Qwuantrezz Knight, a defensive back, was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.
For those who aren’t familiar with 49ers offseason rosters or the practice squad, this name may not signify much, but Knight was well-liked in San Francisco’s camp ever since they signed him as an undrafted rookie after the 2022 draft.
The 49ers released him during their offseason roster purge, and the Cardinals quickly signed him. Knight is now free after being released from Arizona, and the 49ers ought to try to sign him again.
Knight made his Cardinals debut the previous season, appearing in six games mostly as a special teams player.
While he doesn’t exactly guarantee that the 49ers will fix every issue, his versatility as a safety and cornerback should offer San Francisco some choices come off-season. He may be useful on special teams as well.
Even though Knight won’t have as much of an impact as other secondary arrivals, it would be wise for the 49ers to reach back out to him and offer him another opportunity to contribute.
A secondary that sorely needs some excellent depth would benefit from his assistance, if he can provide it. It’s a low-risk signing that won’t have many noteworthy effects on San Francisco’s offseason if he can’t.
initially appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area; 49ers begin D-line overhaul in first week of free agency
In the opening week of the new NFL league season, the 49ers made changes to their defensive line.
Arik Armstead, a defensive tackle, was released by San Francisco. Then, in order to cover gaps in the defensive line rotation, they added four experienced players.
General manager John Lynch still has work to do to improve a team that finished second in the league in yards allowed and had the best scoring defense in 2022.
The 49ers finished eighth in total yards and third in points allowed during defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ lone and only season in charge.
After free agency has wound down and all focus has shifted to the NFL Draft, which takes place next month, this is how the revamped defense appears:
Overview: Since Bosa’s 2019 rookie season, the 49ers have looked for an above-average edge rusher to line up opposite of him.Floyd is their most recent effort to address the problem.
Floyd is renowned for exerting himself on the field, which caused Chase Young to struggle in the NFC Championship Game. Over the previous four seasons, Floyd averaged nearly ten sacks every season.
That level of output will be welcomed by the 49ers, as Young only recorded 3.5 sacks in 12 games—including postseason play—last season.
Gross-Matos will probably be used as a weapon in the D-line rotation for the squad. In nickel situations, he can also move inside and rush the passer.
The 49ers anticipate seeing greater output from Jackson and Beal, their recent draft selections. They might use their pick at No. 31 overall to target this issue as early as well.
