49ers adding former Super Bowl champ to reinforce defense
Nov 12, 2018; Santa Clara, CA, USA; A general overall view of the San Francisco 49ers logo at midfield at Levi’s Stadium prior to the game against the New York Giants. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Chargers on Friday released defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day. The San Francisco 49ers swooped in to pick up the veteran just a few days later.
The 49ers on Tuesday agreed to terms with Joseph-Day, according to NFL Network’s Jason McCourty. The 5-year veteran is reportedly signing a 1-year deal.
The #49ers and Sebastian Joseph-Day have agreed to terms per sources.
Joseph-Day gets a chance to join a contender and compete for another Super Bowl!
— Jason McCourty (@JasonMcCourty) December 26, 2023
The Niners acted quickly after their defense got lit up for a season-worst 33 points during their Monday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Joseph-Day will likely be expected to step in and fill the gaps while the 49ers’ defensive line gets healthy.
The 49ers have dealt with a slew of injuries to their D-line of late. Tackle Javon Hargrave missed San Francisco’s Week 15 win over the Arizona Cardinals due to a hamstring injury. Defensive end Arik Armstead has been sidelined for the past three weeks due to lingering foot and knee issues.
Day, a former Chargers team captain, won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021 before swapping one LA-based team for another.
The Rutgers alum has had a relatively down campaign in 2023 thus far. Joseph-Day is currently on pace for a career-low in combined tackles with just 31 across 14 games this season. The 28-year-old also has 3.0 sacks and 11 quarterback hits.