The 49ers didn’t get former Cardinals defensive end Terrell Suggs, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported the 49ers were among four teams that put a claim in on the veteran pass rusher. They were joined by the Chiefs, Patriots and Seahawks. Kansas City was awarded Suggs because they had the worst record of the teams that claimed the 37-year-old.
It’s not a huge surprise San Francisco tried to snag the former All-Pro. They’re beat up at defensive end with Dee Ford nursing a hamstring injury, and Ronald Blair and Damontre Moore both out for the season.
Rapoport reported after Suggs’ release that the longtime Raven wanted to go back to Baltimore and may not report if claimed by another team. There’s a chance the 49ers and other teams made the claim to try and keep him out of Baltimore. All four teams that put claims in are Super Bowl contenders that could have their championship hopes threatened by the league-leading Ravens.
San Francisco’s claim is an indicator that they’re aiming to bolster their pass rush, which sputtered in their Week 15 loss to the Falcons. They have only three sacks in the last three weeks after having three or more sacks in 10 of their first 11 games. That’s a huge area of concern moving forward, and Suggs may have been their only opportunity to add a pass rusher before the end of the year.