The San Francisco 49ers executed a trade Wednesday that will fill in the hole on the defensive line Arik Armstead used to occupy. The 49ers are set to release Armstead this offseason after the former first-round pick chose not to take a pay decrease.
The San Francisco 49ers did not want to pay Arik Armstead
The 49ers did not want to pay Armstead as his overall play had declined in the previous few seasons. Armstead hit the jackpot ($85 million for five seasons) when he recorded ten sacks during the 2019 season. He’s registered just 11 sacks in the previous three seasons.
The 49ers traded for Maliek Collins
Per Adam Schefter with ESPN, with Armstead on his way out, the 49ers traded with the Houston Texans for defensive tackle Maliek Collins.
Collins recorded as many sacks as Armstead in 2023
The Dallas Cowboys selected Collings in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He’s been with the Texans since the 2021 season.
Collins matched Armstead’s sack production during the 2023 season by recording five sacks. Collins has recorded 206 tackles, 25.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in his eight-year NFL career.
Per Pro Football Focus, Collins earned a 62.7 grade for his overall play during the 2023 season. He earned a higher pass rush (70.1) grade than his run defense (45.6) last season. Armstead earned an 81.9 overall grade for his play in the 2023 season.
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