NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo tweeted out that defensive lineman Earl Mitchell will sign with the San Francisco 49ers on a 4-year, $16 million deal. His first year will be worth $5.5 million.
With the switch to a 4-3 under newly hired defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Mitchell will be competing for the nose tackle spot on the defensive line. He has experience with 49ers defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina, who was a defensive assistant during Mitchell’s time with the Houston Texans.
Mitchell, who is listed with a height of 6’3 and a weight of 310 lbs, was on a four-year contract with the Miami Dolphins but spent a majority of the 2016 season (his third year) on injured reserve. Once being activated, he wound up with an underwhelming season at best and was released earlier this month.
Compared to last year, the 49ers are not wasting any time getting talent into the building during free agency. A lot of the previous signings could be considered camp bodies, but a $16 million contract is definitely not just a camp body. This also may indicate the team is moving on from current nose tackle Glenn Dorsey who is set to become a free agent.
Details of the contract are sure to come out in the next few days—especially the guarantees, but for now, here’s the first big signing of the John Lynch era. What do you think of it?