© Kyle Terada | 2020 Nov 5
All anybody can talk about these days is the 49ers’ question marks at quarterback. That makes sense to a degree, considering the ceiling of the team is directly related to the ability of the signal-caller, and the performances from Jimmy Garoppolo this season would see that ceiling far below championship caliber. Still the 49ers are going to have to make improvements to more than that position if they want to reopen the championship window in 2021.
The easiest way to do that according to 49ers beat writer Matt Barrows? Use the 2019 blueprint, and add another elite pass rusher to pair with Nick Bosa.
“I think they’ve got to reacquire that defensive formula, which means saying goodbye to Dee Ford and filling his roster spot with an edge pass rusher,” Barrows told Tolbert, Krueger and Brooks. “A guy who is great off the snap, very quick, maybe he’s not your starter per say on base downs, but he’s the guy you have opposite Nick Bosa on obvious passing situations, and that does so much.
“You’ve got great bookends, but it also slides Arik Armstead on the inside. He’s been playing a lot of defensive end. He led the team last year in sacks. All 10 of those sacks came from him rushing from the inside. Obviously the bulk of those came with Nick Bosa and DeForest Buckner and Dee Ford on the field, and that’s not coming back, but he’s better as a third down pass rusher when he’s going against guards and centers.”
Armstead had a career year in 2019, notching 10 sacks, 18 QB hits and 11 tackles for loss. This season Armstead has 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and nine QB hits.
“If you do have that guy to his right, with a Dee Ford like burst off the edge, that creates bigger gaps. I just feel like so much falls into place if you have that guy. I don’t know who that guy is, if he’s coming in the draft or free agency, but all of the sudden your safeties look better, your cornerbacks look better, everybody looks better if you have that defensive line formula you had in 2019.”
Listen to the full interview below.