The San Francisco 49ers consider themselves fortunate to have added a veteran defensive lineman like Sebastian Joseph-Day at this late stage in the season. The team signed him only five days after the Los Angeles Chargers parted ways with the defender.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead has been sidelined for the last four games due to foot and knee injuries. With the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage secured for the playoffs, there's no need to rush Armstead back. This will afford him two more weeks for a full recovery.
Joseph-Day didn't stand out in his 49ers debut this past weekend, earning a mediocre 56.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. While he only played 11 defensive snaps, eight of which were pass-rushing opportunities, Joseph-Day failed to register any notable statistics.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan doesn't believe Sunday's performance against the Washington Commanders is a fair assessment of what Joseph-Day can contribute as the 49ers gear up for a Super Bowl run.
"It was good to get him out there," Shanahan told reporters via a conference call on Monday. "We definitely liked the guy and liked the player. [We're] asking him to do some totally different stuff. So the style that he's played with, with two gaps and his stances and stuff, are just kind of the opposite of what we do.
"So to get him really a half practice, where he just got to work on a couple of things full speed for two periods, and then for him to go out there and play those 11 plays, I was real impressed with him. He was ready to go, did everything we asked, and I bet you he'll get a little bit more playing time than that next week."
As the 49ers prepare for the regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium this Sunday, Shanahan's squad may rest several starters. The Week 18 contest presents an opportunity for Joseph-Day to play more snaps and further acclimate himself within the team's defense.
