Eric Kendricks may have had the shortest 49ers tenure ever.
After originally agreeing to a one-year deal with the Niners, Kendricks changed his mind and jumped ship to join up with the Cowboys, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday.
The deal with Dallas is also a one-year contract, the outlet reported, and it reunites Kendricks with Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who had coached him in Minnesota from 2015-21.
Interestingly enough, however, Kendricks had told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that Zimmer had a “fear based” coaching style that the linebacker was happy to get away from.
Considering Schefter reported that Kendricks had preferred to go to the Cowboys seemed to indicate that his opinion on Zimmer may have changed since he was fired as the Vikings head coach in 2022.
Kendricks had spent the last season with the Chargers, where he had been a captain and finished second in tackles with 117.
He recorded 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble as well and had his eighth consecutive season with at least 100 tackles.
Los Angeles had to cut him though in March due to its salary cap troubles after having signed a two-year, $13.25 million contract with him before the 2023 season.
The move had saved the Chargers $6.5 million in salary cap space.
The nine-year NFL veteran had spent all but one year of his career with the Vikings, who had selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Kendricks developed into one of the NFL’s best linebackers during his time in Minnesota and was named to the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro in 2019.
He was released by Minnesota after the 2022 campaign.
Kendricks would have been insurance for the 49ers in case Dre Greenlaw was unable to go at the start of the year after tearing his Achilles in the Super Bowl.