Power ranking 5 new 49ers free-agent additions from 2021

No. 2: 49ers EDGE Samson Ebukam

The Niners are hoping Nick Bosa can return at 100-percent strength after tearing his ACL early in 2020, and that should hopefully make veteran defensive end Arik Armstead much more potent, too, perhaps reminiscent of his 10-sack campaign back in 2019 when both he and Bosa were on the field at the same time.

But with all the uncertainty surrounding fellow EDGE Dee Ford’s back injury and availability for 2021, it made more than enough sense for San Francisco to grab a pass-rusher on the cheap, targeting Ebukam, who had a rotational role for the Los Angeles Rams the last four years.

Last year, the 49ers’ leading sack specialist was now-Seattle Seahawks defensive end Kerry Hyder, who had 8.5 in total in 2020 but also lacked the speed necessary to generate regular pressure off the edge.

Ebukam, meanwhile, is much more physically imposing as an athlete and has the violent speed to close the gap from the outside to the pocket much more efficiently and quickly than Hyder.

That’s a huge boost.

And while Ebukam’s career sack totals — 14 over four seasons — don’t jump off the page, he’s never missed a regular-season game over that span and has health on his side.

His 28 quarterback hits, including 17 the last two years, also help point out Ebukam, like Zach Kerr, can get within the pocket with some regularity, too.