The San Francisco 49ers need additional depth on the defensive line, and they could look to a former team member for help.
San Francisco is 4-4 and dealing with a heap of injuries. With DT Javon Hargrave out for the year, Yetur Gross-Matos on the IR and Kevin Givens also dealing with an injury, Sporting News writer Vinnie Iyer is predicting the 49ers to make a trade for Tennessee Titans DT Sebastian Joseph-Day.
“The 49ers didn’t re-sign him in the offseason but could use him back to play a key part in their front-four rotation,” Iyer wrote on October 31.
It’s not much an argument for the trade, but there is clear logic to the idea. Joseph-Day spent the final two weeks of the 2023 regular season with the Niners as well as the ensuing playoff run.
While he was used primarily as a rotational option last season, Joseph-Day has been a starter with the Titans in 2024. While he may not elevate the overall level of the defensive line, he is someone familiar with the organization and would likely cost very little in terms of draft resources.
What Joseph-Day Brings to the Table
Joseph-Day first entered the NFL in the 6th round of the 2018 NFL draft, joining the Los Angeles Rams. As a rookie, the Rams let him develop on the sidelines as he did not make a single appearance during the 2018 season.
However, he shifted into an important role by 2019. He started 15 games for Los Angeles in his sophomore season.
If anything, something that would be useful for San Francisco is the fact that Joseph-Day can play multiple positions. In his career, he has started games at nose tackle, three-tech tackle and strong-side defensive end.
During his six-year career, Joseph-Day has been a consistent presence as a pass rusher. He has not gone a single NFL year without a sack, and has 13 total sacks in 78 NFL appearances.
He has been a key member of almost every team he’s played for, save for the 49ers. Joseph-Day started 73 of his 78 NFL appearances, but he was not a starter for San Francisco last year.
49ers Could Easily Afford Trade
While some of the trade links in recent weeks feature high-profile, highly-paid players, Joseph-Day would be an affordable option. The former Rutgers standout is on a one-year, $4 million deal with the Titans according to Spotrac.
That deal featured a $2.2 million signing bonus, which helps the 49ers or any prospective destination. His base salary for this year is just $1.38 million.
OverTheCap estimates that the 49ers have $54 million in cap space available for this season. Joseph-Day’s salary would be a drop in the pond should San Francisco move for him.
On top of that, he wouldn’t cost much in terms of draft compensation. There’s no clear way to predict what a deal would cost, but the fact that he’s on a one-year deal with Tennessee as well as the fact that he hasn’t produced at an elite level means the Titans could part ways with Joseph-Day for a late-round draft pick.
