What a fitting way to end the season.
The 49ers’ most productive preseason player, Marcus Rush, has been signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars off the practice squad. Rush might even get a chance to show off his skills in the remaining two games — something he should’ve been doing for the 49ers months ago.
Rush led the NFL with six sacks in the preseason and earned Pro Football Focus’ highest pass rushing grade.
The 49ers have struggled with pass rushing all season, tying for 22nd in the NFL with 27 sacks in 14 games. Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil said he would shocked if Rush wasn’t promoted by GM Trent Baalke at some point during the season. Balked remained loyal to his the outside linebackers he drafted — Eli Harold and Aaron Lynch — and neither have produced results in 2016.
Baalke should be ashamed that this happened. Hopefully this is the final chapter of a roster move that makes him look silly as the head of personnel for the 49ers.
Here’s what I wrote about Rush a week ago, and why it was so peculiar the 49ers refused to acknowledge his existence.
The Rush situation is even more perplexing for the 49ers, especially for GM Trent Baalke. The team is tied for 30th in the NFL with just 20 sacks in 12 games. Take away five sacks from Ahmad Brooks, and the pass rush is an endangered species. No word yet if PETA will hold a rally outside of Levi’s Stadium.
Of course, Rush posted six sacks during preseason, prompting defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil to say he’d be “shocked” if Rush was stuck on the practice squad all year. I need to see with my own eyes if he’s actually worse than Eli Harold and Tank Carradine. Baalke can try and inject a new player to try and pressure opposing quarterbacks.
And yet 11 losses later, here we are.