The Baltimore Ravens are looking to bounce back this season from missing the playoffs, and they might have to do it without one of their best players from the last few seasons.
Linebacker Kyle Van Noy is currently a free agent, and there is a possibility that the Ravens won’t re-sign him for the upcoming season. If Baltimore decides not to bring Van Noy back, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes that the San Francisco 49ers would be a good landing spot for him.
Should the 49ers Look at Adding Van Noy?
“Adding Van Noy would be a sensible move for the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers recorded just 20 sacks last season, and they have Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams both recovering from season-ending injuries,” Knox wrote on Friday. “While both could be back early in the season—and the team added Romello Height in Round 3—San Francisco is a playoff contender that shouldn’t take chances with its edge rush.”
Van Noy has been in the NFL for 12 seasons, playing for the Patriots, Lions, Dolphins, Chargers and Ravens. During his three seasons with the Ravens, he played in 45 games, recording 23.5 sacks and earning a spot in the 2024 Pro Bowl. He has 57 career sacks in 173 games and would be a nice fit for the 49ers.
The 49ers have come close to winning the Super Bowl over the last seven seasons but have fallen short, even reaching the game twice since the 2019 season. San Francisco needs to find a way to get over the hump, and adding Van Noy could be key. Even though Van Noy is past his prime, he still has two Super Bowl rings from his time in New England. Van Noy can bring that experience to a 49ers team that needs more leaders who know how to win a Super Bowl.
Knox mentioned that Van Noy expressed interest in playing for the 49ers this offseason.
“I would really like to play with my little brother Fred Warner with the Niners,” Van Noy told Kay Adams of Up & Adams in May. “I think they got something cooking over there.”
The 49ers Need to Add Van Noy to Compete in the NFC West
If the 49ers added Van Noy, it could help them compete in a tough NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a Super Bowl win, and they might not even be the best team in the division. The Los Angeles Rams, who played Seattle in the NFC title game last season, just traded for Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett last month.
The 49ers need to make another move before the season begins, and it will be difficult to make a major move before then. That’s why adding a player like Van Noy should be on the table.
If the 49ers do sign Van Noy, there is a possibility he could face his former team, the Ravens, in the Super Bowl. Baltimore should be strong this season and could very well be one of the top two teams in the AFC.
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