49ers roster: 3 players guaranteed to be better in 2021

No. 3: 49ers Defensive End Arik Armstead

It’s probably not a good thing defensive end Arik Armstead followed up his whopping five-year, $85 million contract extension in 2020 with a less-than-eye-popping 3.5-sack campaign, coming off a career-best year in 2019 when he led the 49ers with 10 sacks.

This prompted many a Niners fan to think the organization extended the wrong player, letting Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner go by the way of an offseason trade and subsequently drafting defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw a little over a month later.

While Armstead’s sack totals last year were more consistent with his efforts early in his career, it’s important to acknowledge a few things.

For starters, few other positions were as banged up last year as San Francisco’s defensive line. After losing EDGEs Nick Bosa and Dee Ford to injuries early, then missing out on a number of key reserve players as well, Armstead and Kinlaw were effectively the best D-linemen the 49ers could field on a weekly basis.

Subsequently, opposing offensive lines adjusted. Especially with Armstead being forced to play the bulk of his snaps on the edge instead of rushing from the inside where he’s had his best success.

Despite the lack of a supporting cast and the lower sack totals, Armstead still made his presence felt, registering a career-high nine quarterback knockdowns last season.

With Bosa and potentially even Ford back (hopefully), Armstead should easily have the context where those knockdowns turn into sacks again.