The 49ers nearly signed Ndamukong Suh. They were in the running for Suh’s services along with the Philadelphia Eagles, who eventually signed the veteran defensive lineman to a one-year deal worth $2 million. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk spoke with Suh, who told Florio he opted to play with the Eagles instead of the 49ers.
It’s not a huge surprise San Francisco was in the mix for defensive line help. They pushed their chips in on the 2022 season when they traded for running back Christian McCaffrey, and their defensive line has struggled to stay healthy.
Defensive tackles Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead have both been dealing with injuries since Week 3. Armstead missed that Week 3 game, played in Week 4, and hasn’t seen game action since. Kinlaw last played in Week 3 and wound up on IR. There’s no guarantee either will play again this season, though the club expects both to return.
Suh would’ve been at worst a good rotational player on the interior if Kinlaw and Armstead both make it back to the field. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and he won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020. Across 12 NFL seasons, Suh has started all 191 games he’s played. He has 590 tackles, 70.5 sacks and 130 tackles for loss.
The choice of the Eagles over the 49ers could signal what Suh thinks of the 49ers’ Super Bowl chances compared to those of Philadelphia. He told Florio his goal is to win another championship, so he chose the club that he believes gives him the best chance to add to his Hall of Fame resumé.
