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If help for Nick Bosa is what the San Francisco 49ers continue to seek, then one defender anticipated to depart from his team during the 2023 free agency period has been called the ideal candidate by one analyst on Tuesday, March 7.
As reported by ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on Monday, March 6, one rival of the 49ers is set to leave the Los Angeles Rams in edge rusher Leonard Floyd. He could be released from his four-year, $64 million contract he signed with the team if L.A. doesn’t find a trade partner. This means the division rivals are parting ways with their sack leader of 2022 and an edge defender who became a steady 9-10 sack threat for that defense.
Chase Senior of Chat Sports believes the towering 6-foot-5, 240-pounder is the top complimentary piece to throw opposite of Bosa.
“Leonard Floyd is a player who can win a lot of one-on-one matchups. He has a really quick first step, he doesn’t have a wide array of pass rushing moves to his arsenal but if you put him on this defensive line on the opposite side of Nick Bosa, that’s what this Niners team really needs to do,” Senior said.
Move Would Keep Bosa Fresh for Playoffs
Senior brought up how Bosa saw his sack production plummet after getting two sacks against the Washington Commanders in Week 15 — producing just one sack in the next five games including playoffs.
“And it looked as though he was a little bit tired because after his 18.5 sacks this year, there was a massive drop off with sack production along this defensive line,” Senior said.
The analyst believes “it’s a priority” to add someone who can help prevent Bosa from a potential wear down in the months of late December and January. Adding “Flo” to the lineup is a move Senior says is to “keep him {Bosa] fresh, to keep him rejuvenated and to maintain and conserve a little bit of his energy so that he can play his best football in the playoffs. And by signing a guy like Leonard Floyd in my opinion, you’re able to do that and it’ll be a very good edge rush combination for the 49ers.”
Can Floyd be Affordable? Other Analysts Weigh in
If the 49ers do make a run at the 30-year-old Floyd, signing him after a release looks more workable on the Niners’ end — as the veteran edge rusher would likely have to have his next team take on a good portion of his remaining salary if dealt away.
A move like this would also be comparable to when the 49ers added one other former Ram via free agency in defensive end Samson Ebukam, who is now an unrestricted free agent. But could S.F. work some financial magic and lure in the NFC West rival defender? One analyst doesn’t think so and believes Khalil Mack is the better option if the L.A. Chargers parts ways with the seven-time Pro Bowler.
“Floyd is two years younger and coming off three consecutive seasons where he had at least nine sacks. I expect Floyd to be out of the 49ers price range,” wrote Kyle Posey of SB Nation Monday.
Meanwhile, 49ers insider for the San Jose Mercury News Can Inman wrote down Floyd’s name as a possibility in his Tuesday column that identifies who could help Bosa. Inman, though, believes that the 49ers would serve up a one-year deal if the 49ers go the veteran route…which in this case would apply to Floyd.
Regardless, the 49ers could now be in a position to pluck away a defender they used to game plan for twice a season.
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