On Wednesday, the 49ers, who have the No. 2 spot in the waiver-claim process, claimed defensive end Cassius Marsh off waivers from the Patriots. The move came two days after the 49ers claimed defensive lineman Sheldon Day off waivers from the Jaguars.
Marsh, a 2014 fourth-round pick by Seattle, was traded by the Seahawks to New England on Sept. 2 for 2018 fifth- and seventh-round picks. A 25-year-old native of Simi Valley, CA, Marsh attended UCLA (2010-13), where he appeared in 50 games (38 starts) and registered 155 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
The Patriots replaced Marsh by signing defensive end Eric Lee off the Bills’ practice squad. Lee, a 2016 undrafted free agent, hasn’t played in a regular-season game. When asked about the decision to waive Marsh, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told reporters, “We felt like it was the best move to make for the football team.”
For San Francisco, Marsh could play a couple of positions, including the Leo defensive end or Sam (strongside) linebacker. The Niners have managed to create a fairly consistent pass rush this season but have struggled to get home for sacks. End Elvis Dumervil leads the team in that category with 4.5, and the Niners are 22nd in the league with 20.
On Monday, the Niners claimed defensive tackle Sheldon Day off waivers from Jacksonville to fill an already vacant roster spot. They released defensive end Datone Jones on Tuesday, opening up the spot that Marsh now fills.
The team is also expected to bring defensive end Tank Carradine back from injured reserve this week, a move that would require another corresponding transaction.
