John Lynch continues to shine in his first offseason as the 49ers general manager. After experiencing a wildly successful draft, during which he took advantage of the quarterback-needy Bears, Lynch just signed the best remaining free-agent pass rusher on the market.
On Monday, Lynch announced on Twitter -- not via fax -- that he signed Elvis Dumervil to fortify the 49ers' pass rush.
Faithful - Just added another stud to harass QBs. Thrilled to announce we’ve agreed to terms w/ @EKD92 Welcome to the squad. #BrickByBrick pic.twitter.com/zkOLU7NTcW
— John Lynch (@JohnLynch49ers) June 5, 2017
Confirmation from Dumervil himself:
After much thought & prayer I have decided to join the @49ers! I look forward to getting to know the NFC West QBs! See you soon SF. pic.twitter.com/t5kB1yNaPW
— Elvis Dumervil (@EKD92) June 5, 2017
Landing Dumvervil won't put the 49ers over the top -- the team is still in the beginning stages of the rebuilding process -- but this is still a great June addition.
Dumervil, 33, isn't the pass rusher he once was -- nobody will argue that. But he's notched nine sacks in the past two seasons (combined). He can still bother opposing quarterbacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Dumervil generated 25 total pressures in 184 pass rushing snaps last year. After racking up 35½ sacks during his four-year stint with the Ravens, he's sitting on 99 career sacks. He's been to five Pro Bowls. He's been named First Team All-Pro twice.
This is the perfect type of signing for the 49ers. It'll make them more competitive and it likely (the financial figures haven't been disclosed) won't jeopardize their long-term future. Signing top free agents never really makes that much sense for rebuilding teams, because it often involves too much money and too many years. Buying low on dependable players with some upside makes much more sense.
The best part? Lynch and Dumervil were actually teammates in Denver in 2006 and 2007.