BREAKING: We have waived DE Takk McKinley.
📝 – https://t.co/0lYf0uk8wg pic.twitter.com/v67q3UuIu2
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 9, 2020
The Atlanta Falcons on Monday placed defensive end Takkarist McKinley on waivers after a disappointing start to his fourth NFL season. While McKinley hasn’t lived up to his billing as a first-round pick, he’s the type of player the 49ers should be looking to add in their search for pass rush depth on the edge.
San Francisco has had trouble finding players who offer viable options as outside rushers since Dee Ford and Nick Bosa both went down early in the season. The solution to this point has been to add former early draft picks and putting them in positions to best take advantage of the talent that made them highly-touted prospects. Dion Jordan has struggled this season. Ezekiel Ansah lasted only a couple games before a season-ending biceps tear, and former Jets third-round pick Jordan Willis recently joined the club via trade.
McKinley fits that mold as the former No. 26 pick of the Falcons out of UCLA in the 2017 draft. In 49 games he racked up 17.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss and 125 pressures per Pro Football Focus’ tracking. His 2020 campaign has been limited to just four games in part because of a groin injury.
His fit with the 49ers would likely be as a pass rusher in a similar vein to Dee Ford last season. He’s a bit undersized at 6-2, 265 pounds, but he has good speed off the edge that may be best utilized in that role.
One thing San Francisco may take issue with is the way McKinley’s time in Atlanta came to an end. Before the year he tweeted this, apparently thankful he wouldn’t be spending a fifth year with the Falcons:
5th year declined 🙏🏿
— Takkarist McKinley (@Takk) April 29, 2020
Then at the trade deadline, where he wasn’t dealt, he posted the following:
The @AtlantaFalcons aren’t trading me. They have declined a handful of offers.
— Takkarist McKinley (@Takk) November 2, 2020
These @AtlantaFalcons turned down a 2nd round draft pick when I requested to get traded last year.
The same @AtlantaFalcons turned down a 5th and 6th round draft pick from multiple teams when I requested to get traded this year. I only have 17.5 career sacks.
🤡🤡🤡
— Takkarist McKinley (@Takk) November 4, 2020
While McKinley’s complaints may be well-founded, social media activity disparaging the team is not something the 49ers have been keen on when it comes adding available players.
Still, McKinley has a ton of talent at a vital position. If there’s still something untapped that he can find once he’s out of Atlanta, it could be a piece San Francisco’s defense is missing.
