has had nearly 18 months to recover from the injury, 49ers general manager John Lynch didn’t sound optimistic when discussing Jackson during the NFL Scouting Combine.
“Drake hasn’t had setbacks, but he has had trouble coming back from it,” Lynch said via SI’s Grant Cohn. “It’s not been the most encouraging thing. Hopefully it takes a turn for the positive because we’ve seen Drake when he’s healthy. He can be a real effective player for us. So we’re crossing our fingers and putting in all the work as is Drake.”
While Jackson may be working hard to return, Lynch’s comments don’t sound like an endorsement of a player they’re counting on to contribute next season. Armed with 11 draft picks including four selections in the top 100, the 49ers may be tempted to take a swing on another edge rusher if Jackson’s rehab continues to spin its wheels.
For a player entering the final year of his rookie deal, this is a tough development. But it could punch his ticket out of San Francisco either before the NFL Draft or as the team enters training camp.