No. 5: 49ers’ Kwon Alexander and the linebackers
San Francisco’s linebacking core is very solid and honestly losing any of them would be not good for the defense. Kwon Alexander is an excellent complement to Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. We saw how the middle of the defense struggled when Alexander was out with a torn pectoral last season.
He has the most experience out of this standout trio, since both Warner and Greenlaw are relatively new to the league. The 49ers linebackers are a very solid unit and have really become a group over the last few seasons. And while losing Alexander isn’t a proverbial “end all, be all,” given the fact the Niners typically play only two linebackers the majority of the time in nickel packages, having a rested rotation is a bonus.
Plus, Alexander’s experience and energy make a huge difference. San Francisco learned how his absence was tough to navigate last season.