The 49ers have their Arik Armstead replacement. After setting up to release Armstead Wednesday, San Francisco has now added a fourth player along its defensive line. And this one's a big one (literally).
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 49ers are acquiring defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who is coming off a career-high 5.0-sack season, and is soon to be 29. His 45 pressures were the 19th most among 142 qualified defensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus.
And according to The Athletic's Diana Russini, it's for a 7th-round pick.
This is a slight bit of a salary dump for DeMeco Ryans' Texans, who will save $3.47 million in the trade.
Assuming the Texans are not taking on any additional salary, San Francisco will owe him $8 million this season. They can cut him in 2025 for nothing, or pay him $9.5 million.
Collins profiles as a physical, pass-rushing option for the 49ers, who could pair well with Javon Hargrave in clear passing situations. Collins was ranked as the 43rd-best interior pass rusher in the league out of 141 qualified players, per Pro Football Focus.
San Francisco has placed a priority on defensive line depth, having now added Collins, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, and two edge players in Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos. There are more moves to come, and this may not be the splashiest one yet.