A former very high draft pick of the Chicago Bears could potentially see himself wearing another team’s uniform in the not-so-distant future…
Leonard Floyd was signed to a one-year, $10 million deal by the Atlanta Falcons after being released by the San Francisco 49ers, despite having put up a very solid 8.5 sack campaign in 2024, and the team lacking depth at the position.
But, according to Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, Floyd’s stint with the team could potentially not be over, as he suggests Floyd among the shortlist of candidates that Kyle Shanahan and the Niners may look to for reinforcements after star edge rusher, Nick Bosa, went down with a torn ACL in week 3, which will result in him missing the rest of the 2025 season.
Former Bears High Draft Pick Could Be The Solution After Brutal Injury Loss
Although Davenport admits that this move is “unlikely” he stresses that Floyd’s impressive pedigree and consistent performances – those of which were far from present during his initial four year stint with the Bears – could entice the 49ers to make an offer to the Falcons to bring him back out west to California.
“This may be the least likely trade target in this piece, if only because the 49ers released veteran edge-rusher Leonard Floyd in the offseason,” Davenport wrote on Wednesday, “in part to get younger and in part because of his deficiencies against the run.
Things have changed in a big way since then, though, and the 33-year-old may be the most proven pass-rusher the Niners would be able to acquire at a relatively low cost in terms of draft capital.
Floyd was brought in by the Falcons to provide some veteran stability to a pass rush that struggled mightily a year ago. He has logged no less than 8.5 sacks in each of the past five seasons.”
Leonard Floyd Could Soon Become Surplus To Requirements In Atlanta
Whilst Floyd has clearly been excellent at compiling sacks over the past half decade since departing Chicago, his playing time in Atlanta – which is already not super high – could start to diminish even further, given that the franchise spent two first round picks on edge rushers this past April in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“However, Atlanta might be willing to part with Floyd after spending a pair of first-round picks on edge-rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., while third-year pro Zach Harrison is off to a solid start to the 2025 season.
Floyd is more of a situational pass-rusher at this pointâhis snap share in Atlanta has been the lowest of his career. But the Niners could roll out rookie Mykel Williams and Bryce Huff as the “starters” and use Floyd as a rotational piece to take some pressure off the first-year player.”
The former 9th overall pick has played in fewer than half of the Falcons’ defensive snaps over the past two weeks, and as Pearce and Walker get more and more acclimatized to the league and its demands, the expectation will be that they start to play the majority of snaps, leaving Floyd and former second round pick, Arnold Ebiketie to fight over the 3rd choice rotational rusher role.
It is far from a certainty, but definitely is not an eventuality to rule out just yet.
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