After appearing in the Super Bowl last season the San Francisco 49ers failed to make the playoffs in 2024. The 49ers finished the disappointing year with a 6-11 record, good for last place in the NFC West, and the team was eliminated from the postseason back in Week 16. Now San Francisco is making changes in an effort to get back on track for the 2025 season.
The 49ers decided to release veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, according to David Lombardi on X. The move provides some relief to the team’s salary cap and allows Hargrave to become an unrestricted free agent. However, San Francisco has expressed interest in reuniting with the defender.
“It gives him an opportunity to see what his market is, and that may include us,” 49ers’ GM John Lynch said, per Lombardi.
Hargrave spent the first four seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, he rose to prominence during a three-year run with the Philadelphia Phillies, which was capped by his career-best 11-sack campaign in 2022. The 49ers then signed Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million contract ahead of the 2023 season.
The 49ers are moving on from Javon Hargrave, for now
Along with Nick Bosa, Hargrave helped anchor San Francisco’s defensive line last season, leading to a ferocious front that put tons of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Unfortunately, the team lost Hargrave to a season-ending injury this year when he tore his right triceps against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.
Less than a month away from his 32nd birthday, the 49ers have decided to let Hargrave see what kind of deals are available to him before they attempt to negotiate a new contract. Of course, the team would very much like to have him back manning the middle of the D line next year.
Hargrave isn’t the only member of the 49ers who was issued his walking papers now that the miserable 2024 season has ended for the team. Head coach Kyle Shanahan fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider on Tuesday and San Francisco parted ways with defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen.
It was Sorensen’s first season with the 49ers. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with being the team’s defensive coordinator. Shanahan is an offensive-minded coach. And the team has received standout performances from its previous coordinators including Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans, both of whom left San Francisco for head coaching jobs.
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