5 burning questions facing DeMeco Ryans, 49ers defense in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Where will 49ers’ supplementary pass rush come from?
DeMeco Ryans is getting EDGE Nick Bosa back from a 2020 ACL tear. That’s great news. And there’s also an outside shot fellow EDGE Dee Ford returns at some point this season after suffering a serious back injury a year ago, too.
More good news.
But the pass-rushing question marks start to pile up awfully quick after those two.
Will Ryans get the most out of fifth-year pro Samson Ebukam, whose speed could be a great asset and potentially alleviates any lengthy absence from Ford? Maybe. But Ebukam never had more than 4.5 sacks in a single season during his four-year stint with the Los Angeles Rams. In 2019, defensive end Arik Armstead led the team with 10 sacks, but most of those came from the interior when both Bosa and Ford were handling the outside pressure.
Reserve defensive end Ronald Blair followed Robert Saleh to the Jets, while backup EDGE Jordan Willis was slapped with a six-game PED-related suspension.
Two of the now-relevant Niners edge rusher? Daeshon Hall and Arden Key, who’ve combined to register 4.5 sacks during their careers.
The lack of pass-rushing depth, especially if injuries again become a problem, could force Ryans to scheme pressure in 2021, not unlike what Saleh had to do for much of 2020 in the wake of season-ending injuries to both Ford and Bosa.
Leading to, perhaps, the biggest burning question of all for Ryans and Co.