Why 49ers targeted EDGE Keion White in trade with Patriots
With the NFL trade deadline still a week away, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan got active early, acquiring defensive end Keion White from the New England Patriots on Tuesday.
San Francisco had a clear need for help on the edge with Nick Bosa out for the year and the trio of Yetur Gross-Matos, Bryce Huff and Sam Okuayinonu all dealing with injuries as well.
White was New England's second-round pick (No. 46 overall) in the 2023 NFL draft after he spent his college days at Old Dominion (2017-20) and Georgia Tech (2021-22), where he earned All-Conference honors once at each school.
As a rookie, White was a rotational player (49% of defensive snaps) under then-head-coach Bill Belichick. He went on to record 26 tackles (three for a loss), five quarterback hits, three passes defensed and a sack.
In his lone year with Jerod Mayo, he saw his playing time increase (74%), and he was, as expected, more productive, finishing with 56 tackles (seven for a loss), 16 quarterback hits, five sacks, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
However, with his third head coach in three years, White played just 40% of the defensive snaps in the first five games this year, recording just six tackles and no quarterback hits. New England also made him a healthy scratch against the Cleveland Browns with the hopes of trading him.
The 26-year-old could make an immediate impact in San Francisco's pass-rush rotation, as they haven't gotten much pressure without Bosa on the field. White's ability to play some interior could also help him see more opportunities, as he learns Robert Saleh's system.
Lynch and Shanahan probably also targeted White due to his contract. As a second-round pick in 2023, he has one year remaining on his contract beyond this year. If he shows something in the final nine games of the season, San Francisco will have him for at least one more year, and he could benefit from playing with a healthy Bosa.
Pryor: Darius Slay ‘Significant Part’ Of Defensive Issues, Could Be On The Move At Trade Deadline
The Pittsburgh Steelers have already added to their secondary ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline with the reported Tuesday night trade for S Kyle Dugger. But could they jettison someone from their secondary in an effort to improve things?
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor believes that could be the case, citing veteran cornerback Darius Slay as a player who “could be on the move.”
In a piece for ESPN.com focusing on the upcoming trade deadline, Pryor chose Slay as her Steelers player who could be out the door after signing a one-year, $10 million in free agency to try and help shore up the secondary.
“He was part of the Steelers’ secondary overhaul in the offseason, but he hasn’t panned out,” Pryor writes. “Slay, who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles a year ago, has been a significant part of recurring issues like missed tackles, miscommunication and being out of position.
“Against the Packers this past Sunday, Slay was replaced by Brandin Echols at times in the second half.”
Slay has been nothing short of a disappointment this season. There were questions about his ability to still play at a serviceable level after he signed with the Steelers at 34 years old, but the Steelers expressed a ton of confidence in him, handing him $10 million.
Though he was good in the playoffs last year for the Eagles on their way to a Super Bowl title, since joining the Steelers he’s been a mess. He’s dealt with injuries throughout games, which has limited him some. But his play on the field has been well below expectations.
On the season, Slay holds a grade of just 56.1 overall from Pro Football Focus, including a coverage grade of 57.6. He’s allowed 23 receptions on 32 targets for 322 yards and three touchdowns with just three pass breakups.
In the tackling department, Slay has been dreadful. Based on charting here at Steelers Depot, Slay has missed the second-most tackles on the team with eight, recording a 22.9% missed tackles rate on the season. That’s the highest rate on the team.
Slay’s play was so bad on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers that the veteran cornerback lost snaps to Brandin Echols. It seemingly wasn’t due to injury, and after some questionable effort on a touchdown early in the second half, it made sense that Slay started to lose some playing time.
We’ll see if it continues, especially with the Steelers banged up in the secondary. But one thing is clear: Slay has been a major disappointment. It’s hard to fathom he’d be coveted by other teams ahead of the trade deadline considering his age and the poor play. But if the Steelers want to shake things up, he’d be a good place to start.
