{"id":174898,"date":"2026-04-10T00:39:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T00:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174898"},"modified":"2026-04-10T00:39:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T00:39:52","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8-breaking-49ers-bolster-defense-with-former-bengals-star-a-strategic-move-that-could-elevate-their-already-dominant-line-the-signing-of-the-defensive-lineman-is-being-hailed-as-a-crucia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174898","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: 49ERS BOLSTER DEFENSE WITH FORMER BENGALS STAR, a strategic move that could elevate their already dominant line. The signing of the defensive lineman is being hailed as a crucial addition, sending ripples across the NFL as the 49ers prepare to fortify their roster. What impact will this new weapon have on their championship aspirations? Fans are already speculating on how this might tip the balance in the NFC\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cam-Sample-e1775773042312.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cam-Sample-e1775773042312.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cam-Sample-e1775773042312.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cam-Sample-e1775773042312.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"49ers Sign Former Bengals Defensive Lineman to 1-Year Contract\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" \/><\/figure>\n<div>\n<p>Getty<\/p>\n<p>The 49ers have signed defensive lineman Cam Sample to a one-year contract in free agency<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The San Francisco 49ers, like every other team in the NFL, are putting the finishing touches on their preparations for the upcoming draft. After making a run to the divisional round of the playoffs last year, the Niners will have a great opportunity to add some young talent on cheap contracts to their team.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, free agency is also still underway, although many of the top names remaining are likely waiting until after the draft to find new homes. The Niners opted to get an important piece of business taken care of ahead of the draft, though, as they have reportedly signed veteran defensive lineman Cam Sample.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>49ers Sign Cam Sample to 1-Year Contract<\/h2>\n<div id=\"571e1512079824127415e4d3e6a33ada\">\n<div>\n<article>Former Bengals DE Cam Sample agreed to a one-year deal with the 49ers, per source.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sample was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, which is where he\u2019s spent the first five years of his career. While Sample has flashed his potential frequently early on during his time in the pros, he was unable to earn a consistent role on the Bengals\u2019 defense, which is why the team let him walk in free agency.<\/p>\n<p>A rotational defensive lineman who specializes in rushing the passer, Sample seemed set for a big year in 2024 after he racked up 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pass breakup in 17 games of action the season before. However, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon before the start of the year, forcing him to miss the Bengals\u2019 entire campaign.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, Sample returned to action and picked up 17 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble in 14 games. Even with Trey Hendrickson departing in free agency, Cincy decided to move on from Sample, opting to let him sign with another team. That has now seen him land with the 49ers, as he will be tasked with providing depth along the defensive line for his new squad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFormer Bengals DE Cam Sample agreed to a one-year deal with the 49ers, per source,\u201d Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported in a post on X.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Cam Sample Could Flourish After Signing with the 49ers<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_5895295\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ninerswire.usatoday.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/04\/09\/SRAM\/89542797007-20211210-t-091853-z-315094916-mt-1-usatoday-17330284-rtrmadp-3-nfllosangeleschargersatcincinnatibengals.JPG?crop=3122,1756,x0,y0&amp;width=660&amp;height=371&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Report: 49ers sign ex-Bengals edge rusher Cam Sample to 1-year deal\" \/><\/figure>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5895295\">GettyThe 49ers have signed defensive lineman Cam Sample to a one-year contract in free agency<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sample isn\u2019t the flashiest name San Francisco has signed this offseason, but considering how many injuries this team has suffered over the past few years, he could be a very important addition. The Niners\u2019 depth was tested all year long, particularly on defense, last season, which makes Sample a potentially important addition. If a guy like Nick Bosa isn\u2019t ready for the start of the season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL, that could thrust Sample into action.<\/p>\n<p>The 49ers have made a habit of unearthing diamonds in the rough on the defensive side of the ball in recent seasons, so it\u2019s clear that they are hoping something similar can happen now that they have taken a flier on Sample. The upside is there, and if he can earn more snaps on a regular basis for the team, he could very well earn himself a much nicer deal when he hits the open market next offseason.<\/p>\n<p>Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is an Email Newsletter Editor &amp; Breaking News Writer at Heavy Sports. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, NESN Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getty The 49ers have signed defensive lineman Cam Sample to a one-year contract in free agency The San Francisco 49ers, like every other team in the NFL,&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":174899,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: 49ERS BOLSTER DEFENSE WITH FORMER BENGALS STAR, a strategic move that could elevate their already dominant line. The signing of the defensive lineman is being hailed as a crucial addition, sending ripples across the NFL as the 49ers prepare to fortify their roster. What impact will this new weapon have on their championship aspirations? Fans are already speculating on how this might tip the balance in the NFC\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=174898\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: 49ERS BOLSTER DEFENSE WITH FORMER BENGALS STAR, a strategic move that could elevate their already dominant line. The signing of the defensive lineman is being hailed as a crucial addition, sending ripples across the NFL as the 49ers prepare to fortify their roster. 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