The San Francisco 49ers announced they have acquired DL Maliek Collins from the Houston Texans in exchange for the first of the team's two 2024 seventh-round draft picks and signed DL Jordan Elliott and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (YEE-tore, gross-MAH-tose) to two-year deals and re-signed DL Kevin Givens to a one-year deal.
Collins (6-2, 310) was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third-round (67th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Throughout his eight-year career with the Cowboys (2016-19), Las Vegas Raiders (2020) and Houston Texans (2021-23), he has appeared in 119 games (112 starts) and registered 206 tackles, 46 tackles for loss, 25.5 sacks, one interception, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and six fumble recoveries. He has also started five postseason contests and added eight tackles and 1.0 sack. In 2023 with Houston, Collins started all 16 games he appeared in and registered 41 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and one pass defensed. His 41 tackles marked a career high, while his 5.0 sacks tied his career high. He also started two postseason contests and registered two tackles.
A 28-year-old native of Kansas City, MO, Collins attended the University of Nebraska for three years (2013-15) where he appeared in 38 games (26 starts) and registered 86 tackles, 8.0 sacks, one pass defensed and one forced fumble. Collins earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore and junior (2014-15).
Elliott (6-4, 303) was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (88th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. Throughout his four-year career with the Browns, he has appeared in 66 games (35 starts) and registered 98 tackles, 5.0 sacks, eight tackles for loss and four passes defensed. He has also appeared in three postseason contests with Cleveland, tallying two tackles and one pass defensed. In 2023, Elliott appeared in 17 games (14 starts) and registered 21 tackles, a career-high 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed as well as one postseason game where he added one tackle and one pass defensed.
A 26-year-old native of Missouri City, TX, Elliott attended the University of Texas (2016) before transferring to the University of Missouri (2017-19) where he appeared in 25 games and registered 68 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, four passes defensed and one forced fumble.
Gross-Matos (6-5, 265) was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round (38th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. Throughout his four-year career with the Panthers, he has appeared in 55 games (32 starts) and registered 142 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. In 2023, Gross-Matos appeared in 12 games (six starts) for the Panthers and registered 36 tackles, career-high 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss.
A 26-year-old native of Atlantic City, NJ, Gross-Matos attended Penn State University for three years (2017-19) where he appeared in 34 games and registered 111 tackles, 18.5 sacks, 37 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Givens (6-1, 285) originally entered the NFL after signing as an undrafted free agent with the 49ers on May 3, 2019. Over his five seasons with San Francisco, Givens has played in 57 games (13 starts) and added 80 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, three passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He also appeared in nine postseason games and tallied 12 tackles, one pass defensed and 0.5 sack. In 2023, Givens appeared in 17 games (one start) and recorded a career-high 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery. He also appeared in all three postseason games where he added two tackles.
A 27-year-old native of Newark, NJ, Givens attended Penn State where he appeared in 39 games (22 starts) and finished with 82 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.
