The 49ers have re-signed linebacker Mark Nzeocha to a one-year deal, the club announced today.
Nzeocha had been scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason, and given his lack of playing time, San Francisco likely would have been secure in tendering Nzeocha at the original round level. Such a tender would have been non-guaranteed and cost roughly $1.908MM, so it’s fair to assume Nzeocha accepted less than that total on his new contract. In exchange, it’s possible Nzeocha was able to garner a small guarantee as part of his 2018 salary.
The 28-year-old Nzeocha spent two seasons in Dallas before joining the 49ers during the 2017 campaign. While he appeared in 10 games, he rarely played on defense (only nine snaps). Instead, Nzeocha saw most of his action on special teams, where he managed 38.7% playtime on a unit that ranked 11th in DVOA. He’ll likely return to that role next season, although there’s always a chance he could see more time on a young San Francisco defense.