In hindsight, the Las Vegas Raiders wouldn’t have used the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on Clelin Ferrell. He just hasn’t been able to live up to his draft status.
That said, he has developed into a dependable veteran who continues to get work. He spent the offseason with the Washington Commanders before getting cut. He then had a stint on the practice squad with the Los Angeles Chargers, but that didn’t last long.
After some time in free agency, Ferrell is returning to a former team. The San Francisco 49ers announced that they’ve signed the veteran defensive end to their practice squad. He previously played for the team in 2023, where he played in all 17 games.
He’ll have to work his way up to the active roster, but with the 49ers ravaged by injuries, there’s a good chance he’ll be able to get on the field soon. Ferrell will never be the elite pass rusher the Raiders hoped he would be when they took him with a top-five pick, but he’s really solid in the run game.
The 49ers are having to get by with what they can, considering all the injuries, but Ferrell is familiar with the team, so he’s a logical addition.
Ferrell Calls San Francisco ‘Home’
Though Ferrell spent the majority of his time with the Raiders in Las Vegas, he was drafted by the team when they were still in Oakland. In that one season, he was able to grow a love for the Bay Area.
That’s a big reason his initial stint with the 49ers was an easy transition. He only spent a season with the 49ers, but he believes the team feels like him.
“For me, when first came here, it felt like home,” Ferrell said, via 49ers.com. “There are a lot of new people in the house, but the cook is still the same, so it feels good.”
Ferrell is also excited to work with defensive line coach Kris Kocurek again.
“He always puts you in the best possible position to win,” Ferrell added. “He’s really big on speaking life into people, instilling confidence in his players. That’s why guys have success even when they leave here.”
Ferrell Hoping to Bring Veteran Leadership to 49ers
As noted earlier, many of the 49ers’ top veteran defenders are hurt right now. Ferrell isn’t a huge impact player, but he is hoping his experience can help with the development of younger players.
“That’s one of the reasons that, God willing, I was brought in here,” Ferrell said. “Just to shed a light on any of the young guys. But it’s a long season, especially how we do things here. It’s a very physical team — try to be. So it’s not so much the accumulation of the year, it’s about mentally staying in it, keep going at it every single week.”
The 49ers are managing to stay afloat despite all the injuries, but they’re going to need players like Ferrell to step up if they hope to remain in the playoff mix.
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