By Dianna Russini, Matt Barrows and David Lombardi
The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead, according to league sources. The 49ers released the veteran defender earlier this week.
Armstead, 30, picked up five sacks in 12 games for the Niners last season. The 2015 first-round pick spent his entire nine-year career with San Francisco tallying 33.5 sacks in 116 games.
Baalke knows Armstead well
Before his Wednesday release, Armstead had been the 49ers’ longest-tenured player and the last remaining player who’d been drafted by former general manager Trent Baalke, who’s now with the Jaguars. Armstead will join a Jaguars defense that has Josh Allen (17.5 sacks in 2023) and Travon Walker (10 sacks) on the edges.
The 49ers had asked Armstead to take a significant pay cut, which led to him asking for his release. The 49ers nearly traded Armstead to Houston on Tuesday for defensive tackle Maliek Collins, but the trade fell through at the last moment. The 49ers later sent a seventh-round pick for Collins, who will take over Armstead’s spot in San Francisco’s starting lineup. — Matt Barrows, 49ers senior writer
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Scouting report on Armstead
As Baalke knows well, Armstead is one of the strongest players in the league, a defensive lineman who uses his long arms and long frame to both shed blockers and keep them away from his body. Jaguars fans might be reminded of Calais Campbell, who spent three years in Jacksonville.
Armstead was a defensive tackle in San Francisco but projects to a 3-4 defensive end for the Jaguars. He hasn’t generated a lot of sacks over his career. His 10-sack performance in 2019 was the only season in which he hit double figures and he had none in an injury-shortened 2022 campaign. But he’s been a consistent penetrator on pass plays and, when healthy, has been very good against the run and against screens and misdirection plays.
His health has been an issue in recent years. He missed 13 total games over the last two seasons due to plantar fasciitis (2022) and a knee meniscus injury (2023). He played three games in the most recent postseason, including the Super Bowl, with the knee injury, which required offseason surgery and which will affect his offseason availability. Those injuries were the reason the 49ers approached him about a paycut, which prompted his release. — Barrows
What’s left in the tank?
How much does Armstead still have left in the tank? He actually delivered the best Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade of his career in 2023, but his run defense — previously a marquee strength — declined by that metric. It comes down to health for Armstead, who missed 13 games over the past two seasons. That ended up being a major factor in his release from the 49ers. Armstead has dealt with plantar fasciitis for two seasons, a foot ailment that can be difficult to shake. He played through a torn meniscus during this past season’s playoffs. If the 30-year-old can re-approach 100 percent health, he’s a unique talent — one that line up across the entire defensive line. Armstead has exceptional 6-7 height and the ability to maintain a low point of leverage. That’s a rare combination. — David Lombardi, 49ers beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Ryan Kang / Getty Images)
