Defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois will not be re-joining his first NFL team. Instead of signing with the 49ers, Jean Francois will be going back to the man who drafted him.
Jean Francois, whom the Indianapolis Colts cut this week in a cost-cutting move, has agreed to sign with Washington. Former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan was hired this offseason as Washington's top personnel executive. Jean Francois signed a three-year contract, which reportedly guarantees him $4 million.
The 49ers and Seattle Seahawks were among the teams reportedly interested in signing Francois as a free agent.
The 49ers selected Jean Francois in 2009 as a seventh-round draft pick out of LSU. He played four seasons for the 49ers, mostly as Justin Smith's backup, before leaving for Indianapolis on a lucrative free-agent contract. Smith, a 14-year veteran who is scheduled to enter the final year of his contract, is contemplating retirement -- just has he has the past three or four offseasons.
In two seasons with the Colts, Jean Francois started 23 games. He had 28 tackles and a career-high three sacks last season. But the Colts released him rather than pay his scheduled salary of $5.5 million.
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