No. 5: The Pass Rush Isn’t a Problem… Yet
After finishing with just 30 sacks last season, the 49ers pass rush figured to be a major issue for coordinator Robert Saleh’s defense in 2018.
San Francisco 49ers
Especially after general manager John Lynch largely avoided the lack of a true edge bender this offseason.
So far, though, the Niners’ crop of outside pass-rushers have done a solid job in camp. And combined with defensive tackle DeForest Buckner‘s interior pass-rushing abilities, San Francisco’s defensive front is looking to be pretty solid.
Niner Noise’s Aaron Tan broke down what he saw during one particular session:
"Edge rushers Cassius Marsh and Jeremiah Attaochu were putting pressure on the quarterbacks all practice long. Since this was a no-contact practice, all the quarterbacks comfortably completed their passes on every snap. However, in a real-game situation, most of the completions would actually turn out to be sacks by the two. Interior defensive lineman DeForest Buckner also earned a lot of great pressure from the inside."
Both Marsh and Attaochu have a combined 16 sacks over four seasons, so it’s easy to see why this would be a concern.
So far in camp, however, things are looking solid enough for Saleh’s pass rush.