The New York Giants have decided to keep pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul around for another season. Pro Football Talk is reporting the Giants will use their franchise tag on the edge rusher.
JPP had a rough end to a redemptive 2016 season. A year after losing his right index finger in a fireworks explosion, JPP got off to a solid start in 2016. He had seven sacks and three forced fumbles, but a sports hernia injury cost him the final four games of the season.
The 49ers have a need at edge rusher in their new-look defense, and JPP and Melvin Ingram might have been two possibilities. Ingram made more sense as a younger option, but he too is expected to get the franchise tag. JPP might have been a secondary option in that case.
There is general agreement however that the 2017 NFL Draft is very deep in the pass rush department. Myles Garrett is the big name, but the first round could also include Derek Barnett, Takkarist McKinley, Tim Williams, and Charles Harris. The list goes on deeper down the draft board, but with high picks in the first and second rounds, the 49ers could address edge rusher fairly early.