The San Francisco 49ers had just come off their first win of the season when they, along with three other teams, put in a claim for former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Sheldon Day. The Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, and Arizona Cardinals also tried to acquire the defensive lineman, but the one-win 49ers had waiver-wire priority.
Day registered 16 combined tackles, a sack, and a pass defensed in six game appearances with San Francisco last season.
Pro Football Focus was high on Day coming out of college. During his senior year with the Fighting Irish, he had PFF's top production grade among defensive tackles.
"As a one-gap penetrator on the interior, there aren't any better in this (draft) class," wrote the PFF Analysis team in February of 2016.
The analytics site is eager to see what he can do with the 49ers in 2018. Day is listed among 10 NFL players who PFF wants to see more of this coming season. The list consists of players who "either impressed in limited work last season, saw their seasons cut short by injury or impressed at the college level enough that we still think they can make an impact in the NFL."
Gordon McGuinness wrote the following of Day:
"Drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Day was cut midway through the 2017 season, with his release coming after an impressive performance against the Indianapolis Colts where he delivered as a pass-rusher and against the run. With 12 tackles resulting in a defensive stop, he will look to make an impact for the 49ers in 2018, with his biggest struggle perhaps coming with where he fits on the San Francisco defensive line. With Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner and Soloman Thomas, the 49ers are stacked with players of a similar physical stature."
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh believes the Jaguars' depth along the defensive line and roster needs were the reasons why the team waived the young player after just over a season-and-a-half in Jacksonville.
"He's a really good inside three-technique," said Saleh in November. "He's got a tremendous skill set that we like. The speed and quickness and the ability to penetrate off the ball. He's actually a good piece, and that's why he made it this long.
"[Jacksonville] did everything they could, I'm sure, to keep him. When injuries start happening it becomes a numbers game. There's no way, I'm sure, they could justify keeping him. Especially with the amount of D-line talent they have."
Day is signed through the 2019 season.
H/T to Patrick Tulini for the find.