Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports


49ers’ free-agency pursuit surprised Javon Hargrave

Mar 16, 2023 at 3:22 PM--



Javon Hargrave was nervous heading into free agency. He knew he would get paid but was concerned that he might have to sacrifice success in the process. The defensive tackle had just been to a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. Often, the teams with the most money to spend are the ones that are rebuilding.

Things appear to have worked out beautifully for Hargrave.

"Sometimes when you're trying to go get the money, you have to go to a team that's in a rebuild mode," Hargrave said. "But if you've got a chance to go to a team that was just in the NFC Championship, that's kind of an easy choice for me. So I was real happy about it.

"It really made me happy because I was real nervous about free agency, on where I was going to have to go. But I feel like this was the perfect situation for me."

Hargrave added, "They had a lot of talent. And coming out and wanting to be paid, you just don't see a lot of winning teams like this organization come after [someone like] me like that."

Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, and the other 49ers defensive linemen were among the first to welcome him to the team and offer congratulations after hearing about the signing. On Monday, Hargrave was trying to get his mind off the situation and the unknowns that lie ahead. He followed his typical routine, working out as a distraction.

"But when I got that phone call from the 49ers, and just hearing them talk about how much they wanted me, it really was a quick decision," Hargrave shared.

Hargrave is moving from one impressive defensive line to another and is excited to play alongside players like Bosa.

"The defensive player of the year, it frees up everybody else, and it will free me up a lot," Hargrave said. "[I'm] ready to be around the guys and just learn how they play the game and just try to pick their brains a little bit. That can help me be a better player, too."

Hargrave has been impressed by the 49ers' success in recent years and wanted to be a part of it.

"They've been in a lot of big games," Hargrave said. "For me, I just love playing in primetime games or big games. It's just a great feeling when being in the NFL to be able to play in some of them big moments. When going into free agency, and you've got a great team that wants you, I feel like it's not really a hard decision to make because that's all you like in football, is winning and getting paid.

"... Leaving Philly, I was fortunate enough to play with a bunch of dogs. And just seeing the 49ers last year when we played them in a championship game, we saw how many dogs they had over there. So it really was shocking to me that they called me and asked me to come over here because a team like that doesn't really pay somebody like me to come over here.

"So I was just happy to be a part of all these dogs over here. They got a lot of talent, too, and it's just an easier transition."

Related News


Nobody's perfect. Did you find a mistake in this article?
Report it.



LISTEN

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News



5 ESPN experts name Javon Hargrave-to-49ers as best free agent signing

By David Bonilla
Mar 22

ESPN recently asked 12 of its analysts and writers to identify the best overall free agent signing this offseason. Five of them named the San Francisco 49ers signing former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave as the winner. After facing him in the NFC Championship Game, the Niners couldn't resist the urge to pursue the high-profile free agent. Hargrave recorded five of the Eagles defense's 20 total pressures in that game against the 49ers, tallying one of Philadelphia's three sacks, and earning a 91.1 overall Pro Football Focus grade, his second-highest grade of the season (91.5, Week 18 vs. Giants). The defender's



Javon Hargrave loved "everything but the taxes" in deal to join 49ers

By David Bonilla
Mar 17

After a very productive season with the Philadelphia Eagles, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave earned a big payday with the San Francisco 49ers, signing a four-year deal worth up to $84 million. That is life-changing money for the 30-year-old. Hargrave joined KNBR on Friday to discuss the move from Philly to the Bay Area. "I was talking to them before I even signed, and one thing I even told him, even the players that had [contacted] me was just it ain't really too much convincing you all can do," Hargrave said. "You ain't really got to convince me. I guess they thought I was playing at the time, but it ain't really hard to convince when you go into a team that's built on winning, and one, they trying to come pay me big money." Going from one stacked



Javon Hargrave: 49ers-Eagles would have been a different game with a healthy Brock Purdy

By David Bonilla
Mar 17

Everything changed in the NFC Championship Game when quarterback Brock Purdy exited early with an injury. He eventually returned because his backup, Josh Johnson, exited with a concussion. Purdy could not throw, though. He suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, leaving the San Francisco 49ers to become one-dimensional, abandoning the pass and depending solely on the run game. For fans, it was a difficult game to watch. Everyone anticipated a more evenly matched battle between the two best teams in the NFC. Instead, they got an Eagles powerhouse defense going against a limping 49ers offense. "We kind of knew it was going to be different when all you can do is run the ball," former Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave said



Why decision to return to 49ers was easy for Jake Brendel; Center discusses Javon Hargrave signing

By David Bonilla
Mar 19

Jake Brendel had suitors in free agency. Several teams, including the San Francisco 49ers, were interested in the veteran center. Ultimately, much to the delight of fans, he returned to the Niners, his NFL home since 2020. Brendel played 1,252 snaps this past season, by far the most of his career. His 62.9 overall, 71.8 pass-blocking, and 61.9 run-blocking Pro Football Focus grades were each the second-highest of his career. Despite being in the league since 2016, Brendel played just 250 total snaps before this past season, so he lacks the wear and tear of most 30-year-old offensive linemen. The center still feels like his career is just getting started, and his play is on the rise. "Honestly, I


Featured

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone