SF 49ers: 3 players who need to return after Week 11 bye

No. 3: SF 49ers DL Ronald Blair

Even though defensive end Ronald Blair ended up the 2019 season on the IR with an ACL injury, the SF 49ers chose to resign the former App State defender to a one-year contract this past offseason.

After starting 2020 on the physically unable-to-perform (PUP) list, the expectation was that Blair would be ready to go after Week 6. But a setback in October led to Blair’s return being pushed back.

And while there is currently no real timeline for Blair’s return, it would be excellent if Blair could return and add some depth to the SF 49ers defensive line, which, even with the expected addition of former Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Takk McKinley, is lacking in pass-rushing depth.

Blair wouldn’t be expected to jump into an immediate starting role, but on a team that doesn’t have a lot of true edge-rushing talent, even having him on a limited basis on passing downs would be a big boost to the Niners defense.

The team’s current sack leader is Kerry Hyder, but he and fellow defensive lineman Arik Armstead are more natural interior pass-rushers, so having McKinley and Blair along the edge in obvious passing situations would make the SF 49ers defensive line a little closer to the quality it achieved in 2019.

Without Nick Bosa or fellow edge rusher Dee Ford on the field they aren’t going to actually achieve the same level of pressure and sacks they did last year, but getting players like Blair back to push others to more natural positions would help the entire defense for the remainder of the season.