No. 4: The 49ers Defense Winds Up Being Better than Advertised
If San Francisco does have a clear weakness this season, it’s on defense. Definitely the pass rush and, to a lesser degree, the secondary.
The Niners defensive backfield was an issue last season. Adding three-time All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman should help, even though he just turned 30 years old and is coming off an Achilles injury. Meanwhile, Sherman’s mentorship is already starting to pay off dividends — incredibly valuable considering how young the majority of this unit is heading into 2018.
Should the secondary wind up jelling quickly and comes anything close to what Sherman enjoyed with the Seahawks not long ago, the 49ers defense would be getting so much closer to their own elite level.
While the secondary has some promise, the Niners’ outside pass rush is likely an issue.
A year ago, San Francisco finished tied at 26th in sack production with 30. Thanks to a weak free-agent and NFL Draft market this offseason, all general manager John Lynch could do was add former Los Angeles Chargers EDGE Jeremiah Attaochu in free agency, who has just 10 sacks over his four-year career, and hope returning edge rusher Cassius Marsh develops into a likable option.
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It’s possible this crop of pass-rushers exceeds expectations. But they’d be aided if the remaining 49ers defenders play up to their levels of talent.
Last year, San Francisco’s defense tied for 15th with an average of 5.3 yards against per play. That’s a middle-of-the-pack defense. So if defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s unit takes a solid step forward this season, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Niners defense finish in the top 10 in this category.
And that could be enough to win the NFC West.