DeForest Buckner has been traded, but Javon Kinlaw was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft 2020 thereafter.
Thus, the San Francisco 49ers will once again have five first-round defensive linemen on their roster and aiming to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
The chaos-creating band led by Nick Bosa counted 45 sacks, including his Super Bowl run, last season to set a single-season record for the most sacks by a collection of first-round picks, according to NFL Research. But after a notable backstop regression for the 49ers defense and Buckner’s loss, the question for reigning NFC champions lingers on whether San Francisco’s No. 1 pass defense can continue to excel in 2020.
In 2019, the 49ers allowed the fewest passing yards per game at 169.2, thanks in large part to the first round of five by Bosa (2019), Buckner (2016), Arik Armstead (2015), Dee Ford (2014) and Solomon Thomas (2017)
The 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bosa had nine sacks in the regular season and made an immediate impact, though it was Armstead’s 10 sacks that led to the team and gave him a $ 85 million contract in five years this year. low season. Buckner, who had 62 tackles and 7.5 sacks, was sent to the Colts for a first-round pick used for Kinlaw of South Carolina. Thomas played in all 16 games, but had only two sacks and 21 tackles with three starts, while Ford struggled to stay on the field with 11 games played and two starts, but made the most of it, as the former Chief had 6.5 sacks.
Talent is there, but being able to keep up the stellar game will be a persistent dilemma in more ways than one.
To start, comes the question about the Super Bowl hangover and the 49ers’ recovery to achieve the shape that led to a 13-3 season. There’s also the matter of San Francisco allowing 12.8 points and 241 yards per game along with 3.8 catches through Week 9, but then allowing 26 points, 322.6 yards and counting just 2.3 catches the rest of the regular season.
How Kinlaw is doing and whether Thomas can improve from a season he graduated to 54.5 by Pro Football Focus could be crucial factors.
Still, with a top-notch talent quintet, the time is still ripe for the 49ers.
