John Abraham Set To Visit 49ers Coaching Staff

October 14, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham (55) prepares to sack Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer (3) in the game at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons beat the Raiders 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

When news broke out that DE/OLB John Abraham would meet with the San Francisco 49ers today, I was in all honesty shocked. The four-time Pro Bowler was recently released by the Atlanta Falcons, and is now looking to play for another Super Bowl contender. The Falcons all-time sacks leader, still has some gas left in the tank, but at what price? Last year, Abraham signed a 3-year deal worth $16.72 million. The 49ers can not afford that price tag, especially if he plays mainly as a pass-rush specialist in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 scheme. So how much value does Abraham actually bring? Plenty.

Abraham’s track record speaks for itself as he amassed 122.0 sacks in his 13-year career. In addition, seven of those years include seasons where he racked up at least 10 sacks on the season. The 49ers desperately need a pass-rusher other than OLB Aldon Smith and Abraham may be the short-term answer. Coming out of South Carolina in the 2000 NFL Draft, many NFL analysts projected Abraham as 3-4 outside linebacker a position he rarely played in the pros. Now Abraham finally gets his chance to show what he can do standing up, if he indeed decides to strike a deal with the red and gold.

We will keep you posted on the lastest Abraham news, as he is also scheduled to visit division rival Seattle Seahawks later this weekend.