San Francisco 49ers: Player locks for starting positions in 2018
By Peter Panacy
Defensive Line
3-Technique Defensive Tackle: DeForest Buckner
4- and 5-Technique Defensive End: Solomon Thomas
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers defensive line figures to have some serious competition this offseason and into training camp.
But the locks to start in 2018 are pretty straight forward.
Two-year pro DeForest Buckner is coming off an excellent season — one in which he finished with a 90.4 overall Pro Football Focus, which was tied for sixth among all qualifying interior defenders.
Another first-round pick, former Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas, had his share of rookie struggles last year. But he flashed enough promise to suggest he’s capable of handling 4- and 5-technique assignments, possibly bumping out to the big end in coordinator Robert Saleh’s 4-3 defense. Thomas will need some pass-rushing work, but the ceiling remains high.
It will be interesting to see how San Francisco incorporates fellow DE Arik Armstead, who was shelved midseason to a broken hand. He may be the odd man out, unless he can work himself into the equation as a situational pass-rusher off the outside.
And we’ll see if there’s going to be a camp battle between the veteran, Earl Mitchell, and 2017 rookie, D.J. Jones, at nose tackle.