If Nick Bosa can get a modicum of consistent pressure from the opposite side he could end up having another Defensive Player of the Year award to put on his mantel.
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36 OL have hit the milestone of 200 or > career starts since the merger in 1970. Active OL on the list: Kevin Zeitler at 204 Active O...
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The stench of the last game is still in my nostrils. Will the 49ers clear the air? Not if they don't start making tackles. Not if they...
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The postseason is a year away. Win or lose the only thing they're playing for today is pride. Another opportunity to advertise your wo... -
The San Francisco 49ers are 20-6 when the Three Amigos are on the field together. If they stay healthy you can forget about a "rebuil...
No doubt Huff should help Bosa get more sacks and add to his total of 62.5 sacks. But IMO, Huff isn't the only D-Lineman that will help
ReplyDeleteBosa. BY mid-season, Williams, Collins and West should be starters who put pressure up the middle, forcing the opposing offensive line
into fewer double-teams on Bosa, allowing him to take advantage of one-on-one matchups and increasing his opportunities for sacks!
The two question I have, that should be answered in pre-season is...
1) To start the season on 3rd down, will Gross-Matos replace West at DT (next to Williams)? And If not Gross-Matos, Then who?
2) Can the 2025 9er D record more than 52 sacks by the 2019 D?
Oddsmakers has Nick Bosa +1600; Jalen Carter +2000; Jared Verse +2500 for Defensive Player of the Year.
DeleteOn third and long, imo most likely options at DT outside the rookies are YGM, Givens or even Bosa, with Sam O at edge. Bosa has played at DT on occasion in the past.
DeleteI think we see an uptick of stunts upfront on 3rd and long over the Sorento defense of last year.
DeleteScooter
ReplyDeleteHmm, Bosa at DT? Had not considered that option, but it could work.....
I'm sure that Bosa has the talent and athleticism to occasionally move inside. But (imho) I would not put him in that situation because of the heavier traffic and likely more wear and tear on his legs and body. Also, would that be something that Bosa would be ok with?
ReplyDeleteAES
ReplyDeleteScooter is saying "on third and long," So not that often.
DE Yetur Gross-Matos: A 2nd round draft pick who was a free agent the 9ers signed last year from Carolina. IMO, he should find a roll under Saleh.
* YGM experienced periods of both starting and reserve roles and also dealt with injuries throughout his tenure at Carolina.
* He was a 2nd round draft pick that played under multiple coaching staffs in Carolina and he didn't fit the Panthers DC Ejiro Evero 3-4 system. He was forced to convert from a 3-4 DE to a 3-4 LB, a position he hadn't played before.
He'll get a chance to show what he brings to the 9ers D in TC and pre
season
I understand the limited use Scooter intended. I'm just not crazy about putting Bosa in a situation that involves a higher degree of traffic. I believe that the risk of a potential injury playing on the inside (even if a couple of times) is heightened. Lynch drafted two eventual starters to play the DT position. K.K needs get them ready.
DeleteIt's something they've already been doing in the past. It's matchup based.
DeleteYes, but with the additions of A. Collins and CJ West hopefully that option will be off the table going forward. I'd be ticked-off if Bosa is injured. But getting injured playing another position would be a tough one for me to swallow.
DeleteIt's just matchups AES. If they think Bosa can have more success rushing the passer going against an OG on 3rd and long it would be silly not to try exploiting it.
DeleteYou're not asking Bosa to hold ground in the middle.
Scooter,
DeleteFair enough. But I prefer to see Collins and West eventually make it a moot point to move Bosa around the Dline.
Certainly AES. If the best pass rush combo/ matchup keeps Bosa on the edge on 3rd and long then that's great too.
Delete37 days until TC
ReplyDeleteI hate to rain on every ones positivity parade but I just don't think it is realistic to expect Saleh to get the D to do a complete 180 this season. Especially with as many as 3 to 6 rookie starters. There is no reason to believe that this rookie class will be any better than any of KS and JLs other rookie classes ( the anomaly 24 class aside) Hopefully by the end of the season Saleh will have his D performing at a top 15 level. If this team makes the playoffs this year I believe it will have to be on the back of a healthy O. I see lots of 35-31 games this year.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree Coach. I think they can and will be better than last year, but that's not saying much. Getting the D to mid pack would be a good achievement.
DeleteOldCoach
DeleteWhile I would agree it is not realistic to expect Saleh to get the D to do a complete 180 this season, I don't believe Saleh has to get the D to do a 180 for the 9ers to make the playoffs!
WHY?
1) The 9ers have the easiest 2025 schedule in the NFL.
2) Even with 3-6 rookies the 2025 D-line will be capable of
stopping the run! Something the 2024 D-line failed to do.
3) As a team, the 9ers only had 37 sacks for the 2024 season.
