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When the San Francisco 49ers open up the 2023 NFL season, they will almost certainly be without Azeez Al-Shaair, the team’s long-time starting strongside linebacker who will become an unrestricted free agent after playing 2022 on a second-round restricted free agent tenure. With his available snaps in San Francisco capped by the presence of Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner and a desire to play middle linebacker moving forward, it’s easy to imagine Al-Shaair playing elsewhere in 2023, but where?
According to Jason Aponte of Niners Nation, the landing spot is obvious: Al-Shaair could follow Demeco Ryans to Houston in order to become his starting middle linebacker.
On paper, the landing spot makes a ton of sense; Ryans has spent the past four years working with Al-Shaair in San Francisco, and his experience in the first-time head coach’s 4-3 defensive scheme could ease the transition of Texans’ pre-existing starters. Factor in that Houston’s 2022 starting middle linebacker, Christian Kirksey, finished out the season ranked 61st out of 81 qualifying linebackers in terms of PFF’s defensive grade with a 56.1, and Al-Shaair’s 74.4 grade would immediately elevate the Texans’ defense.
Azeez Al-Shaair Compares the San Francisco 49ers to College
Speaking to KNBR after the Niners’ playoff run came to an end, Al-Shaair compared his four-year tenure in San Francisco to his time at Florida Atlantic before comparing his forthcoming free agency period to graduation.
“It almost feels like you’re graduating college again,” Al-Shaair said. “That’s literally how I feel. I’ve been here for four years and I’ve had a great time here and grown as a player, as a man, a person. And now you’re graduating. Going on to the next step, next phase in my life, so definitely grateful for all the memories I’ve got here, but excited for the future too.”
Asked what he expects from free agency, Al-Shaair accepts that it’s a waiting process but one he’s excited to take on.
“Expectation wise it’s just so wide open,” Al-Shaair said. “You just kind of wait and see how it works out and trust the process. I did everything I could, so now I’m just sitting back on my work and just being patient to make sure I’m ready for wherever I go.”
Could Al-Shaair return to San Francisco this summer? Based on his comments, that sounds incredibly unlikely, especially with Warner explicitly endorsing him as a starting-caliber middle linebacker.
Fred Warner thinks Azeez Al-Shaair is Middle Linebacker Material
Speaking with reporters before leaving Santa Clara for the winter, Warner explicitly endorsed Al-Shaair as a starting-caliber middle linebacker who needs to leave the Bay Area to really come into his own.
“I want him to go be somewhere where he can be the guy,” Warner said. “For as long as he’s here, unfortunately, I’m here. He wants to go be the Fred Warner somewhere else. Not to toot my own horn, but he certainly wants to go be the guy. And I want that for him. He deserves it. He’s capable of it.”
To his credit, Warner is right on the money – Al-Shaair can never become a starting middle linebacker while Warner is playing in front of him in San Francisco, which makes his decision to spread his wings and fly on free agency a necessity. Wherever he lands, be it Houston or elsewhere, may Warner’s evaluation of Al-Shaair come true.
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