5 former players 49ers wish they had back for upcoming 2022 season
By Peter Panacy
No. 3 player 49ers would love to have back: DT D.J. Jones
San Francisco lost one of its most vital pieces for its defensive line this offseason, nose tackle D.J. Jones, in free agency to the Denver Broncos.
On paper, the 49ers should feasibly be able to absorb the loss, so long as third-year pro Javon Kinlaw is fully recovered from last year’s knee surgery and lives up to his NFL Draft positioning as a former first-round pick.
There’s a lot of depth, too, but few remaining options on the Niners’ offseason roster are as potent as Jones is.
Recently, Pro Football Focus touted the Niners’ D-line as one of the elite units in the NFL entering 2022, but they did question the interior a lot more than the outside pass rush.
Jones’ departure this offseason likely fueled that sentiment.
Had San Francisco been able to retain Jones in some form or another, both the inside and outside portions of the D-line would be viewed as exceptionally strong.