The 49ers have traded linebacker Eli Harold to the Detroit Lions for a conditional late-round pick in the 2020 draft, as first reported by Kyle Meinke of Mlive.com.
Harold, 25, started 24 games over the last two seasons and spent the majority of the training camp working as the starting “Sam” linebacker in coordinator Robert Saleh’s defense.
The move comes as a surprise given the team’s lack of established talent at the position. The 49ers failed to log a sack in their second preseason game Saturday against the Texans, and Harold, a third-round pick in 2015, was expected to play heavily in his third campaign.