The San Francisco 49ers underwent a lot of changes this offseason after a brutal six-win campaign in 2024. While the team brought back defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and signed a handful of solid free agents, they also lost several difference-makers from their teams that made Super Bowl runs.
Despite the team dealing with numerous injuries all across the roster, the defense still finished as the eighth-best unit in the NFL last year in terms of yards allowed per game. This may come as a shock because the secondary was shaky at times and the defensive line failed to consistently get pressure.
After being a highly regarded unit ahead of the 2024 season, the 49ers' defense is now looked at as a major project in 2025. General manager John Lynch made the gamble to get younger this offseason, and time will tell if that was the right move.
PFF's defensive line rankings put tons of weight on Nick Bosa's shoulders
On Wednesday, Pro Football Focus' Zoltán Buday ranked the NFL's defensive line groups, and the 49ers landed all the way down at No. 21. This is just behind their NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals and the Jim Harbaugh-led Los Angeles Chargers.
"Once considered to be the best defensive line in football, the 49ers’ unit now relies mainly on star edge rusher Nick Bosa. The Ohio State product earned a 91.0 PFF overall grade in 2024, which ranked fourth among edge defenders," Buday wrote. "The rest of the group leaves a lot to be desired. The 49ers must hope that Bryce Huff can find his old form as he reunites with Robert Saleh. Huff was among the best situational pass rushers in the league during his time with the Jets."
The 49ers' reliance on Bosa is definitely real, and it means that he will need to put together an All-Pro or Defensive Player of the Year-type season if the unit wants to have high-end success. San Francisco did retain Kevin Givens and Yetur Gross-Matos, but they had just 7.5 combined sacks in 2024.
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During the offseason, Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave all left, which was a significant blow to the team. Floyd and Collins had 8.5 and 5.0 sacks last season, respectively, and Hargrave had 18.0 total in the two years prior to his injury-shortened season last year.
Lynch chose to attack the defensive line in the draft, and he selected edge rusher Mykel Williams and defensive tackles Alfred Collins and CJ West all in the first four rounds. The team also traded for five-year veteran Bryce Huff, who played for Saleh in New York and is just a year removed from a 10.0-sack season.
While it is entirely possible that Huff returns to form and at least one of these young defensive lineman emerge alongside Bosa, it is more likely that the former Ohio State Buckeye will have to do the heavy lifting for this 49ers defensive line once again.
Bosa is just two years removed from the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award, so it is squarely in his wheelhouse to win it again, and San Francisco may need him to in order to have the fierce defensive line that Saleh will want.