Malcolm Smith

Smith's career in red and gold got off to a terrible start when a pectoral injury landed the linebacker on injured reserve before logging an official snap with his new club. All reports are that the veteran should be ready for the start of the 2018 season, and he figures to immediately step into a starting outside linebacker role. The 27-year-old racked up an impressive 225 combined tackles over his two years as a full starter in Oakland, so he could make an immediate IDP impact so long as he stays on the field this season.

One thing that became apparent after NaVorro Bowman was placed on IR last season was that the 49ers lacked depth at the linebacker position. The first step general manager John Lynch took to address the issue this offseason was the acquisition of Smith, an unrestricted free agent, from the Raiders. The seven-year pro led Oakland with 103 total tackles last year, but he will have to wait to make his debut with San Francisco until 2018 after tearing a pectoral muscle in camp and being placed on season-ending IR.

Signed away from Seattle in free agency prior to 2015, Smith transformed himself from a special teams linebacker into a three-down workhorse in Oakland, playing 1,141 snaps and finishing the year with 122 tackles (99 solo), four sacks and one interception. The sack production was a pleasant surprise – Smith likely would have been taken more fora coverage linebacker than a blitzer before last year – yet there's reason to think Smith can repeat as a successful blitzer in a highly athletic and disruptive Oakland front seven that should pressure the quarterback regularly in 2016.

Smith is entering his first season in a Raiders' uniform after playing the first four years of his NFL career for the Seahawks. He recorded 37 tackles (27 solo) and two forced fumbles in 2014 and he'll definitely see some time at one of the outside linebacker positions in 2015.

From seventh-round pick in 2011 to Super Bow MVP in 2014. Smith was a no-name linebacker before he intercepted Richard Sherman's game-saving tipped pass in the NFC Championship last season, but he was a key reserve throughout the year, playing both the strongside and weakside spots and making eight starts. He got better as the year went on, intercepting a pass in four of the last five games, including the playoffs, and averaging seven tackles a game in that span. He could start this season if Bruce Irvin is not healthy to begin the year or is ineffective.