The 49ers and Eagles are two of the best teams in the NFC, and the signing of former Philadelphia defensive lineman Javon Hargrave has only helped San Francisco.
Eagles center Jason Kelce is well aware of the type of player the 49ers are acquiring in Hargrave, a move he described as “difficult” as his team prepares to defend its conference crown in 2023.
“[Hargrave] was an absolute beast for you guys,” Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce told his brother on their podcast this week. “And he got paid. Got paid a lot of money, and he deserves it.”
“I’m happy for my man, Grave Digger,” Jason Kelce responded. “Javon’s one of the hardest guys I’ve ever had to block, especially from a pass-blocking standpoint. That’s a huge acquisition by the 49ers. Him, [Arik] Armstead, I mean, they’re stacked all over defense.
“It was already a tough game against them last year, and Javon’s not going to make it any easier. So, that’s a tough one because, obviously, the 49ers are a rival of ours right now. Big game for us”.
After falling to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers will return to Lincoln Financial Field for a highly anticipated rematch during the 2023 NFL season. Hargrave, who signed a four-year contract with San Francisco in free agency, will be on the opposing sideline this time.
The 30-year-old pass rusher has 11.0 sacks and 60 total tackles for the Eagles in 2022, the most by an Eagles defensive lineman since 1993. Travis Kelce is simply relieved that his squad will not be facing Hargrave and the 49ers this season, who have added yet another top-tier talent to their roster.
