Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: 5 biggest losers from Week 7 loss to Cowboys

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers is stripped of the ball by DeMarcus Lawrence #90 of the Dallas Cowboys during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers is stripped of the ball by DeMarcus Lawrence #90 of the Dallas Cowboys during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Defensive End Solomon Thomas

A week ago, fans finally got to see what the ceiling could be for rookie defensive end Solomon Thomas. Against the Washington Redskins in Week 6, Thomas clearly had his best game as a pro.

This wasn’t repeated in Week 7.

Thomas was a non-factor on the stat sheet, as NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco pointed out, and the rookie frequently bit on play-action passes and read-option plays throughout the game:

While the aggressive tendencies are nice, Thomas showed he still has a long way to go before becoming a true impact players — not something ideally seen from the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

And as far as his Pro Football Focus game grade is concerned (h/t Oscar Aparicio of Better Rivals), a lowly 40.3 is pretty bad.

If there is good news, though, Thomas’ struggles in Week 7 aren’t totally unlike those suffered by defensive tackle DeForest Buckner early in his rookie year. And Buckner has quickly become the Niners’ best defensive player his second season.

Let’s hope Thomas is heading towards the same trajectory.