Azeez

Al-Shaair

Pierce was ruled out earlier in the week because of his groin injury. The Texans will also be missing Ward due to a groin issue, Patterson with a concussion and Al-Shaair out due to a shoulder injury.

The Texans also ruled out Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) and S Jimmie Ward (groin). Expect the Packers to attack the Texans’ centerfield defense as a result. This defense is currently one to target for fantasy purposes.

Al-Shaair had one tackle before leaving and lead the team in solo tackles entering the day at 26. Neville Hewitt replaced Al-Shaair at linebacker.

Al-Shaair, after one year with the Titans, will reunite with DeMeco Ryans, who coached Al-Shaair in San Francisco. After logging 163 tackles and four sacks in 2023, Al-Shaair will join a Texans defense graded by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s tenth best unit.

No contract details are available yet. Al-Shaair was a popular free agent with a couple different 49ers regime in the wild, and lands with Titans GM Ran Carthon, who was high in the SF front office pecking order. Turning 26 in August, this is a good rebound signing for the Titans after they lost David Long in free agency.

He walked off under his own power after Russell Wilson flipped a ball to Melvin Gordon for 22 yards. The 49ers starting linebacker had five total tackles before departing. Al-Shaair started 13 games last year but his playing time varies depending on how often the offense uses base personnel.

San Francisco extended a second-round tender to Al-Shaair, a restricted free agent, in March. The third-year linebacker more than doubled his snap total from 2020 last year despite missing a handful of games. Playing on nearly every down when healthy, Al-Shaair totaled nine TFLs, two sacks, and an interception. Having played well in the expanded role, Al-Shaair should hold be a mainstay of the 49ers’ front-seven in 2022.

It’s worth $3.986 million for a 24-year-old who graduated to an every-down role in 2021 and made plays all over the field. Although he is best utilized as a run stopper — at least so far — Al-Shaair notched an interception and pair of sacks last season. He could be an RFA the Niners actually look to sign to a multi-year deal this spring.

Al-Shaair has taken on a larger role this year, earning a start in all 13 games he has been active for. He also picked up his first two career sacks over the past three weeks. Al-Shaair primarily gets work as a run-stopper. He has nine TFLs this year and his absence will make the 49ers slightly easier to run against.

Al-Shaair was questionable for the contest with an elbow injury but suited up. The third-year UDFA entered this evening playing a high percentage of the 49ers’ snaps. He has seen his playing time increase every year, making plays in coverage and delivering some big hits in the running game. The only positive with his knee issue is that he has 10 days to get healthy for Week 17 vs. Houston.