Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: 5 biggest disappointments in 2018 so far

By Peter Panacy

San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 07: Josh Rosen #3 of the Arizona Cardinals is rushed by DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 07: Josh Rosen #3 of the Arizona Cardinals is rushed by DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

No. 3: The Lack of a Pass Rush

Notice a trend here? How many issues and disappointments reside with the 49ers defense?

Maybe it’s not a disappointment. After all, the Niners did next to nothing to address the pass rush during the offseason, outside of signing EDGE Jeremiah Attaochu, who didn’t even crack the 53-man roster.

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Through five games, San Francisco has nine sacks and 3.5 of those have come from DeForest Buckner along the interior. At this rate, the 49ers will finish the season with 28 sacks — less than the number the defense had last year (30).

And the Niners finished tied for 26th in sack production in 2017. That number is looking like it’s going to be much worse this season, unfortunately.

The impact the lack of the pass rush is having elsewhere can’t be overlooked. San Francisco has a questionable and still-developing secondary. And regardless how well any defensive back is performing, receivers will eventually get open if a quarterback has time within the pocket.

So far, the 49ers’ opponents have. And that’s led to a number of the Niners’ defensive backs, such as Ahkello Witherspoon, being exposed far too often.