Former Seahawks Lineman Bolts for Deal With Hated Rival

Getty The Seahawks are heading to the NFL playoffs.

A former Seattle Seahawks lineman is signing with a division rival.

As initially reported by @TheSFNiners on Wednesday, July 20, the San Francisco 49ers are signing defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche.

“The #49ers have signed former 1st round DT Robert Nkemdiche, per source Nkemdiche appeared in 9 games last season with the Seattle Seahawks.”

Nkemdiche Was Cut By Seahawks Before Season

Nkemdiche signed with the Seahawks during the 2021 offseason before he was released prior to the start of the regular season. He was eventually signed to the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster later in the season.

The 27-year-old played in nine games and racked up 15 tackles while playing 34 percent of the snaps in games he appeared in. The former first-round draft pick has been a bust up until this point, playing on three different teams through the first six seasons of his career.

Nkemdiche has appeared in just 38 games to go along with six starts since he was selected with the 29th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2016 NFL draft. The former Ole Miss product has played in at least 10 games in only two of his six seasons and has racked up just 4.5 career sacks.

According to Pro Football Focus, Nkemdiche posted a 49.8 defensive grade and 58.5 pass-rushing grade last season. Those grades are pedestrian when compared to other players at his position and they’re about on par with what he’s produced over the course of his career. The veteran lineman has never posted any higher than a 58.1 defensive grade or 61.8 pass-rushing grade in a single season during his career.

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Nkemdiche Was No. 1 High School Recruit in 2013 Class

The 6-foot-3, 296-pound has always had the athletic traits necessary to become a star in this league, but he’s never come close to showing off any of his potential. He’ll look to win a roster spot on the 49ers as he battles for playing time behind established starters in Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead.

Although Nkemdiche has never lived up to his first-round draft billing in the NFL, he has always possessed the talent. He’s a former five-star prospect and was considered the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2013 class by 247 Sports. In fact, he was recruited by SEC powerhouses such as Alabama, LSU and Florida.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein praised Nkemdiche’s “elite” athleticism prior to the 2016 NFL draft.

“Nkemdiche presented elite athleticism and quick-twitch movement as the top defensive end prospect in the country coming into Oxford as part of the 2013 recruiting class,” Zierlein wrote.

However, he’s never produced on the field — not even in the college ranks. Nkemdiche never surpassed the three-sack mark in a single year during his three seasons at Ole Miss.

“He’s one of the more interesting prospects in the 2016 draft class, as well, because Georgia native never really had great statistical production despite his manifold pro-ready characteristics,” Zierlein said.

Considering Nkemdiche has had nearly a decade to show off the skills that made him the No. 1 recruit back in 2013, it’s probably safe to assume that the veteran defensive tackle is a fringe roster player at best.