Why the 49ers Made the Right Decision with the 23-Year-Old Undrafted Rookie
Yesterday, the 49ers announced a handful of players who missed out on their 53-man roster. Most of them were names who didn’t show enough promise and potential in training camp and the preseason to be key contributors. However, there were multiple players on that list who shined in the offseason, including UDFA rookie defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez. San Francisco seemed to be taking a major risk by allowing him to enter waivers, where any team could claim his services. Luckily for the 49ers, Valdez cleared waivers and re-signed to the team’s practice squad. Now, Valdez will hope to continue to develop into a quality contributor on a defensive line unit that thrives on hustle and versatility.
Over the course of training camp, Valdez began to truly shine. This got many excited to see his skills translate to game action during the preseason. In their first preseason matchup against the Broncos, Valdez quickly made his presence known, pressuring the quarterback and dominating blockers in the run game. He took the game over and looked like their best rookie defensive tackle alongside fellow drafted rookies Alfred Collins and CJ West. It felt as though he was becoming a diamond in the rough within the organization. However, they still decided to cut him due to the depth at the position already on the roster.
It was a risky decision, but a risk the team was willing to take to keep other players they found value in on the roster. In addition, they made a move earlier today to help bolster the interior of the defensive line, adding former Jaguars 2024 fourth-round pick Jordan Jefferson while waiving second-year defensive tackle Evan Anderson. With the reunion of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh in San Francisco, there will now be expectations for the defense to rapidly improve. Over the years, Saleh has developed several undervalued defensive linemen into valuable contributors, and Valdez has stepped in and become the perfect fit within their revitalized defensive identity. After playing just one season of college football at Washington, Valdez’s development further indicates the continuous growth he should have on the 49ers’ practice squad and the untapped talent he possesses that will help him make an impact when called upon in the future.
