Report: 49ers signing LB Mychal Kendricks weeks after insider trading sentence
Linebacker Mychal Kendricks is looking to get his career back on track, and according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, he's reportedly getting that chance with the San Francisco 49ers.
The #49ers are making a key addition, as former #Seahawks LB Mychal Kendricks is signing a deal with SF, source said. Kendricks visited the Niners this week and now is set to join a former rival.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 15, 2021
The Niners have the recently extended Fred Warner at linebacker, as well as Dre Greenlaw, but they're short on experienced depth. Azeez Al-Shaair and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles are both injured, and they don't have a lot of experience beyond that. A handful of undrafted rookies and a second-year undrafted free agent started in the Niners' preseason loss to the Chiefs on Saturday, so Kendricks may actually have a shot at making the team.
Kendricks moving past insider trading
It's been quite a few years for Kendricks. The 30-year-old had been a longtime member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but was released shortly following their Super Bowl LII win. He signed with the Cleveland Browns and was primed to be part of their Baker Mayfield-fueled renaissance, but never got the chance. He was released after being charged with insider trading in August 2018.
Kendricks pleaded guilty the following month, and signed with the Seattle Seahawks a week later. He played in three games before being given an eight-week suspension for the insider trading, then ended up breaking his tibia in his first game back. He bounced back and started 14 games in 2019, recording three sacks and eight tackles for a loss before tearing his ACL in the final week of the season.
He spent most of the 2020 season on the Seahawks practice squad, but was signed by the Washington Football Team in December, appearing in one regular season game and one playoff game.
After numerous delays, Kendricks was finally sentenced for insider trading in July 2021. He received a sentence of one day in jail, three years of probation, and 300 hours of community service.
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