The 49ers are turning the page on a bruising 2025 season, and they’re doing it with a familiar face calling the shots on defense. Raheem Morris is back with Kyle Shanahan, this time as San Francisco’s new defensive coordinator. And while the Niners’ defense was battered by injuries last year, Morris brings a steady hand and a deep Rolodex - one that could help bolster a unit in need of reliable reinforcements.
One name that jumps off the page? Leonard Floyd.
Floyd’s 2024 stint with the 49ers flew under the radar, but in hindsight, it was quietly productive. He notched 8.5 sacks - a number that stands out even more when you realize no one else on the team cracked five.
Bryce Huff led the squad with just four. So while Floyd’s numbers may not scream All-Pro, they were a bright spot in an otherwise frustrating campaign for the red and gold.
The problem wasn’t performance - it was price. At 33 and carrying a $10 million cap hit, Floyd didn’t fit into GM John Lynch’s offseason strategy of getting younger and leaner.
The Niners cut ties, and within 24 hours, Floyd landed in Atlanta on a one-year, $10 million deal. That move reunited him with Morris, who knew exactly what Floyd brought to the table from their shared time with the Rams.
Floyd’s 2025 season in Atlanta wasn’t headline-worthy - 3.5 sacks over 15 starts - but the sack total doesn’t tell the whole story. What’s easy to overlook is his durability.
Since 2018, Floyd has started at least 15 games every single season. For a Niners team that spent much of last year scrambling to plug holes left by injuries, that kind of availability is gold.
Now, at 34, Floyd isn’t the edge-bending force he once was. But that doesn’t mean he’s out of value. In fact, for a team like San Francisco - top-heavy at edge rusher with Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams expected to anchor the front - a dependable veteran like Floyd could be the perfect depth piece.
The Niners face the possibility of losing several rotational edge rushers this offseason. Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell, Sam Okuayinonu, and Robert Beal could all be headed elsewhere.
That leaves the cupboard thin behind Bosa and Williams - and that’s where a player like Floyd fits in. He may not be flashy, but he knows the system, he knows the coordinator, and he knows how to stay on the field.
Sure, a splashy addition like Trey Hendrickson or even a blockbuster trade for someone like Maxx Crosby would get fans buzzing. But not every move needs to be a headline-grabber.
Sometimes, it’s about smart, reliable depth. And with Morris now in charge of the defense, don’t be surprised if Leonard Floyd’s name surfaces again in Santa Clara.
The connection is there - and so is the need.