Hargrave shocked he's now a 49er
Former Eagle brings potent inside pressure
When the free agency negotiating period began, Javon Hargrave was curious where he would wind up.
With 11 sacks and in the prime of his career after a big year with the Philadelphia Eagles, Hargrave was secure in the knowledge that he was about to sign a life-changing contract. What he didn't expect was to be signing with the 49ers.
“I couldn't believe it myself. I really couldn't,” Hargrave said Thursday in a video conference. “Sometimes when you're trying to get the money, you have to go to a team that's in a rebuild mode. When you get a chance to go a team that was just in the NFC championship, it was an easy for choice for me.
“It made me really happy because I was nervous about free agency, where I was going to have to go. I felt this was the perfect situation for me.”
The 49ers announced the signings of Hargrave, quarterback Sam Darnold, defensive end Clelin Ferrell and defensive back Isaiah
Oliver.
Hargrave, 30, reportedly received a four-year deal worth a maximum of $84 million that included a $23 million signing bonus and $40 million guaranteed. The 49ers wanted him badly enough to pay Hargrave the second-largest amount in free agency to a non-quarterback, behind only departed offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey.
Hargrave, whose first name is pronounced “JAYvon,” will be a push-thepocket presence on the inside at 6-foot-2, 305 pounds. Paired with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, in theory it gives the 49ers the top inside-outside combination in the NFL.
After playing with the Steelers from 2016-19 and four seasons with the Eagles, Hargrave has joined another team with a nononsense, attacking approach to football on the defensive line as taught by line coach Kris Kocurek.
“Violent and upfield,” Hargrave said. “It's like a D-lineman's dream to just go be relentless and disrupt everything. That was a big thing, just knowing I could be part of that, being more disruptive than I've been.”
Both Bosa and defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who will pair with Hargrave in the middle, wasted no time extending their greetings.
“They both hit me up and congratulated me and told me they couldn't wait to be a part of this,” Hargrave said. “I'm just ready to put my head down and see how much better I can be.”
DARNOLD'S FIRST MOVE: LEARN PLAYBOOK >>
Having joined the 49ers quarterback room along with Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, both of whom are rehabbing injuries, Darnold was deflecting all questions as to where he is in the pecking order once the 2023 season gets underway.
But with a contact that pays him $4.5 million ($3.5 million guaranteed), plus playtime incentives that could add millions more, bringing in Darnold isn't going to stop the speculation.
“There are some unknowns, right?” Darnold said. “With Brock's injury and Trey coming back . . . as long as we stick together and we understand we've got to work hard and continue to put our best foot forward for each other, then everything is going to work out. I think as long as we're winning games, that's the only thing that matters to me.”
FERRELL BRUSHES ASIDE
CRITICISM >> When Ferrell was coming out of Clemson in 2019, he and Bosa were considered two of the edge players in college football.
“We were like neck and neck in terms of who was `the guy' in terms of college football D-ends,” Ferrell said.
Bosa is expected to sign a contract that could make him the highest-paid nonquarterback in the NFL. The Raiders, who took Ferrell No. 4 overall two picks after Bosa went to the 49ers, declined Ferrell's fifth-year option.
Ferrell came to the 49ers on a one-year deal worth a reported $2.5 million and shrugs off his label as an underachiever.
“Criticism, whether it's fair or not, comes with the territory,” Ferrell said. OLIVER COMFORTABLE IN THE SLOT >> Oliver, who signed a two-year deal for which terms have not been reported, is the odds-on favorite to replace Jimmie Ward as the slot corner.
With Atlanta, Oliver saw the majority of his snaps in the slot. He has the size (6foot, 200 pounds) to shed blocks, is a considered a sure tackler, has blitzing skills and enjoys life on the inside.
“I definitely felt much more comfortable in there,” Oliver said.