Niner Noise
FanSided

5 stats where the 49ers will need improvement in 2018

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Kyle Juszczyk #44 of the San Francisco 49ers drops the ball as he is hit by Shaq Green-Thompson #54 of 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: Kyle Juszczyk #44 of the San Francisco 49ers drops the ball as he is hit by Shaq Green-Thompson #54 of the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky #10 of the Chicago Bears is sacked by Elvis Dumervil #58 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky #10 of the Chicago Bears is sacked by Elvis Dumervil #58 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

No. 1: The Pass Rush

2017 Sack Totals: 30 — 27th in the NFL

A quarterback might be the most important position in football. But an elite pass-rusher is right up there close to the top.

As of now, the 49ers lack a true edge bender to create havoc against opposing QBs. And with only 30 sacks last year — good for 27th best in the league — one can see why this is a problem to address this offseason.

Veteran EDGE Elvis Dumervil led all Niners pass-rushers with 6.5. Defensive tackles DeForest Buckner and Solomon Thomas were tied for second with three apiece. Fellow EDGE Aaron Lynch, a pending free agent, was a non-factor this season. And defensive end Arik Armstead’s 2017 campaign was cut short by a season-ending hand injury.

More from Niner Noise

Overall, the 49ers defensive line (where the majority of the pass rush stemmed from) finished 29th in the NFL, with an adjusted sack rate of just 5.0 percent, according to Football Outsiders.

That’s not particularly good at all.

With Dumervil aging and some uncertainties about Lynch and Armstead’s fit within the defense, San Francisco will likely be making EDGE a top priority either in free agency or the 2018 NFL Draft.

The good news, though, is fixing this particular spot only makes Buckner and Thomas’ respective roles as interior pass-rushers more potent. Opposing quarterbacks will no longer have the option of stepping to the side within the pocket, as a converging edge defender would close off that gap.

Next: 5 stats where the 49ers actually performed well in 2017

So look for San Francisco to make some upgrades here this offseason.

If it does, all those investments along the defensive front seven could easily jell into one of the more formidable units in the league this year.