5 SF 49ers who stepped up most amid injuries
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers EDGE Kerry Hyder
Fans could probably count on one hand the number of predictions EDGE Kerry Hyder would be the team leader in sacks over the first four weeks.
But that’s the case, as Hyder leads San Francisco with 2.5 sacks.
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Granted, the top-producing pass-rushers for the SF 49ers were expected to be Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, but they’re both out. A next-best guess likely would have been defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who led the Niners with 10 sacks a year ago.
Yet Hyder has thrived in his reunification with defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, and it hasn’t just been the sack production and pressuring quarterbacks. To date, Hyder is fourth on the team with 18 sacks, while his seven quarterback hits is second only to Armstead’s nine.
Those efforts have given Hyder a solid 67.5 overall Pro Football Focus grade over the first quarter of 2020.
San Francisco will need Hyder to continue his production in the coming weeks. Bosa is done for the year, of course, while Ford’s return date remains unknown. Pass-rushing depth is crucial for any team, and the SF 49ers are already being rewarded for taking the one-year flier on Hyder, who could end up replicating his career-best eight-sack campaign from 2016.
Next. 5 young 49ers players who look like emerging ballers. dark
For that, he’s the No. 1 reserve player who has stepped up the most so far this season.