Niner Noise
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Comparing 49ers’ rebuild under Bill Walsh to that of Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch

By Timothy L. Miller

Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers with general manager John Lynch (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers with general manager John Lynch (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers takes the field prior to their NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers takes the field prior to their NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

The current 49ers defense is young and disappointing. Will they ever live up to the potential?

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch inherited one of the worst defenses in the NFL when they took over. There is no question of that.

What can be questioned is what has been done to improve the group.

Lynch has spent the draft capital including the first three picks of 2017 on defensive players. The return on investment so far has been discouraging. Yes, there is still time for the young players on defense to develop. But what is most worrisome is that defensive coordinator Robert Saleh seems to be getting worse play from his unit as the weeks go by. There is no pass rush, and except for veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, the players in the defensive backfield run around looking completely lost, miscommunicating and out of sync.

The single young, defensive standout on the team is defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. He was drafted prior to Shanahan and Lynch taking control.

Analysis: Walsh was light years ahead in his development of the 49ers defense. He adeptly melded young, hungry players with key veterans at areas of opportunity. The Lombardi Trophies in the 49ers offices should be a reminder the championship teams of the 1980s were well-rounded with an excellent defense.

For Lynch and Shanahan, there is a lot of work to do. Talent must be acquired, yes. The team has the money to add veterans. The defensive issues may run deeper, however. It may be time to find a coordinator who can pull out some of the potential on that side of the ball.