New San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Jeremiah Attaochu caught a ride to the team facility on Thursday with running back Jerick McKinnon and center Weston Richburg. However, he was not part of the introductory press conference in which the latter two took part. McKinnon and Richburg already signed their contracts with the 49ers. Attaochu had not yet put pen to paper.
Shortly following the 30-minute press conference that included general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, news broke that Attaochu had agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the 49ers. Not long after that, he signed his reported $5.125 million contract and was officially a Niner.
While Attaochu was not part of the press conference to officially introduce the newest Niners to the media, he did take some time after the event to speak with local reporters and share what made the 49ers an attractive destination for him.
"It's a great fit for me because it represents everything I'm about and just the first-class manner that John is running this organization with is just amazing," Attaochu said. "I think a lot of the guys are excited to be at work. The one thing I noticed is just how happy everyone was in the organization. Only wins can come out of that."
Attaochu believes the transition from the Los Angeles Chargers to the 49ers should be relatively seamless. He was part of defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's defense in Los Angeles where he played the "Leo" position. 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh worked within Bradley's defensive system during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks.
"Definitely a lot of continuity coming into this defense," he said.
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The 49ers opted not to pick up the 2018 option of Elvis Dumervil, who led the team in sacks last year. Even before that, the defense's "Leo" position, which is reserved for the team's top pass rusher, was a spot of dire need. Was that a factor in Attaochu's decision to join San Francisco?
"Definitely one of the factors, and definitely just to add a boost to the edge rush, knowing what I can do and what my skill sets are is basically to help make the quarterback step up," Attaochu said. "The guys on the inside are plenty talented enough, so I think my skill sets fit into what we're trying to do."
Attaochu describes that skill set as "rushing the passer and getting sacks," but he also understands that nothing will be handed to him in San Francisco. He'll have to work to earn a role on the defense.
"My opportunity is to come in here and earn everything every day, whatever that role may be," Attaochu said. "Just to bring leadership, everything that I've learned in San Diego and L.A., being with the Chargers for four years, just bringing that over. And working with the new staff, working with my new teammates, and just trying to all be the best we can be every day and go out there and put everything out there on the field."
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While Attaochu missed a significant amount of time in 2016, he was healthy last year but played in just four games with the Chargers.
"I was healthy the entire season," Attaochu said. "I was ready to go Week 1. Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunities I needed."
Attaochu says the 49ers' additions of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and cornerback Richard Sherman made San Francisco an attractive destination. The pass rusher remembers playing with Garoppolo at the Senior Bowl in 2014. Both players were part of the South squad.
"At the time, he wasn't the highest-rated guy at the Senior Bowl, but I just remember the type of leadership he presented himself with, and how guys gravitated to him," Attaochu said of Garoppolo. "His team had energy. I wanted to be on his team at the Senior Bowl. Just the way the guys played with him and practiced with him, it was amazing. It was almost like a Drew Brees kind of feel, vibe."
As for Sherman, Attaochu has always admired the All-Pro cornerback from afar. He's looking forward to the two of them being teammates.
"I'm excited about the leadership that he's going to bring to the locker room," Attaochu said. "I'm excited about what he's going to teach the younger guys in the locker room. Being in Seattle, I always admired the Seattle energy and the way they played on defense. That's the way I saw myself as a player coming out of college.
"Most of my time in San Diego I always had my eye on the way they played as a unit, so I think he's definitely going to bring that fire into the locker room. The talent is all there. Now the fire, the leadership, and the energy, I think that's something he knows first hand. Anybody can't just walk in here and try to bring that in here, but him as a player, I think he definitely brings that to the Niners."
