Evan Anderson

Career StatsD+

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		12	1.0	24	1.5
2025		2	0.0	0	0
2024		12	1.0	24	1.5

Updated Jan 1, 1970

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Among DT contracts at this AAV tier, Evan Anderson earns a C- Contract Value Index. The contract itself—$1.005M annually—is a nominal-cost depth arrangement that insulates San Francisco from meaningful financial risk, but Anderson's D+ performance grade and the repeated waiver-wire cycling undercut any claim to value creation. His 2025 season saw minimal opportunity (2 games), which combined with his career production of one sack and one forced fumble across two seasons, leaves little evidence that the organization views him as a foundational piece or even a reliable rotational contributor. At 24 and in his second year, Anderson is theoretically still in the developmental window, yet the 49ers' recent roster activity—signing and cutting multiple depth players while repeatedly moving Anderson on and off the practice squad and roster—signals that the front office has not identified a consistent role for him. The dominant narrative frames him as a replaceable depth piece caught in the practice-squad revolving door rather than a priority project, a perception reinforced by the direct waiver swap for defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson. For a contract carrying virtually no cap burden, the CVI grade reflects the organizational ambiguity: cheap enough to cycle through the system, but not compelling enough to keep on any permanent roster tier heading into the 2026 season.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Evan's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Evan Anderson is a second-year defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers who remains very much a work in progress, having appeared in just 12 career games since entering the league — a total that places him squarely in the earliest stages of establishing himself as a reliable NFL contributor. For interior linemen, availability is everything, and Anderson's extremely limited sample size makes it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions about his long-term viability as a rotation piece, let alone a starter, in Kyle Shanahan's defense. His 24 career tackles and one sack represent modest production for a player at this stage, though those numbers carry an important caveat — defensive tackles rarely accumulate flashy statistics, and their true value is measured in disruption, gap discipline, and the ability to occupy blockers for others to make plays. At 24 years old, Anderson theoretically has developmental runway ahead of him, but the 49ers are a win-now organization with championship aspirations, and roster spots along the defensive line will be competitive heading into the offseason. His current performance grade reflects the uncertainty that comes with such a thin résumé, earning a D+ that is less an indictment of his physical tools and more a reflection of how little evidence exists to evaluate him fairly. The most important thing to watch moving forward is simply whether Anderson can stay healthy and carve out consistent snaps — sustained availability will be the clearest early indicator of whether he has a future in San Francisco's rotation.

How Evan Compares at the Position

Evan Anderson ranks 161st of 217 graded defensive tackles by performance. That slots Evan between Howard Cross III (D+) just ahead and Sam Roberts (D+) just behind.

Fan Sentiment

San Francisco cut a young defensive lineman with unfulfilled potential ahead of training camp. Multiple outlets report the 49ers lost patience with the 24-year-old after limited impact during his tenure. The move signals the team prioritizes veteran depth and established contributors over developmental prospects. Fans debate whether Anderson deserved more time or if the 49ers correctly identified insufficient progress. San Francisco's defensive line rotation now relies on experienced players and recent acquisitions instead.