As expected, the San Francisco 49ers have officially released defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins. General manager John Lynch outlined the Hargrave move in January. However, Hargrave didn't last long on the open market. He quickly signed a two-year, $30 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
Shortly after being released by the 49ers, DT Javon Hargrave reached agreement with the Minnesota Vikings on a two-year, $30 million deal that includes $19M guaranteed. Deal negotiated by Drew Rosenhaus.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2025
Additionally, the Cleveland Browns quickly signed Collins to a $2-year, $20 million deal.
Another one: The #Browns and DT Maliek Collins agreed on a 2 year deal for $20mil. $13mil fully guaranteed. Deal negotiated by Drew Rosenhaus.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2025
San Francisco designated Hargrave as a post-June 1 release, though he is free to sign with any team immediately. NFL teams can designate up to two players as post-June 1 releases, which allows them to spread the resulting dead cap hit over multiple years. The move will save the 49ers $2.2 million in cap space this season. However, that saving won't officially come until after June 1.
Hargrave signed a four-year, $84 million contract with the 49ers in 2023 but never made the expected impact. Over two seasons, he recorded 51 tackles (nine for a loss), 15 quarterback hits, eight sacks, and two passes defensed, per Pro Football Reference.
His 2024 campaign was cut short after suffering a torn triceps in Week 3. He finished the season with seven tackles (one for a loss), a sack, and a quarterback hit in three games.
While injuries limited his time on the field, Hargrave posted a career-low 60.6 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus last season. His best season came in 2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles, when he recorded 60 tackles and a career-high 11 sacks.
San Francisco acquired Collins, 29, in a trade with the Houston Texans last year, sending a seventh-round draft pick in exchange. In his lone season with San Francisco, Collins recorded 33 tackles (five for a loss), 12 quarterback hits, and five sacks over 17 starts, playing 67 percent of the defensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Collins (6-2, 310) out of Nebraska in the third round (No. 67 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Over nine seasons in the NFL, he has played 136 games (129 starts) and posted 239 tackles (51 for a loss), 88 quarterback hits, 30.5 sacks, four passes defensed, one interception, and one forced fumble.