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San Francisco 49ers: 3 biggest remaining questions following the 2018 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

No. 3: A Problematic 49ers Pass Rush

The 49ers entered 2018 having tied for 26th in sack production last year (30) and having no clear answer at outside edge rusher.

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2017 rookie Solomon Thomas, with whom the Niners experimented at LEO last year, is best suited on the inside. And fellow former first rounder, Arik Armstead, didn’t exactly flourish in the role before landing on season-ending injured reserve last season. And the team’s leading sack specialist from last season, EDGE Elvis Dumervil, is no longer with the team.

John Lynch and Co. didn’t bring aboard a quality edge rusher, aside from some experimental options like NC State’s Kentavius Street (Round 4). But he’s coming off an ACL injury and likely won’t be available this season.

“That’s just kind of the way the draft fell,” Lynch explained of the lack of EDGE attention, via SFGate.com’s Eric Branch. “We’re always looking to get better at every position. But, we do believe there’s great room for growth with the guys we have and that’s got to come alive. That’s a challenge to them, it’s a challenge to our coaches and it’s a challenge to all of us.”

The 2018 NFL Draft was generally viewed as thin on edge rushers. So Lynch’s explanation of not being in a spot to land the right guy makes some sense.

Next: 49ers' best & worst picks from the 2018 NFL Draft

In the meantime, he’ll have to hope players like Armstead, Thomas, Ronald Blair, Pita Taumoepenu and Cassius Marsh will be enough to provide the pass rush the Niners so desperately need.