Let's go ahead and predict the 49ers surpass last season's sack totals

If the 49ers' over/under on sacks in 2024 is last season's tally of 48, it might be smart to assume they'll do much better this year.

A team doesn't have to lead the NFL in sacks in order to make it to the Super Bowl. It helps, but it's not the end-all, be-all.

Case in point, the San Francisco 49ers finished with 48 sacks last season, tied for seventh in the league, while the Baltimore Ravens led all teams with 60 but fell one game short of making it to the final contest of the year.

Ironically, those Niners totals were reached with only one defensive player making it into double digits, defensive end Nick Bosa, who had a statistically down year in 2023 with just 10.5 sacks after leading the league a year prior with 18.5.

Only two others, defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead, had five or more.

Armstead is gone, yes. But there are plenty of reasons to assume San Francisco surpasses its sack totals from last season.

Let's jump into those as to why the 49ers will go beyond hitting 48 sacks in 2024.

Nick Bosa won't be hindered by a contract dispute

A year ago, Bosa held out from offseason workouts and training camp while awaiting what turned into the biggest contract for any non-quarterback in NFL history.

Bosa later admitted his holdout impacted his regular-season production, but that won't be a factor in 2024.

Fully participating in offseason workouts already, Bosa should revert back into being a candidate to lead the NFL in sacks in 2024, which will eat up a sizable chunk the Niners need to get beyond 48.

49ers play plenty of teams with bad O-lines

NFL Spin Zone recently put together a post-draft ranking of all 32 teams' offensive lines, and San Francisco can be pleased to square off against a number of these underwhelming units.

Contained in the bottom third of the list are the New England Patriots (No. 27), Seattle Seahawks (No. 30), Arizona Cardinals (No. 29), Green Bay Packers (No. 26), Dallas Cowboys (No. 22) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 21), and the 49ers square off against all of those teams this season, the red birds and Hawks twice as part of divisional matchups.

If the Niners are looking for games that feature five-plus sacks, these contests certainly help set the context for possibility.

Leonard Floyd should be a difference-maker

San Francisco bade farewell to fringe pass-rushers in Chase Young, Clelin Ferrell and Randy Gregory during the offseason, but it more than made up for the losses by grabbing former Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills edge Leonard Floyd in free agency.

Floyd, who'll turn 32 years old early this season, still has plenty of proverbial gas left in the tank, evidenced by four consecutive seasons in which he's had at least nine sacks, including 10.5 with Buffalo last year.

Not having to be the premier pass-rusher, thanks to Bosa's presence, Floyd's numbers should be easier to increase amid a talented and deep 49ers D-line, allowing him more favorable one-on-one matchups.

While Floyd might not get close to Bosa's sack total for 2024, he can be that complementary No. 2 pass-rusher the Niners have sought for years.

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