Kerry Hyder was an incredibly important veteran presence on the San Francisco 49ers defense and they must make a strong effort to re-sign him in the 2021 offseason.
In the 2020 NFL season, Kerry Hyder led the San Francisco 49ers in sacks, quarterback hits, tackles for loss and quarterback pressures. As now-Jets head coach Robert Saleh led a depleted 49er defense to be a top-five unit against the pass, Hyder was key in rushing the passer.
San Franciso has over 30+ free agents to sign or let walk in the 2021 offseason, including six players on the defensive line. When Nick Bosa and Dee Ford went down, Hyder’s number was called and he delivered. While the veteran’s stats may not be eye-opening or elite, he showed that the 49ers could use him in the future.
While cutting or trading Dee Ford won’t be easy, it’s been clear that the 49ers can’t depend on Ford being healthy. If San Francisco doesn’t move on from Ford, he will be the second-highest-paid player on the team in 2021 behind Jimmy Garoppolo, per Over the Cap. As Bosa returns, it’s clear there is a need for another pass-rusher and Hyder should be the guy.
Hyder and Arik Armstead played a similar number of defensive snaps with Armstead (749) playing just 28 more. However, Hyder led Armstead in every defensive stat except for quarterback knockdowns and tackles, the latter of which they tied in. Hyder had five more sacks and quarterback hits, as well as four more tackles for loss.
As Hyder outplayed the $85 million-man in Armstead, the 49ers should look to bring him back without hesitation. With many free agents looming for San Francisco, Hyder may not be at the top of the priority list — but his value was shown through the 2020 season.
The 49ers have a slew of decisions to make in free agency. Even with Hyder’s importance, he would need to re-sign on a team-friendly contract as he was short of being an elite player. Ideally, San Francisco should bring Hyder back and draft a pass-rusher with one of their eight picks. But Hyder certainly should stay in the mix.