The 49ers’ defense allowed 27 points to the Buccaneers last season in one of their worst performances of the year. Now with a retooled front seven, a new-look defense will try to help the 49ers start the season in the win column for the first time since 2016.
Here are the six players on defense to watch in the season opener:
DL DeForest Buckner
Buckner was the anchor of the 49ers’ defensive line last season, finishing with 12 of the team’s 37 total sacks. He’ll have more help on the line this year with the additions of defensive ends Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. With the ends now getting more attention from the offensive line, the middle could open up for Buckner with more opportunities to get to the quarterback.
CB Richard Sherman
Sherman was matched up against Tampa Bay’s Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans when the 49ers met the Buccaneers last season. Evans finished the Week 12 game with six receptions for 116 yards, including receptions of 42 and 34 yards. Sherman will likely see Evans multiple times again Sunday.
FS Tarvarius Moore
Moore returns to the free safety position where he played when he was at Southern Mississippi. The 49ers used him at corner back last season, but moved him back to his original position in OTAs. He earned the starting job with a strong training camp, and his spot was solidified when Jimmie Ward broke his finger in practice earlier in the week. Moore will be needed to help on deep passes to Evans who torched the 49ers down the field last year.
DE Dee Ford
The 49ers’ biggest offseason acquisition will make his debut with the team after missing all of the preseason with a knee injury. Ford had a career-high 13 sacks and seven forced fumbles last season with Kansas City. The 49ers only recorded one sack last season against the Buccaneers, and it came from Buckner on the interior. Ford should create more pressure from the edge and make life more difficult for Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston.
LB Kwon Alexander
Alexander will be making his debut for the 49ers just like Ford, but Sunday will be the first time the linebacker lines up against the Buccaneers. The 25-year-old was the 124th pick in the 2015 draft and spent his first four seasons with Tampa Bay. He finished with 380 tackles during his time with the Buccaneers, including a career-high 145 in 2016. His time with the Bucs came to an end when he tore his ACL in Week 7 last year, so this will be his return from a major injury against his former team at their home stadium.
LB Fred Warner
The other half of the “Hot Boyzz,” the nickname the 49ers’ linebacking corps gave itself, was a pleasant surprise in 2018. The third-round pick started all 16 games at Mike linebacker and finished with a team-high 124 tackles in his rookie season. Warner finished with seven tackles and a pass deflection against the Buccaneers.
