Arik Armstead, Defensive Tackle, San Francisco 49ers
Arik Armstead is along the same vein as Chris Jones, a defensive tackle who had a monster season getting to the quarterback in 2019. Armstead had 10 sacks this year for the 49ers and provided the coveted interior pressure that most teams look for.
The issue with someone like Armstead is that he is your classic contract year wonder. Before posting career numbers in sacks and forced fumbles, Armstead was marginal at best with a previous high in sacks of three. Ballard must take into consideration how much having Nick Bosa and Dee Ford as his running mates had to do with his inflated stats.
At best, you have an absolute mountain of a man hounding quarterbacks all season, but at worst you have an overpaid one hit wonder. If I was Ballard, I wouldn’t offer the moon to Armstead, but depending on how his market is, I would definitely be in the mix.