Kerry

Hyder Jr.

Hyder, 31, returned to the 49ers in 2022 after a season with Seattle. He had 19 tackles and one sack last year as a rotational part of the best defensive line in the NFL. Hyder will likely retain that role in 2023.

Hyder, 30, returns to the Niners after one season with the Seahawks. In 2020, he had a career high 8.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits with the 49ers; he managed just 1.5 sacks in 15 games with Seattle in 2021. Hyder will join a Niners defensive line graded by Pro Football Focus as the fourth best pass-rushing unit in 2021.

Hyder appeared in 15 games last season, making seven starts and registering 1.5 sacks, proving his 8.5 sacks from the previous year was a bit of a fluke, though he’s always had a knack for getting pressure. Hyder turns 31 in May.

After the 49ers lethal defensive line largely went down with injuries last year, Hyder popped up for a career-high 8.5 sacks in his age-29 season. He cashed that production in for a long-term contract and a rotational spot on the Seahawks’ line. Seattle struck out on the high-end edge rushing market and will instead roll with a deeper rotation at defensive end. There’s buzz that he’ll play five-technique with the ‘Hawks. Hyder earning this contract as a former undrafted free agent is impressive, particularly after tearing his Achilles’ in 2017.

Hyder had an outlier eight-sack season for the Lions in 2016 and then missed 2017 with a torn Achilles’ tendon. He has just two sacks across 23 games since returning from injury. Hyder turns 29 in May.

Hyder, 28 in May, wasn’t tendered an offer as a restricted free agent by the Lions. The former UDFA out of Texas Tech had eight sacks back in 2016 but missed all of 2017 with a torn Achilles’ and barely played under first-year coach Matt Patricia last season. Hyder isn’t a bad flier for a Cowboys team lacking pass-rush juice behind franchise player DeMarcus Lawrence.

The 27-year-old logged eight sacks in 2016, but missed all of 2017 with a torn Achilles’ and returned as a spot player under new coach Matt Patricia in 2018. Capable of playing defensive end and rushing from the interior when healthy, Hyder will be a worthwhile flyer signing at the right price.

A 2014 undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech, Sunday was just Hyder’s second career appearance in the NFL. He made the most of the opportunity with two sacks, and it appears likely he carves out a rotational role behind starters Ezekiel Ansah and Devin Taylor.

Detroit also extended tenders to WR T.J. Jones and DE Brandon Copeland. All three will earn the league minimum in 2017. Hyder surprisingly led the Lions with eight sacks last season, but five of those came in the first four weeks. Detroit still will be looking for upgrades along the defensive line.

Caldwell called the injury “significant.” We suspect Hyder has a torn Achilles’. The Lions’ 2016 sack leader with eight, Hyder’s loss is a huge blow to a defense otherwise painfully short on pass rush. Offensively, expect the Lions to maintain a slow-paced offense designed to keep their defense off the field.