Arik Armstead Explains Why He Signed With the Jaguars

Why did the 49ers star sign with the Jaguars once he became a free agent?

Arik Armstead had plenty of reasons to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

A chance to continue to compete for championships, the financial side, Ryan Nielsen's defense ... and, of course, general manager Trent Baalke.

Armstead was drafted in the first round by Baalke in San Francisco in 2015 before spending the last nine seasons with the 49ers. Now, he reunites with the man who drafted him. 

“It all happened very quickly. My free agency was a little delayed, and so on Wednesday when I was officially released, I then had the opportunity to talk to some teams. It all happened very fast and me and Trent [Baalke] have a great relationship," Armstead told local media on Monday. "He drafted me nine years ago back in San Francisco and we were able to talk and discuss my situation and where I’m at in my career. I felt like this was the best decision for me and my family. I’m very excited to get it going.”

"We’ve had a great relationship, being with him for those few years and drafting me, getting to know me as a younger guy. Then, him watching me from afar when we played the Jags, I would always see him right there pregame. We would talk and the sentiment of how proud he was of me and how my career has gone. He felt like he made a good decision then and he feels like he’s making a good decision now. Having that someone that you’re comfortable with and that you’ve been around is going to make this transition much smoother.”

Armstead only appeared in 12 regular season games last year due to injuries, though he still finished with five sacks and nearly 60 pressures.

In nine seasons, Armstead started 97 games and appeared in 116, recording 33.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss, and 88 quarterback hits. 

Now, Armstead will be placed in the middle of new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen's defense, giving him a chance to be a core piece of the Jaguars' pursuit for sustained success. 

“I feel that it’s tailormade for the defensive line. Coach Nielsen being a former defensive lineman himself, I feel that I could play a multitude of roles in it," Armstead said. 

"From lining up on the edge and playing the run to moving into the inside of the pass rusher. I’m excited to see how the plans are and how they plan on using me.”