If Monday was defined by the players the 49ers got, Tuesday was defined by the players they lost.
That continued on Tuesday evening, when edge rushers Charles Omenihu and Samson Ebukam both departed in free agency. Omenihu reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Chiefs worth $20 million, while Ebukam signed a reported three-year deal worth $27 million with the Colts.
Ebukam was the 49ers’ second-best pass rusher last season behind Nick Bosa, tallying a career-high 5 sacks. Omenihu was third on the list with 4.5, also a career high.
Both players were cheap free agent acquisitions that the 49ers got solid production out of, something that has been a consistent theme under defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. It’s possible that the 49ers will look to replace both players by doing more of the same this offseason.
The 49ers signed a high-profile defensive lineman of their own on Monday in Javon Hargrave, one of the best interior pass rushers in the league. San Francisco now has three blue chippers on their defensive line in Hargrave, Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa.
Last year’s second-round pick Drake Jackson will be the next man up at the other edge rushing position, while Kerry Hyder and Jordan Willis are free agents. The 49ers will likely replace the depth at edge with cheap free agents and through the draft.
Mike McGlinchey Jimmy Garoppolo, Hassan Ridgeway Jimmie Ward, Emmanuel Moseley, Ebukam Azeez Al-Shaair, Daniel Brunskill and Omenihu are SF’s big free agent departures so far.