The NFL trade deadline has passed, and the San Francisco 49ers made a move to get veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen. Even though they did not add another defensive lineman on Tuesday, there is a reunion staring them right in the face that might be more impactful than any trade they could make.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott was on the Niners in 2024 and 2025. He was a solid player for the team and was effective in the run game despite failing to record a sack during his tenure.
One of the first things Robert Saleh did after becoming head coach of the Tennessee Titans was make sure that Elliott would be coming with him from San Francisco, as the Titans signed him to a two-year, $8 million deal in the offseason.
Unfortunately, things didn't work out. The Titans were forced to release Elliott following an incident involving a teammate during practice in which he had an argument and apparently went to retrieve a firearm from his car.
Saleh still spoke highly of Elliott after the incident and said that he is a good man who had a terrible lapse in judgment. The Chicago Bears are reportedly holding a workout for Elliott, so it seems at least one team is willing to take a chance on him, and the 49ers should be in the mix as well.
Kyle Shanahan sounds open to 49ers reuniting with Jordan Elliott
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was even asked about the possibility of bringing Elliott back after the team lost rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton to a season-ending injury. Shanahan said:
"This building loved Jordan... Jordan is someone we'd always be interested in as a person and a player."
It honestly would not be a bad idea to get him back in the fold. The Niners look like geniuses for bringing DeForest Buckner back in light of the Halton injury, but they need more depth now that Halton is done for the year.
Elliott knows the 49ers, and they know him. Adding him as an extra defensive tackle option may not seem like a huge move, but it would be the type of underrated signing that ends up paying dividends later on.
He's not flashy, but flashy isn't always for the better, so an Elliott reunion might be better than any blockbuster trade John Lynch could have pulled off.
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