The 49ers’ already shaky defensive end situation got a little more tenuous Thursday when the team announced Jordan Willis will be suspended for the first six games of the 2021 campaign for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
While Willis wasn’t a player the 49ers were going to heavily rely on, his absence shines a light on a lingering weakness in San Francisco’s roster. With Willis sidelined, the onus will fall on Nick Bosa, Samson Ebukam, Dee Ford, Arden Key and a host of others to try and piece together a good enough defensive end rotation.
The 49ers haven’t seemed too eager to add additional defensive end depth during the offseason, but the prospect of missing Willis for six games could be enough to push the club to make an addition.
Good pass rushers don’t typically last long in free agency, and they almost never hang around past the end of March and into June. San Francisco doesn’t necessarily need another great pass rusher though. They could simply add an extra body to the competition to see if there’s an available player who can provide better depth than what they’ll go into the year with.
Here are six of the handful of defensive ends still available in free agency:
Damontre Moore
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Moore spent last season with the Seahawks after playing a couple games for the 49ers in 2019. He tallied only one sack for Seattle in 10 games, but he knows San Francisco’s defense and could slot in right away and compete for a roster spot in camp.
Dion Jordan
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This would be similar to the Moore signing. Jordan spent last season with the 49ers and posted 3.0 sacks in 13 games. He originally landed on the practice squad, but injuries pushed him up to the active roster. San Francisco could plug Jordan into the rotation in camp the same way they could with Moore.
Justin Houston
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Houston is perhaps the best, most realistic option for the 49ers. The 32-year-old had 8.0 sacks in a full season with the Colts last year, and might even be able to start and play a regular role in a shallow San Francisco defensive end rotation. He may be looking for something more than a backup roster spot, but San Francisco would be a logical landing place for him.
Alex Okafor
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The Chiefs signed Okafor two seasons ago and he immediately contributed on their defensive line that helped the club make consecutive Super Bowls. Okafor played in 21 games and notched 8.0 sacks over those two years. At 6-4, 260 pounds he has the size to kick inside as well.
John Simon
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Simon is an eight-year veteran who’s never put up big numbers, but consistently contributed on whichever defensive line he’s playing on. In 97 career games he has 21.0 sacks and 53 quarterback hits. His best football might be behind him, but he should be able step into training camp and compete for a roster spot.
Everson Griffen
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At one point Griffen was an excellent defensive end capable of wrecking games. Now at Age 33 he’s probably best suited for the type of rotational role San Francisco would plug him in to. He had 6.0 sacks last season in 14 games for the Cowboys and Lions. Griffen would be a really nice veteran depth piece for the 49ers if they’re aiming to add a player in camp.
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