DeMeco Ryans has some work to do as the new SF 49ers defensive coordinator
2021 will bring on a new era for the SF 49ers, as the team will have a new defensive coordinator in DeMeco Ryans as his predecessor, Robert Saleh, starts his tenure as the new head coach of the New York Jets.
While it’s hard to see the Niners changing a lot of what’s made their defense hold up surprisingly well despite the array of injuries in 2020, Ryans doesn’t exactly get to avoid some of the problems before the 2021 season.
This is the most important offseason for San Francisco in quite some time. While a lot of attention is rightfully on the quarterback position and what the team will do there, it should also be mentioned that there’s still a lot of work to be done on the defensive position.
With the offseason now officially underway, here are the three things on Ryans’ to-do list.
No. 1: Amassing the SF 49ers’ best defensive line possible
Left tackle Trent Williams is the No. 1 priority for the team as far as team free agents are concerned. We saw exactly what happened in the Super Bowl happens when blocking fails you.
The Kansas City Chiefs had two backup tackles on the field against a fearsome defensive front that didn’t have to blitz.
That’s precisely what the SF 49ers must get back in 2021.
Extending EDGE Kerry Hyder is a must. Fellow EDGE Dee Ford doesn’t look likely to make an impact for San Francisco again, and third-year pro Nick Bosa needs a partner in crime for the new season. Hyder performed well with zero help, so having him on the defensive line with someone who can attract more attention would be good to see.
On the defensive tackle front, the team looks fine with Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw starting. What will need to happen is finding depth behind them, whether that’s bringing players back who flashed or drafting/signing someone is another matter.
No. 2: Re-signing SF 49ers free agents DeMeco Ryans wants to keep for 2021
The SF 49ers have a lot of free agents. The biggest question in terms of the current roster is exactly who stays and who goes, and what cap space the team will have depending on who’s traded or cut in the offseason.
Here’s a list of defensive free agents from the 49ers, per Draft Kings:
- EDGE Kerry Hyder
- EDGE Jordan Willis
- EDGE Ezekiel Ansah
- EDGE Ronald Blair
- EDGE Dion Jordan
- Defensive Tackle Solomon Thomas
- Defensive Tackle D.J. Jones
- Linebacker Joe Walker
- Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley
- Cornerback Richard Sherman
- Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon
- Cornerback K’Waun Williams
- Cornerback Dontae Johnson
- Cornerback Jamar Taylor
- Safety Jaquiski Tartt
- Safety Marcell Harris
To say that it’s an extensive list would be quite an understatement.
There are a few players who are sorely needed back if possible. D.J Jones, K’Waun Williams, Emmanuel Moseley and Kerry Hyder are all players who can start or be in a rotation while playing at a high level.
On the depth side, players like Jordan Willis, Ezekiel Ansah, Dion Jordan and Marcell Harris are all players who can spot start while serving as quality depth.
That’s not a complete list of players for either category, but it gives you an idea of what Ryans has to look at while shaping the defensive side of the ball for 2021.
No. 3: Working out who to upgrade in 2021
Every team has 11 starters on offense and 11 starters on defense, but it’s no secret every starter isn’t created equal.
Mike McGlinchey isn’t as good as Trent Williams at tackle, and Kerry Hyder isn’t as good as Nick Bosa at EDGE.
You can always stand to get better, and it’s up to DeMeco Ryans to decide how the team can get better personnel-wise in 2021 and how that can be achieved. With the current relative lack of cap space (especially given the number of free agents San Francisco has), the most likely candidate to do this is via the draft.
If Ryans thinks there can be an upgrade found at cornerback, then he could consider Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn or Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. If he thinks the team should just find a new EDGE opposite Bosa, could Jaelen Phillips or Gregory Rousseau from Miami be the pick?
Or in the unlikely event that he falls, could Penn State’s Micah Parsons be the man to complete the great trio at linebacker with Dre Greenlaw and All-Pro Fred Warner?
There are a lot of options for Ryans and the SF 49ers as the team is in that sweet spot in the draft where someone could fall to them.
And if the Niners are hoping to continue their strong performance on defense in 2021, finding upgrades, where he can, may be the most important thing of all for Ryans to do before the new season commences.