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Eric Kendricks came close to joining the Baltimore Ravens before ultimately declining their offer. The San Francisco 49ers are now launching his NFL comeback.
The 33-year-old is giving the Niners a try — earning his chance to be elevated from the practice squad. S.F. lured in Kendricks to close out November amidst some notable defensive injuries.
This will be a Northern California homecoming for Kendricks as he hails from nearby Fresno. But what really convinced the past Pro Bowler to choose the 49ers? He saw grit when he tuned into their games.
“This team was special,” Kendricks said via ESPN 49ers insider Nick Wagoner. “Even with all the adversity they faced, they seem to just fight. And it was inspiring to watch.”
Kendricks brings a long history of delivering 100+ tackles. He last failed to top the triple-digit mark during his rookie season of 2015 with the Minnesota Vikings.
But the veteran comes during a crucial time in the Bay Area.
San Francisco has won its last three games and sits at 9-4 overall. Yet the 49ers still trail the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in a loaded NFC West. S.F. is involved in a fierce logjam too in the race for the playoffs.
The 49ers are now even with the Chicago Bears but hold the edge for the sixth seed. Chicago’s loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday dropped the Bears to the seventh.
Kendricks also arrives amid Fred Warner sitting out the rest of the season with his fractured right ankle. However, general manager John Lynch isn’t ruling out Warner’s return for the playoffs.
Still, adding and elevating Kendricks brings a valuable veteran presence S.F. can lean into for the rest of this postseason push. Kendricks himself has tasted the playoffs multiple times.
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