The San Francisco 49ers just inked defensive lineman Victor Dimukeje and offensive lineman Nick Zakelj to one-year deals. But get this: Zakelj was literally cut eight days ago for Doug Kramer Jr. after he missed a week of practice with an elbow injury. That’s a whirlwind of chaos right there, and it tells you everything about where the Niners are at with their depth early in the season.
The Great Zakelj-Smith Shuffle Is a Mess
Seriously, think about it. The dude was gone, released for an injury, and now he’s back barely a week later. Why? Well, to make room for Zakelj and Dimukeje, they canned running back Khalil Herbert and, more importantly, offensive lineman Kion Smith. And Smith’s performance in last Thursday’s preseason game? It was a straight-up disaster, plain and simple. He played 33 snaps at right guard, and the dude could not stop the run to save his life. Not only that, he also gave up a pair of pressures. You know it’s bad when a player’s performance is so glaringly awful that it forces the team to immediately re-sign a guy they just let go. That’s a desperate move, and it shows you the Niners are scrambling to find competence on the offensive line even in these initial contests. If someone’s early game struggles are so bad they reverse a decision made just days prior, that’s a massive red flag.
Dimukeje’s Decline: A Roll of the Dice for the Edge Rush
Then there’s Victor Dimukeje. The 49ers are bringing in an edge rusher who, let’s be real, hasn’t done much lately. He was a sixth-round pick in 2021 out of Duke by the Arizona Cardinals and most recently played for the Giants last season. His best year was way back in 2023 when he racked up 17 pressures and four sacks. Not too shabby, right? But since then? It’s been a steep drop-off. He’s listed at 6’2″, 265 pounds, but his playing time has plummeted from 368 snaps in 2023 to 152, and then to a measly 16 snaps last season with New York. He’s also been dropping into coverage more, with at least four targets against him from 2022 through 2024. The Niners only trotted out five edge rushers in their first preseason game, and you gotta wonder if this signing is more about sheer numbers than getting a truly impactful player. They need another body, especially if they’re not going to play Nick Bosa much, and want to use Keion White or Sam Okuayinonu sparingly. It sounds like they’re hoping a fresh start reignites his old form, but based on recent trends, that’s a big gamble.
The 49ers are clearly trying to sort out their roster. They need to figure out what they have, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, as these early games continue. Their next contests will be crucial to see if these quick-turnaround signings pay off or if this early season instability continues to haunt them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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