Source: 49ers likely to sign defensive lineman Dion Jordan, Reed claimed by Seahawks
The 49ers on Wednesday are likely to sign athletic defensive end Dion Jordan to provide depth and compete for a roster spot behind Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Dee Ford, a league source confirmed to The Bee.
Jordan, 30, was the No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft and never lived up to that billing. San Francisco would be banking on the former Oregon Duck to provide upside while one of their top reserves, Ronald Blair III, works his way back from an ACL tear suffered in November. NFL Network was first to report the pending agreement.
Jordan spent last season with the Raiders following two years with the Seattle Seahawks in which he recorded 5.5 sacks in 19 regular season games in 2017 and 2018.
Jordan has also had a slew of run-ins with the league. He was suspended as a member of the Miami Dolphins for a third violation of the league’s substance abuse policy and didn’t play in 2015 or 2016, when he was released. Jordan was suspended again in 2019 for 10 games and went on to record two sacks and five combined tackles with Oakland.
Jordan would be San Francisco’s sixth former first-round draft choice along the defensive line, joining Bosa, Armstead, Ford, Solomon Thomas and rookie Javon Kinlaw. He’ll compete with Kerry Hyder and Alex Barrett for a roster spot while Blair remains on the active/physically unable to perform list.
The 49ers could use depth behind Ford after knee tendinitis and a hamstring strain limited him to just 22 percent of the defensive snaps last season. The team averaged 3.5 sacks per game with Ford available for 11 contests during the regular season, and just 1.8 when he was sidelined. He returned for the playoffs and the team averaged 4.3 sacks against the Vikings, Packers and Chiefs.
The 49ers settled on Jordan after also working out veteran Ezekiel Ansah this week, who appeared in 11 games for the Seahawks last season and recorded 2.5 sacks.
D.J. Reed claimed by Seahawks
The 49ers wound up losing defensive back D.J. Reed off waivers to the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, according the NFL’s transaction wire.
Reed was waived by San Francisco earlier this week after tearing a pectoral muscle while working out away from the team during the offseason. It was believed the earliest he could return was November.
The team could have placed him on a reserve injured list to retain him, but it would have been forced to pay his entire $750,000 salary. Seattle now assumes his salary and prevents the 49ers from stashing him. Reed is under contract through the 2021 season.
Reed, 24, was a fifth-round draft pick in 2018 who made two starts at nickel cornerback over the past two seasons. He was one of the team’s more versatile defensive backs capable of playing in the slot, outside or at free safety. Though he was likely the third-string option at free safety behind Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore, and at nickel behind K’Waun Williams and Emmanuel Moseley.