How Staley’s endorsement of Floyd sold 49ers’ Kocurek on free agent originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA – Leonard Floyd, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the 49ers this offseason, appears primed for a key role on San Francisco’s revamped defensive front.
Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek explained Wednesday why the veteran pass rusher was a priority free agent for the 49ers.
“The experience he brings from the different programs and the different places he’s played,” Kocurek said. ‘You can tell he’s a professional. And then the athleticism, the explosion and the length. His ability to cover ground quickly, his knowledge as a pass rusher and his understanding of how to get to the quarterback.”
The 49ers have been looking for an edge rusher to play against Nick Bosa since Dee Ford’s tenure in San Francisco ended prematurely midway through the 2021 season due to a lingering neck injury.
Floyd has a proven track record, but also comes highly recommended by former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who spent the offseason with the 49ers. The newly appointed assistant head coach has a history with Floyd from their time together with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams, and it made Kocurek an even bigger believer.
“We connected,” Kocurek said of his conversations with Staley. “All I hear is condemnation from Brandon’s side. The player, the person, the love for the game and the skills. Naturally, you will be more involved if you get the full picture. The support Brandon provided was tremendous during the evaluation process.”
Floyd has yet to receive Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors, but he has averaged 10 sacks per season over the past four seasons. No 49ers player other than Nick Bosa has had a 10-sack season since 2019, when now-Jacksonville Jaguars Arik Armstead hit the mark.
Floyd, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has recorded 58 sacks in his eight-year career, along with 370 tackles: 228 solo and 63 for loss. He has also shown incredible durability and hasn’t missed a match since 2016.
“[Floyd] is obviously a proven pass rusher,” Kocurek said. “And then just the love he has for the game. He’s like a sponge. Even though he has been in the NFL for a while, he is consistently a detail-oriented person who wants to do and work just right. And if he doesn’t do it right, he goes right back in line to get another rep to do it right.”
Kocurek’s players generally line up in a three-point stance, but Floyd won’t limit himself to that style. Like Ford in the past, Floyd will play both one-handed in the dirt in specific pass rush scenarios, with the option to stand up as well.
While in Buffalo, Floyd played approximately 50 percent of the snaps in a three-point stance, unlike his time with the Rams where he played more two-point.
“Any time a player is really good at something, I would be an idiot if I took it away from him completely and said, ‘You can’t do that,’” Kocurek said. “He excelled with two points in his career. Over the years I’ve had guys that have always been known for being hands in the dirt defense, but then you get a unique skill set that can excel from a two-point stance, and do really good things from a two-point stance, you That’s what I want in a player don’t just take it away.”
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