Early Wednesday morning, it was reported that Kendricks and the 49ers had agreed to terms on a one-year deal after the Los Angeles Chargers released the linebacker on March 5. Kendricks's signing was considered an insurance policy for Dre Greenlaw, who suffered a torn Achilles last month in the Super Bowl.
It's unclear what prompted the about-face. Last year, Kendricks praised the 49ers defense, saying, "Oh, man, they're flying around. They've got a bunch of great players, obviously, but it's a mindset. Like I said, we practiced against them (while with the Vikings). It's definitely a mindset."
The 49ers have two linebackers who became free agents: Oren Burks and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. San Francisco will now need to pivot to another plan to replace Greenlaw should he miss significant time during the 2024 season.
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