49ers 2020 ‘Who Is?’ series: Nick Bosa is Niners’ best defender

Why Nick Bosa improves for 49ers in 2020

There have understandably been a lot of comparisons between Nick Bosa’s first-year campaign and that of his brother, Los Angeles Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa.

Joey Bosa’s first year produced 1.5 sacks more than his younger brother, but the former also had four fewer quarterback hits, albeit over four less games.

That number hints at another element to look at, which some view as even more important than sacks: pressure. Pressure forces quarterbacks to make early decisions, often leading to poorly thrown passes and interceptions. Among qualifiers last year, per Pro Football Focus, Nick Bosa’s 9.7 pass-rush productivity mark was tied for fourth among all edge rushers, not just rookies, and was above his brother’s 9.2 mark.

Again, all this from a rookie.

Bosa did have a bit of a production drop in the second half, recording only two regular-season sacks between Weeks 9 and 17. But the pressures and quarterback hits were still there, and Bosa’s efforts ramped up again during the playoffs.

With a full year under his belt, one can expect Bosa’s 2020 efforts to be even more impactful than they were a season ago.