Randy Gregory is returning to Denver after passing his physical in Santa Clara on Friday. He is set to reunite with his new San Francisco 49ers teammates on Monday as they gear up for their Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Shortly after news broke that the 49ers had traded for the veteran pass rusher, Gregory's new teammates had an opportunity to share their thoughts on the acquisition.
"He has everything that we're about," tackle Trent Williams told reporters in the locker room after Friday's practice. "A guy who plays like his hair is on fire, guy who will give you 100 percent to the whistle, obviously a great pass rusher, will get after the quarterback, sets the edge in the run game. Everything we're about, he's about. It's a perfect fit."
Williams added, "Super explosive, super twitchy guy, really long arms, really good, really hard to keep blocked, so I think he's going to fit right in."
The veteran offensive lineman is excited about the addition, anticipating that Gregory's contributions will elevate the 49ers, a team already considered a Super Bowl contender.
"The front office has done a heck of a job bringing in talent, paying talent, keeping talent around, drafting talent," Williams said. "I mean, they've done an amazing job. Probably top ten in the league since they've been here."
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead was part of the same 2015 draft class as Gregory, meeting the pass rusher for the first time during a pre-draft publicity event and then at the NFL Scouting Combine.
"He fits in perfect," Armstead said. "His speed, he's able to be effective in the pass and run game, and he's going to help us tremendously. Adding in another guy to what we're already doing is going to be amazing. He's a really talented player. He's shown that for a number of years in the NFL. We're both in year nine, so, yeah, he's going to bring a lot to our team."
Williams, having crossed paths with Gregory in the NFC East for five years (2015-2019), caught up with him at the 49ers' facility during Gregory's visit. Their meetings on the football field—Williams with Washington and Gregory with Dallas—have fostered a deep mutual respect.
Williams continued keeping tabs on Gregory after joining the 49ers, studying his play in recent years.
"Obviously, we don't know each other personally, but from competing against each other, [we] have a high level of mutual respect," Williams said.
The acquisition of Gregory prompted the release of defensive end Kerry Hyder, a move Armstead acknowledged with mixed sentiments.
"It's a weird situation that he's (Gregory) coming from," Armstead said. "We got the opportunity to get him, so it's amazing. And everyone's really excited, but I also want to highlight Kerry Hyder and his contributions that he's made for our team throughout the years. We're thinking about him as well, but also, we're really excited about Randy and what he can bring to our team."