Javon Hargrave is set to be released by the 49ers shortly after the new league year begins. Once that takes place, he will become a free agent; the Pro Bowl defensive tackle already has his next destination lined up, though.
Hargrave has agreed to a contract with the Vikings, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Minnesota already has a deal in place with Jonathan Allen, but the team’s spending spree at the line of scrimmage is set to continue. The Vikings’ efforts to shore up their offensive line has included agreements with former Colts Ryan Kelly and Will Fries.
The 49ers came to regret their Hargrave addition, though San Francisco has not discriminated too much regarding the players it has moved on from this offseason. A host of Super Bowl LVIII starters (or would-be starters, in Talanoa Hufanga‘s case) are gone, with Hargrave’s exit known earlier than the other departures. The 49ers had made it known early this offseason they were designating Hargrave as a post-June 1 cut. After being tied to a $21MM-per-year deal, the former Steelers and Eagles starter is joining Allen up front in Minnesota.
Turning 32 in February, Hargrave is two years older than Allen. He is also coming off a season mostly nullified by injury. He suffered a partially torn triceps in September and was early to the 49ers’ injury avalanche last year. In 2023, Hargrave had totaled seven sacks, eight tackles for loss and 14 QB hits to help the 49ers to the Super Bowl. Hargrave ended up facing the Chiefs to decide consecutive seasons, though his teams came up short on each occasion.
The 49ers bet big on Hargrave, complementing Brock Purdy‘s rookie contract, after he posted an 11-sack year for the Eagles in 2022. One of four Philly double-digit sackers on a team that came within two sacks (70) of breaking the 1984 Bears’ single-season record, Hargrave added postseason sacks in 2022 and ’23. Prior to that Eagles sack binge, Hargrave — who had formerly worked as a third wheel alongside Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt in Pittsburgh — made his first Pro Bowl with a 7.5-sack, 18-hit 2021.
Phillips is going into his age-29 season; suddenly, he will the 20-something representative up front for the Vikings, who entered free agency with Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery unsigned. A Vikings team that ranked second against the run last season but did not see much interior pressure — no Minnesota D-lineman eclipsed two sacks in 2024 — as bulked in the latter area Tuesday morning.
Adam La Rose contributed to this report.
High upside signing
Detroit changed the off season of the whole nfc north
Good signing by the KAM!