Probably the biggest question marks for the San Francisco 49ers heading into the regular season have to do with the offensive and defensive lines.
The biggest concern on the defensive line is the health of Nick Bosa, but perhaps a bigger question should have to do with the interior D-line.
San Francisco made a big addition to the interior of the defensive line by trading for Osa Odighizuwa. But the other spot was basically gifted to second-year player Alfred Collins without very much competition. The 49ers are also carrying second-year defensive tackle C.J. West as a backup, and both he and Collins struggled in the preseason.
According to PFF grades, Collins and West ranked tied for 184th out of 189 interior defensive linemen in the preseason. That is concerning, and one has to wonder if the Niners should have done even more to beef up the D-line ahead of the regular season.
Maybe the 49ers are hoping that if Bosa and Odighizuwa can hold down one half of the defensive line, that will free up Collins, since many teams are going to be focusing their attention on bigger threats.
It’s important to note that Collins is coming off offseason shoulder surgery. He may not be 100-percent healthy, so maybe if he can get his shoulder right, then he will be the guy the Niners envisioned when they drafted him out of Texas in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
49ers may have to turn to other options on defensive line
Still, playing regular-season games don't usually lend to healing a shoulder, so there’s a chance Collins may not be quite right this entire season. That could mean the 49ers will have to lean on West more, or potentially rookie Gracen Halton, who was more impressive than either Collins or West in the preseason.
It’s just a big risk for the 49ers to roll the dice on these two guys. They are betting they got it right in last year’s draft, but based on San Francisco's recent track record when it comes to drafting young talent, the results haven't exactly been there.
Maybe Collins and West will be just fine, but with all the uncertainty surrounding the D-line, one can’t help but be nervous about them, especially with how little pressure the Niners got on opposing quarterbacks last season.
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