The San Francisco 49ers added depth to last season’s top-ranked defense Wednesday.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers signed edge rusher Clelin Ferrell to a one-year deal. The terms of his contract remain undisclosed.
Shortly after San Francisco selected Nick Bosa, the Raiders made Ferrell the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He struggled to meet lofty expectations, tallying 10 sacks and 105 tackles through four seasons.
Ferrell started four games over the last two seasons, but his snaps nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022.
While the 49ers signed Javon Hargrave to a four-year deal, they have also seen free-agent defensive linemen Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu, and Hassan Ridgeway leave. They’ll look to rejuvenate Ferrell’s career with a change of scenery.
San Francisco has succeeded with reclamation projects before. Two years ago, the 49ers signed Arden Key after three underwhelming seasons with the Raiders. He recorded 6.5 sacks in 2021 and signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Tennessee Titans after playing every game for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.