SF 49ers don’t have need for new EDGE in 2021 NFL Draft

EDGE Kerry Hyder had a breakout season for the SF 49ers in 2020, and re-signing him can take away the need for another pass-rusher.

It’s a bit of a running joke for the SF 49ers they’ll go for a defensive line prospect in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

It has some basis in fact, too, certainly. There’s a lot of draft capital invested in a defensive line that underperformed due to injury in 2020. There’s frankly very little upside for the team in regards to EDGE Dee Ford, who doesn’t look like he’s going to be worth trading a second-rounder for after missing five regular-season games in 2019 and all but one last season.

So while it could be tempting to think the Niners might look closely at the EDGE prospects in the first round of the draft, it’s important to remember defensive lineman Kerry Hyder and his breakout season for the team in 2020.

In short, signing Hyder, a pending free agent, to an extension now is an immediate priority for San Francisco, especially as he likely won’t demand a huge contract.

Hyder looked to be a one-season wonder before joining the SF 49ers last offseason, recording eight of his 10 total sacks in a single year up to that point in his career.

So, when Hyder came to San Francisco, he was understandably only to be a depth piece for the team as it looked to a loaded defensive line to continue to deliver as the Niners tried to get back to the Super Bowl.

Of course, we all know how 2020 went for the SF 49ers. Injuries decimated the two starting EDGEs in Ford and Nick Bosa, meaning Hyder was pressed into service as a starter.

And in the absence of any other consistent pass-rushing option, Hyder delivered. He had started only two games in his pro career even in his eight-sack season with the Detroit Lions in 2016, so Hyder was shoved into a situation very foreign to him and with little help on the defensive line.

To record a team-high 8.5 sacks in a season was a more than serviceable effort. It wasn’t a fluke of just a few games production either. Hyder was very consistent and an unexpected bright point of a dull season for the team.

So, when Bosa returns to action in 2021, it would be a more than a tempting proposition for the team to pair him with Hyder. Bosa would still have a good partner in crime, and Hyder would be able to play with all the attention focused on the more talented Bosa.

While the SF 49ers would certainly want to look at acquiring some depth at the position, a new starter is not one of them. Hyder deserves a chance to start, and the fans deserve to take a look at a potential Bosa-Hyder tandem.

The Niners have a few areas they could address with their first-round selection but don’t expect the EDGE position to be one of them.

After all, the solution to that hole is already on that roster and could be part of what propels San Francisco back to playoff contention in 2021.

Sign Hyder now, and the SF 49ers could save themselves a lot of pain later.