In the upcoming 2024 season, the 49ers are set to have a stronger and more effective defensive front thanks to the changes made during the offseason. The team’s General Manager John Lynch announced on Monday that they had focused heavily on improving their defensive line.
Lynch explained that after their loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, he felt that the group needed reworking, leading to the addition of several veteran players. The team signed Leonard Floyd, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Jordan Elliott as free agents, and also acquired Maliek Collins through a trade. Both Floyd and Gross-Matos were signed to two-year deals, a departure from the team’s usual approach.
The restructuring of the defensive line meant parting ways with some previous contributors, including longtime player Arik Armstead. However, Lynch expressed confidence in the new additions, highlighting Floyd’s experience and presence opposite Nick Bosa, as well as Gross-Matos’s potential as a player they were excited about. With the inclusion of Elliott and Collins on the inside, Lynch stated that the team successfully reworked their defensive line for the upcoming season.
The 49ers hope that these changes will result in a stronger and more effective front in 2024.
