The San Francisco 49ers opted against making any blockbuster trades before Tuesday's deadline, but they still added to their defensive depth by trading for Houston Texans defensive tackle Khalil Davis.
Earlier this season, the 49ers lost defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a triceps injury. There is an outside chance that he could return for the playoffs, assuming the 49ers make a deep enough postseason run. His absence has left a noticeable gap along the interior of the defensive line. The addition of Davis aims to help fill some of that void.
It's too soon to assess the full impact Davis might have. Still, he's expected to adapt quickly, given his experience in a similar defensive scheme under former 49ers defensive coordinator and current Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.
"Where he fits in, we'll see," current 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen told reporters on Thursday. "We still want to see some more. I think he's just had the one shorter practice yesterday without pads."
When asked about his first practice with the 49ers and adjusting to the new defense, Davis said, "I love it. It just translates well from both systems, and I think I can flourish in it."
According to Pro Football Reference, Davis recorded nine tackles, including four for a loss, two quarterback hits, and a sack, while playing 32 percent of the defensive snaps in nine games with the Texans this season. The 49ers saw enough to believe he could be an effective addition to their defense.
"The cool thing is he's an explosive guy," Sorensen shared. "He's twitched up. He's been in our system, and he's had production. So, we'll just kind of go from there and figure out how he fits. It's always good to add depth to a position like that with a good player."