Niner Noise
FanSided

3 pending free agents 49ers should re-sign for 2020

By Robert Morrison

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 15: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 15: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Ronald Blair III #98 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts to tackling Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Levi’s Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Ronald Blair III #98 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts to tackling Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Levi’s Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Defensive end Ronald Blair III

The conversation should begin with the aforementioned Ronald Blair III, a defensive end the Niners drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Appalachian State.

Blair hasn’t been spectacular during his tenure with the 49ers thus far, racking up modest but notably reserve-level numbers in his 41 NFL games:

Ronald Blair Defense & Fumbles Table
Game Game Fumb Fumb Fumb Fumb Fumb Tack Tack Tack Tack Tack
Year Age Tm G GS FF Fmb FR Yds TD Sk Comb Solo Ast TFL QBHits Sfty AV
2016 23 SFO 16 0 3.0 16 11 5 3 8 1
2017 24 SFO 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 2.0 15 10 5 2 2 1
2018 25 SFO 16 0 5.5 36 24 12 10 14 2
2019 26 SFO 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.0 9 4 5 3 1
Care Care 41 2 1 0 1 0 0 11.5 76 49 27 18 25 4

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/26/2019.

His Pro Football Focus grades tell a similar story to the raw stats. As a rookie in 2016, his overall grade in 307 snaps was just 55.5, a number that went up during an injury-prone second year to 62.4, which he nearly replicated over 534 snaps in 2018 at 62.1.

This season, however, Blair appears plenty aware that he’s fighting to continue his career, either in San Francisco or elsewhere, and has already managed one sack, four hurries and five total pressures, to go along with a 83.0 PFF grade in 85 snaps.

He may be benefiting from the talent around him to a certain extent. But the fact of the matter is if the 49ers intend to continue using a defensive line rotation past this season, they’ll need depth guys like Blair. This will be especially true of fellow defensive lineman Arik Armstead plays himself into a larger contract somewhere else (which he seems to be doing, which is why he isn’t on this list).

Blair has made a little over $2.6 million in his time with the 49ers, according to Over The Cap, a figure the team should be able to offer on a per-season basis to keep Blair around.

He’s not going to be a game-changing signing, but he’ll provide quality snaps in a depth role, something the Niners need to continue manipulating defensive line snaps the way they want to.