After nine seasons in Northern California, Arik Armstead is headed to North Florida.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing the veteran defensive lineman to a three-year contract worth up to $51 million, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday, per sources.
Armstead's acquisition comes just one day after the San Francisco 49ers officially released him. The 30-year-old declined a pay cut on his $17.41 million salary, Rapoport reported Sunday, a decision that preceded his ouster after nearly a decade in the Bay Area.
In Jacksonville, Armstead will line up in a studded front seven that boasts the likes of Josh Allen, Foye Oluokun, Roy Robertson-Harris, Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd and others. The veteran defensive lineman's signing recalls that of Calais Campbell in 2017, when the Jaguars' "Sacksonville" defense dominated the NFL and came within a quarter of the Super Bowl.
The Jaguars have been incredibly active so far in free agency. Jacksonville has added receivers Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay, center Mitch Morse and safety Darnell Savage; traded for former Patriots quarterback Mac Jones; and retained Allen via the tag and interior lineman Ezra Cleveland via an extension. Armstead is so far the 6-foot-7 cherry on top.
After a shortened 2022 campaign, Armstead bounced back with five sacks and 13 QB hits in 12 games in 2023. The veteran returned for the playoffs after five games away and came up big in Super Bowl LVIII with a sack of Patrick Mahomes. It was his last with San Francisco.
Armstead started 97 of 116 regular-season games played with the 49ers, leaving the organization with 33.5 sacks, 88 QB hits and 43 tackles for loss.
Jacksonville will hope that Armstead can provide similar production in warmer climes and help turn its middle-of-the-road defense into a Super Bowl-caliber unit.
