49ers’ Leonard Floyd eager to team with Bosa as second outside rush threat – The Mercury News

Leonard Floyd is hopeful of being being the bookend pass rusher Nick Bosa hasn’t had since his rookie season.

“I talked to Nick once I committed,” Floyd said Monday in a conference call with local writers after the 49ers made his signing official. “We’re eager to play with each other . . . I’m looking forward to getting out, doing my job and just being a professional.”

Floyd, 31, agreed to terms a week ago with the 49ers after a 10 1/2-sack season in Buffalo. The 49ers also confirmed the previously-reported agreements with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and cornerbacks Isaac Yiadom and Chase Lucas.

Also confirmed was the re-signing of guard/center Jon Feliciano and the 49ers also signed their first offensive lineman from outside the organization in former Raider Brandon Parker.

Floyd said the 49ers were an easy choice because of their status as a Super Bowl contender and that they “didn’t B.S. around . . . It was a great deal, a solid deal for me and it really wasn’t no second-guessing it. They showed they wanted me from the jump. Once I saw that, I was like, shoot, I want y’all too so I’m on my way.”

Ideally, Floyd becomes the first outside running mate of Bosa to break through with double digit sacks. The closest thing Bosa has had to a consistent outside threat on the other side was Dee Ford in 2019, who had 6 1/2 sacks in 11 games in 2019.

Excluding 2020 when Bosa was injured, the second-highest sack total from an edge rusher to Bosa was Samson Ebukam in 2021 (4 1/2), Charles Omenihu in 2022 (4 1/2) and Clelin Ferrell last season (3 1/2).

Floyd’s deal was reportedly for two years and $20 million.

“I knew this was a team that was ready for a Super Bowl run,” Floyd said. “I didn’t want to go to a team and be in a position to not play in the playoffs. So I came here with aspirations of coming in, helping the defense out to win games and get back to the big games.”

Floyd’s sack total of 10 1/2 tied his career high of 10 1/2 in 2020 with the Los Angeles Rams. At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Floyd has played both outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense as well as edge in a 4-3.

“It really don’t matter to me as long as we sack the quarterback,” Floyd said. “It don’t matter, standing up or there-point. Scheme-wise, I’m an athlete so I’ll fit any scheme. All I need is for my coach to teach me what to do and where to go and I’m going to go 100 percent.”

Floyd played from 2016 through 2019 with the Chicago Bears, and worked under new 49ers assistant Brandon Staley in both Chicago and Los Angeles.

The 49ers named Nick Sorensen as their new defensive coordinator in place of Steve Wilks, with Staley hired in an as yet undisclosed capacity.

“Coach Staley, man, that’s my guy,” Floyd said. “I been knowing coach Staley since my second year in the league, so it’s been a long time and he knows me too. He knows that type of player I am and what I bring to the table.”

Floyd hasn’t missed a game since 2016, having played a full schedule in each of the last six seasons and attribute his relentless nature to working watermelon fields from the 9th through the 12th grade in Georgia.

“That’s real hard labor. It teaches you to grind, it teaches you real hard work.” Floyd said.

Campbell, who was an All-Pro with Green Bay in 2021, was signed by the 49ers after being released by the Packers and provides insurance alongside Fred Warner as Dre Greenlaw rehabs a torn left Achilles’ sustained in Super Bowl LIV.

Yiadom worked his way into the lineup for the last eight games for New Orleans last season and had his best season with 14 pass breakups. He’ll compete to play behind Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir. Ward is entrenched as an outside corner, with Lenoir available either outside or as a slot corner.

Lucas, who played the last two seasons with Detroit is regarded as predominantly a special teams player, as is Ezekiel Turner, a smallish linebacker who led Arizona with 12 special teams tackles. Turner’s signing has yet to be confirmed.d

A former third-round pick out of North Carolina A&T, Parker played 59 games with 33 starts as a right tackle for the Raiders but never had a stranglehold on a starting role.

49ERS’ OFFSEASON SCORECARD

Free agents signed

DT Jordan Elliott (Cleveland): (Reported as 2 years, $10 million)

DE Yetur Gross-Matos (Carolina): (Reported as 2 years, $18 million)

LB De’Vondre Campbell (Green Bay): (One year, NFL Network)

DE Leonard Floyd: (Buffalo): (Two years)

CB Chase Lucas: (Detroit):  (One year)

Acquired by trade

DT Maliek Collins: (Houston in exchange for 7th round draft pick)

Free agents returning

DT Kevin Givens: (One year)

LB Demetrius Flanningan-Fowles (One year)

G Jon Feliciano (One year)

QB Brandon Allen (One year)

OL Ben Bartch (One year, The Athletic)

Restricted free agents

WR Jauan Jennings (extended second-round tender at $4.9 million)