The 49ers’ entire defensive front was key to the club’s success on that side of the ball last season. Spearheading their pass rush was a deep, talented group of defensive ends creating havoc off the edge. They’ll need a similar formula in 2020.
San Francisco could see an increased need for productivity on the edge after DeForest Buckner was traded in the offseason. The top of the depth chart is less of a question than the rotational players’ ability to make an impact while limiting the number of snaps the starters have to play.
Our depth chart projections continue with a group of defensive ends that could be the most important players on the 49ers’ roster:
DE Nick Bosa
There’s a chance Bosa exits 2020 as the Defensive Player of the Year and in the conversation for best defensive player in the NFL. He had 9.0 sacks his rookie year, along with 80 total pressures in the regular season. Bosa shined on the biggest stage though with 12 pressures and a sack in the Super Bowl. He’s going to spearhead the 49ers’ defense for a long time.
DE Arik Armstead
Armstead will see time at defensive tackle in sub packages, but he’ll spend plenty of snaps on the edge as well. He led the team with 10.0 sacks last season and continued his dominance as a run defender on the outside. San Francisco inked Armstead to a five-year, $85 million deal this offseason in hopes he’ll continue being one of their top producers on the defensive front.
DE Dee Ford
Offseason knee surgery to clean up a bad case of tendinitis should help Ford improve on a somewhat disappointing 2019 campaign. He was productive when he was on the field, notching 6.5 sacks in 11 games. A hamstring injury limited him in two of those contests as well. The 49ers’ pass rush went to a different level when Ford did play last year, so a healthier 2020 should put him in line for more snaps in pass rushing situations.
DE Ronald Blair
Re-signing Blair to a one-year deal was an under-the-radar important move for San Francisco. He tore his ACL in Week 10 last season, and the 49ers’ pass rush suffered because of it. Blair is a versatile defensive lineman who’ll play outside on most of his snaps, but has the ability to play inside as well. He’s good at setting the edge and makes the most of his snaps as a pass rusher. Blair had 5.5 sacks in 2018 and 3.0 before his injury last season. He should be ready to play by the time the season starts, and he’s a lock to make the club as long as he’s healthy.
DE Kerry Hyder
This is the portion of the depth chart where roster spots become less certain. Hyder spent last season with the Cowboys and notched 27 pressures in 289 pass rushing snaps. His best year came in 2016 when he tallied 8.0 sacks while playing under 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek when they were both in Detroit. An Achilles injury kept him from building on his career year, but a reunion with Kocurek could be what he needs to regain the form he found four seasons ago. If he flashes that kind of ability in camp, Hyder should find his way into a rotational role.
DE Alex Barrett
Barrett is another player familiar with Kocurek. He spent his rookie year with the Lions in 2017 after they signed him as an undrafted free agent. He posted his lone career sack that season. Since then he’s played for the San Diego Fleet of the now defunct Alliance of American Football, and spent time last offseason with the Oakland Raiders. Inexperience makes Barrett’s climb to a roster spot particularly steep.
DE Jonathan Kongbo
Kongbo is set to make his NFL debut after spending the 2019 season in the Canadian Football League. He has NFL size at 6-5, 254 pounds, but his production has never matched the physical traits. He posted 3.5 sacks in 23 games in college at Tennessee, but had his final season cut short by a torn ACL. He had 1.0 sacks in 12 CFL games. Kongbo is a long shot to make the final roster, but his size and athleticism will make him an interesting prospect to keep an eye on in camp.
