Patriots Perfect Landing Spot for 49ers Star Defender

The New England Patriots make perfect sense as a destination for this San Francisco 49ers star defender.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Leonard Floyd (56) watches the video replay in the second quarter against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

We are all aware that the New England Patriots are in serious need of offensive assistance heading into the NFL offseason, but they could also use some help defensively.

More specifically, the Patriots badly need another pass rusher, as they have totaled just 27 sacks over their first 14 games in 2024.

New England traded away Matthew Judon before the regular season began, and outside of Keion White, the Pats don't really have anyone who can get to opposing quarterbacks.

There should be plenty of solid pass rushers available in free agency, but one particularly interesting name that could surface is San Francisco 49ers star Leonard Floyd.

Here's the thing with Floyd: he is under contract through the end of 2025, but given the 49ers' tenuous financial situation, they may ultimately cut him to save some money.

If San Francisco releases Floyd with a post-June 1 designation, it would save the Niners in the neighborhood of $8 million. That's a decent chunk of change, and given how disastrous the 2024 campaign was in the Bay, the 49ers may simply decide to cut their losses.

Floyd may be 32 years old, but he is still productive, having logged 39 tackles and 8.5 sacks this season. He is not exactly stout against the run, but his ability to pressure opposing signal-callers has been well-documented throughout his well-traveled NFL career.

The University of Georgia product is now on his fourth team and will almost certainly be playing for a new club in 2025. Could it be the Patriots?

Should San Francisco release Floyd, New England would probably be able to land him on a one-year deal. Of course, the Pats would be competing against contending teams for his services, but given all of the cap space the Patriots will have, they could offer him a sweeter contract.

New England needs all the pass-rushing help it can get, and it doesnt' get much more consistent than Floyd in that capacity.

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