Defensive Depth The Likely Priority As San Francisco 49ers Turn Toward Draft

The San Francisco 49ers possess one of many premier rosters within the NFL. Regardless of shedding a bunch of expertise from the staff that went 13-4 final season earlier than shedding within the NFC Championship Recreation in free company, the Niners are nonetheless blessed with a gaggle of gamers that shall be anticipated to assist them contend for the Tremendous Bowl.

It has been the protection that has been most affected by the expertise drain. Having already seen defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans depart to take the top teaching position with the Houston Texans, the 49ers have been unable to carry on two starters from final season in addition to a number of key reserves.

Emmanuel Moseley, who began the primary 5 video games of final season at cornerback earlier than tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, signed a one-year take care of the Detroit Lions whereas Jimmie Ward, who excelled at nickel nook after shedding the beginning free security job due to harm, linked up with Ryans in Houston.

However with Deommodore Lenoir thriving in his second-year initially at nickel after which on the skin following Moseley’s harm and the Niners bringing in Isaiah Oliver to fill the void left by Ward within the slot, the 49ers’ secondary nonetheless seems to be in robust form.

Realizing all too nicely how rapidly accidents can decimate such energy, the 49ers could look to a deep nook class within the draft to solidify the place, and depth on protection seems to be more likely to be the precedence as they flip the web page towards the NFL’s annual choice assembly subsequent month.

The main focus could also be totally on the entrance seven. Depth was the calling card of the San Francisco entrance final season however, with edge rushers Charles Omenihu, Samson Ebukam and Jordan Willis all departing for pastures new, the Niners are brief on choices at that place behind Defensive Participant of the 12 months Nick Bosa and final yr’s second-round choose Drake Jackson, who appeared to fade down the stretch of his maiden season and didn’t play within the postseason.

San Francisco’s blockbuster signing of Javon Hargrave to play alongside Arik Armstead on the inside of the line of defense has given the beginning group an much more imposing look however the 49ers — who recognized former Raiders first-round choose Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant as reclamation initiatives whom they signed to one-year offers — have little in the best way of insurance coverage in opposition to accidents up entrance.

As such, they might want to make extra additions on each the sting and, to a lesser extent, the inside, to make sure they will win by energy in depth up entrance in 2023.

That may appear an unlikely feat to realize in a draft during which the 49ers don’t choose till the third spherical and there are doubts over the standard of the sting class past the primary spherical.

But, with a bit over $5 million in cap area at their disposal — per Over The Cap — a transfer for one of many skilled edge rushers nonetheless out there on the free agent market is probably not value efficient.

Threading the needle and persevering with to seek out steals on day two and day three of the draft because the 49ers have finished in recent times is a particularly troublesome factor to do.

Nevertheless, the variety of departures on the line of defense seem to have pressured San Francisco’s hand, and the Niners look to have little selection however to attempt to rise to that problem once more in 2023.