SF 49ers: 4 pass-rushers who must perform better with Nick Bosa out

The SF 49ers are going to have to get by without Nick Bosa, who tore his ACL in Week 2. These four pass-rushers need to step up in his absence.

Week 2 was a win for the SF 49ers, who managed to pull off a one-sided victory over the lowly New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

But despite the 31-13 win, the outcome of the game felt more like a loss, namely due to the plethora of injuries head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad suffered over the course of the game. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a high-ankle sprain, running backs Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert suffered knee injuries and could both miss time, and defensive linemen Solomon Thomas and Nick Bosa are both out for the season with ACL tears.

Brutal.

Thomas and Bosa being out hurts the Niners defensive line rotation a great deal, especially considering this unit was expected to be Shanahan’s biggest strength entering 2020. With the rotation now a mess and San Francisco’s best defensive player now out, it’s highly likely Shanahan and general manager John Lynch pull in a player or two of the free-agent scrap heap. There are some good names available, yes, but there’s also a need for some on-roster players to pick up the slack, especially in Bosa’s wake.

The SF 49ers’ D-line depth was going to be something of a question this year, as the players behind Bosa and Thomas had a lot to prove amid some notable offseason changes from 2019.

And for those seeking questions, the remainder of 2020 will provide some key answers.

With that as a backdrop, these four Niners defensive linemen need to perform above expected levels for the team to maintain its defensive success this season.