The San Francisco 49ers have brought in another reinforcement for the interior defensive line, except this time, their acquisition arrived via trade. The red and gold sent a seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for veteran D-lineman Maliek Collins. Collins spent the last three seasons with the Texans (2021-2023) and also had stops with the Las Vegas Raiders (2020) and the Dallas Cowboys (2016-2019).
Collins, along with free agent addition Jordan Elliott, will help fortify a defensive line that recently lost veteran Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw. The defensive lineman has started 46 regular season contests over the last three seasons, showcasing his durability, and can handle offensive linemen double teams.
Collins Career Statistics
- In 2023, Collins recorded 41 total tackles (eight tackles for loss), 5.0 sacks, 48 total pressures and 18 quarterback hits.
- Per The Athletic's David Lombardi, Collins is top-12 amongst defensive tackles in ESPN's pass rush win rate last season.
- He has appeared in five postseason games throughout his career and has racked up 1.0 sack and 12 total tackles in the playoffs.
- He is a former third-round pick, selected 67th overall out of the University of Nebraska, in the 2016 NFL Draft.
