The San Francisco 49ers didn’t make a splash at the trade deadline, and for a moment, that quiet approach had fans scratching their heads. But with three wins in their last four games - including a commanding Week 13 road victory over the Cleveland Browns - it’s starting to look like GM John Lynch had a plan all along.
And at the heart of that plan? A familiar face who's making a serious impact: Clelin Ferrell.
Ferrell, who spent the 2023 season with the Niners, found his way back to the Bay via the practice squad after a short stint with the Chargers. It wasn’t a headline-grabbing move at the time, but it’s quickly turning into one of the most valuable in-season additions Lynch has made.
In Cleveland, Ferrell turned in a statement performance. Two sacks, one more than Browns superstar Myles Garrett - and on Garrett’s home turf, no less.
That’s not just production. That’s presence.
Ferrell’s resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time. The 49ers have been hit hard by injuries on the edge, losing both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams for the season.
That’s a brutal blow to any pass rush, let alone one that entered the year with Super Bowl aspirations. And while San Francisco still ranks last in the league with just 16 total sacks, Ferrell is doing everything he can to keep the defense afloat.
He’s only played in four games since rejoining the team, but he’s already tied for the team lead in sacks with four. That’s an average of one per game - a level of consistency that’s rare for someone who wasn’t even on the active roster to start the season. Ferrell’s workload has hovered around 25 defensive snaps per game, and he’s making every one of them count.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t hold back in praising the former first-round pick after the win in Cleveland. “He’s done a hell of a job,” Shanahan said.
“We loved having Cle here a couple years ago when we had him. Since his first day here, he’s been the same guy.
He’s given us a lot of juice when we’ve been down.”
That kind of trust - and that kind of production - speaks volumes. Ferrell isn’t just filling a gap.
He’s helping stabilize a defense that’s had to pivot on the fly. And for a team still very much in the playoff hunt, that kind of contribution is invaluable.
In a season where the 49ers could’ve panicked at the deadline, they instead leaned on familiarity and fit. And in Clelin Ferrell, they found both.