You can’t keep ‘em all.
The 49ers boasted arguably the league’s best linebacking corps last season, with middle man Fred Warner flanked by Azeez Al-Shaair and Dre Greenlaw. Most figured that Al-Shaair had played himself out of San Francisco’s price range after his solid contributions the past few seasons.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported that Al-Shaair has agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans, as contracts can be announced beginning at 1 p.m. PT Wednesday.
This move opens up an opportunity for Al-Shaair to shine with the Titans, who recently poached new general manager Ran Carthon from San Francisco’s front office. As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle noted, Warner wanted to see Al-Shaair get a shot to be the main man elsewhere, given the business realities of the situation.
On Monday afternoon, Al-Shaair bid farewell to the 49ers Faithful with a post on Instagram.
We still have to see the terms, but you have assume that the 25-year-old earned a healthy multiyear deal to join the Titans. Though he was sidelined with an MCL sprain for four weeks, Al-Shaair established himself as a trusty option at strongside linebacker, while Greenlaw wreaked havoc on the weakside.
Now the talented trio is broken up after spending the past four seasons together.
Listed at 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, Al-Shaair’s best year came in 2021, when he totaled 101 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, five passes defended, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception. Al-Shaair figures to slot in as a starting inside linebacker in the Titans’ 3-4 system.
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