The 49ers have resurrected the careers of numerous underwhelming pass-rushers, and they hope Yetur Gross-Matos is next in this long line.
Almost every year, it seems as if the San Francisco 49ers grab some outside pass-rusher on the free-agent or trade markets who previously fell well short of expectations, then turn that player around into a quality defensive piece.
Among those who've had success in this way are former defensive ends Arden Key, Charles Omenihu, Clelin Ferrell, Jordan Willis and Randy Gregory.
Thank you, defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.
Many of those players turned their newfound success with the Niners into decent contracts elsewhere. So, again, Kocurek deserves some praise.
Now, Kocurek's next project is a former second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers from the 2020 NFL Draft out of Penn State, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos.
|
Year |
Games |
Starts |
Tackles |
TFL |
Forced Fumbles |
Sacks |
QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2020 |
12 |
7 |
24 |
2 |
1 |
2.5 |
6 |
|
2021 |
14 |
2 |
28 |
5 |
1 |
3.5 |
4 |
|
2022 |
17 |
17 |
54 |
5 |
0 |
2.5 |
10 |
|
2023 |
12 |
6 |
36 |
7 |
0 |
4.5 |
10 |
Seen as a promising pass-rusher with all the intangibles but in need of refinement when he entered the 2020 draft, the 6-foot-5 and 265-pound Gross-Matos never quite made the desired impact in Carolina despite being a No. 2 pass-rushing option, at most, alongside the Panthers' No. 1 weapon, edge Brian Burns, who has since left Charlotte for the New York Giants.
Injuries and an inconsistent Carolina defense hindered Gross-Matos' development.
Despite that, the Niners revitalized their interest after eyeing Gross-Matos entering the 2020 draft and inked him to a free-agent deal during the offseason to bolster the back end of their pass-rushing room behind All-Pro Nick Bosa.
What is Yetur Gross-Matos' contract with 49ers?
San Francisco aimed to make the 26-year-old Gross-Matos' tenure more than just a one-year wonder, signing him to a two-year deal worth up to $18 million, $9.39 million of which is guaranteed.
That's a decent amount of money for a second-tier pass-rusher, and the hope is that Kocurek and Co. can turn the defensive end into a key component of the 49ers' defensive rotation.
What role do 49ers envision for Yetur Gross-Matos?
Known less for his run-stopping abilities, Gross-Matos likely isn't going to be a player the Niners feature on base downs, and he'll likely rotate in for obvious pass-rushing situations.
Additionally, Gross-Matos is probably third in line to be on the field, relieving Bosa and another one of San Francisco's offseason free-agent pickups, edge Leonard Floyd, whose veteran prowess and experience point to being a starter.
Floyd, however, is on the wrong side of 30 years old, which means Gross-Matos should see his share of snaps, perhaps in the range of 15 to 20 per game where he'll look to make a positive impact.
If he doesn't, the 49ers will turn to their remaining crop of backups, including players like Robert Beal Jr., Drake Jackson and others who'll aim to overtake Gross-Matos on the depth chart.
That said, if Kocurek has his way, Gross-Matos resurrects his career in the Bay Area and turns into that primary backup pass-rushing specialist who can adequately spell both Bosa and Floyd on a regular basis.
