After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020, the San Francisco 49ers are preparing for a future, and it starts with a Javon Hargrave cut. A third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the South Carolina State product put up some solid tape with the Pittsburgh Steelers before breaking out with the Philadelphia Eagles. Following an 11-sack 2022, the 49ers signed the defensive tackle to solidify the center of the defensive line. He did that in 2023, making the Pro Bowl while recording seven sacks and eight tackles-for-loss.
Unfortunately, injuries limited Javon Hargrave to just three games in 2024, and the cash-strapped 49ers have no choice but to cut him. According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, the 49ers will release the defensive tackle at the start of the new league year as they try and create cap space for the inevitable Brock Purdy extension. While Meirov reports the 49ers want him back at a cheaper price, he could abandon ship and sign with the Los Angeles Chargers or New Orleans Saints.
The #49ers will release DT Javon Hargrave this offseason when the new league year begins, but are open to bringing him back on a new deal, per GM John Lynch. pic.twitter.com/YirScbkaI8
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 8, 2025
49ers Will Cut Javon Hargrave, Could Land With Chargers, Saints
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh believes football games are won and lost in the trenches. While he guided the Chargers to the playoffs in his first season at the helm, there is no denying that there is work to be done with this roster. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has done a remarkable job of getting the most out of a unit that couldn’t stop anyone under former head coach Brandon Staley, but defensive tackle could be an issue next year.
Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, and Teair Tart have all played well in 2024, but all three players will be free agents at the start of the new league year. Perhaps Los Angeles can retain one or two of these players, but the odds of keeping all three are pretty slim. Additionally, Ford and Tart are having outlier seasons, as they normally don’t play this week. Javon Hargrave is a considerably safer option, and he should provide stability to whichever team lands him after the 49ers cut him.
Retooling, Not Rebuilding
The New Orleans Saints will have a new head coach running the show in 2025, but that won’t stop General Manager Mickey Loomis from doing his usual thing. Rather than embracing a long-overdue rebuild, Loomis will restructure deal after deal to try and maximize the veteran talent on the roster. While this will create cap space, it won’t create enough to pursue top-dollar free agents. Because of this, the Saints will likely target cost-effective options like Javon Hargrave after the 49ers cut him.
While the Saints have yet to hire their next head coach, all signs indicate that old friend and current Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will earn the job. This hire implies New Orleans will build on defense, and that starts in the trenches. According to Pro Football Focus, Khalen Saunders was the only defensive tackle on the team to finish as a top-100 defensive tackle, and he was the 78th-best by their grading. This includes 2023 first-round pick Bryan Bresee, who finished as the 126th-best defensive tackle out of 132 players. New Orleans needs defensive stability, and Javon Hargrave can provide that.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
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