The San Francisco 49ers are down a lot of their best players coming into this Wild Card matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. No group has been more impacted than the linebacker room.
Fred Warner is out for the year and might come back in the playoffs if the 49ers advance. But backup Tatum Bethune got hurt in Week 18, and with Dee Winters also hurt, the linebacker depth is being tested.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the 49ers are trying to address that issue by signing a former Eagles Super Bowl linebacker to a one-year deal to help bolster a depleted room against his former team.
49ers sign ex-Eagles LB to face former team in Wild Card round
"Sources: The 49ers are bolstering their LB group ahead of the playoffs," Schultz reports, "agreeing to a deal with veteran LB Kyzir White. San Fran has dealt with a multitude of LB injuries this season."
Kyzir White has bounced around the NFL in recent seasons. He played just one year with the Eagles, but went on to the Super Bowl in 2022, though they couldn't win in a thriller against the Kansas City Chiefs.
But his season was impressive, as he recorded two interceptions, three passes defended, two forced fumbles, one sack, and 144 total tackles for the Eagles in 2022.
More: Did Fred Warner confirm he was returning for the playoffs?
He then signed with the Arizona Cardinals, and while he couldn't reach the same heights he did with Philly, he was still a solid linebacker.
This season, he playedi n just one game with the Tennessee Titans, recording just three total tackles before hitting free agency.
Now, he's signing with the 49ers to help them against his former team in the playoffs. White joins a beat-up 49ers defense, as they will try to stop Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and the Eagles' struggling offense in the Wild Card round.
The 49ers needed some help, and White isn't the worst veteran option they could've signed on such short notice. He'll now get to try and help eliminate his former team four years after he last helped them make the Super Bowl.
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