SF 49ers: Post-free agency 53-man roster projection

SF 49ers Defensive Lineman (10)

EDGE Nick Bosa

DE Arik Armstead

DT Javon Kinlaw

DT DJ Jones

EDGE Samson Ebukam

DT Kevin Givens

Rookie EDGE

DL Kentavius Street

DT Darrion Daniels

EDGE Dee Ford OR FA

If there is one thing we know for sure, it’s John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan will carry as many defensive linemen as they can, as they obviously view it as the key cog in a successful defense.

In spite of injuries to key players like Nick Bosa and now-Las Vegas Raider Solomon Thomas, the SF 49ers defensive line was actually quite solid in 2019, getting solid work from guys who came into the season expecting to be depth pieces, especially Kerry Hyder, who remains a free agent as of this writing.

With Bosa coming back, the other pieces should see a bump up in production, as the 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year creates matchup problems that the offense has to key on, leaving space for others to wreak havoc.

Outside of Bosa, the Niners are locked in with several players: Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw, D.J. Jones, and Samson Ebukam, with the possible early round selections of a rookie or two, also putting them into this category.

That leaves three or four additional slots for added depth, roles Kevin Givens, Darrion Daniels, and Kentavius Street have filled well in the past.

The wild card here is, of course, Dee Ford.

San Francisco recently restructured his contract to lower his 2021 cap hit, but the exact numbers on the deal haven’t been made available as of yet.

But the real question with Ford is whether the move is because the 49ers expect him to play in 2021 or if this is simply a salary-cap move with no expectations that Ford will see the field in 2021 or ever again.

Either way, expect another edge rusher to fill his role, be it Ford or someone else, maybe even the return of Hyder on a short-term deal.