The 49ers are visiting with Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Jacquies Smith, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Smith is a restricted free agent, and coming off an ACL tear he sustained in Week 1 of the 2016 season.
RFA action: #Bucs DE Jacquies Smith is on a visit to #49ers, source said. 13.5 sacks in ’14 & ’15, almost fully recovered from an ACL in ’16
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2017
Before sustaining the injury, Smith put up decent sack totals with the Bucs, compiling 6.5 in 2014 and seven in 2015. The evaluation of his play via Pro Football Focus was not very kind, however, with Smith grading as one of the worst pass rushers in the NFL during both seasons. Smith was un-drafted out of the University of Missouri before signing with the Dolphins in 2012. Smith is due to earn a base salary of $1.7 million next season.
Pass rusher is perhaps the biggest weakness of the 49ers defense, with Eli Harold grading out as the team’s best edge rusher according to PFF last season, despite being ranked as the 88th most effective pass rusher in the league. San Francisco is hoping that Aaron Lynch will finally have a break out season in 2017, after playing in only seven games last year due to suspension and injury.