IMO, that number should increase substantially in 2025.
4) While the 2024 9ers went 6W - 11L, how many games did
the 9ers lose by less than 3 points in 2024?
* Week 3: Lost to the LA Rams 27 to 24
* Week 5: Lost to Arizona 24 to 23
* Week 11: Lost to Seattle 20 to 17
* The 9ers also lost two games by 6 points.
* Week 2: Lost to the Vikings 23 to 17
* Week 15: Lost to the Rams 12 to 6
All of those games were winnable.
* Last, but not least, Saleh replacing Nick Sorensen as DC.
IMO, that is worth 2-3 wins for the 9ers 2025 season.
Geep,
DeleteIf Saleh is worth 2 to 3 wins that puts the 9ers right where I have predicted they will be 8-9 or 9-8
OldCoach
DeleteSaleh is worth 2 to 3 wins in addition to the 3 games lost
by 3 points. That's worth an additional 5 to 6 games.
That would put the 9ers at 11 to 12 wins and 5 to 6L
and not counting the 9er defense getting off the field on
3rd downs, controlling the clock and additional possessions
for the 9er offense (chances to score).
The above post addressed to OldCoach, was mine
DeleteGEEP,
DeleteI hope you are right. It is completely possible if Williams, Kittle and CMC can stay healthy (as well as CMCs explosiveness returning) I think where I and most here differ is that I am not sold on our draft picks. They could be a great group like last year but I think they could be a bunch of Solomon Thomas, Ji'ayr Brown, Drake Jackson and Reuben Fosters
OldCoach
Delete* Absolutely agree that Williams, Kittle and CMC staying healthy will determine the 9ers 2025 success. I'd also
add Purdy to the list.
* IMO, CMC and BP's health will be the determinative factor(s) in the 9ers offensive success.
* I'm curious WHY you believe the draft picks could be "a bunch of Solomon Thomas, Ji'ayr Brown, Drake Jackson and Reuben Fosters?" What are you seeing that I'm not?
* To be honest, after the draft, I printed out the 9ers 2025 schedule, including a 9er win, or loss, for all 17 games.
I predicted the 9ers would win 10 games and be the division
wild card, the Rams would win the division and Arizona had
the best draft and will be the most improved team in 2025. I still believe that to be true.
Coach,
ReplyDeleteMy target time for the defense to play at optimum level is in 2026 and beyond. The D rookies could likely get significant playing time this year, but the game will slow down for them by next season, imho.
AES,
DeleteI agree 26 is a realistic timeline but I am hopeful that we will start to see some improvement by late 25.
I'm with you on that, Coach.
ReplyDeleteDunno, going from the worst DC to one of the best has me thinking top 10 defense.
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteRazor,
DeleteThat would be a nice surprise.
Jets released K Anders Carlson.
ReplyDeleteNice pieces by Krueg and Chase on UDFA Sebastian Valdez. According to both writers, Valdez has been impressive in OTA's and Mini's. His tape in college shows well. He's a underdog player I'll be keeping an eye on.
ReplyDeleteLets see how impressive he is when the pads come on. I recall both of those two saying the same things about Spencer Waege and we all know how that turned out.
DeleteThe Shanahan has annually found gems on the day 3 of the draft and UDFA.
DeleteYup, we'll soon find out if Valdez is a keeper or a peeper.
ReplyDelete36 days until TC opens
ReplyDelete49ers training camp dates are set:
ReplyDeleteRookies will report on 7/15
Veterans will report on 7/22
49ers joint practice dates:
Broncos at 49ers on 8/7
49ers at Raiders on 8/14
9ers announce 2 joint practice dates with Broncos and Raiders:
ReplyDeleteBroncos: August 7th...(Dwight Clark Day)
Raiders: August 14th
Having joint practices that close together will break up the monotony of training camp and keep the 9ers' competitive spirits at an all-time high.
It’ll also allow the coaching staff to highlight some of their younger players who might be forced into early action against a different colored jersey in a controlled setting. That’s a fantastic evaluation tool to lean on.
My top 3 9er break out candidates for 2025:
ReplyDelete1) LB Dee Winters: He'll compete against rookie LB N. Martin to be the starter at WLB. IMO, Winters will win the starting WLB position and Martin will be the SLB.
* Winters should have been the starting WLB last year and not De'Vondre Campbell . Early in the season, Sorensen downplayed the idea of a starting battle at the linebacker position. But as the season progressed and Campbell struggled in pass coverage, Dee Winters began to see more playing time and eventually pushed for a starting role, according to KS. IMO, this was a contributing factor why Nick
Nick Sorensen was fired from his position as the 9ers DC after just one season.
2) CB Renardo Green: While the 9ers 2024 season was mostly a bummer, Green was one of their few bright spots. The 2nd Rd draft pick graded out in the top 25% of all corners as a rookie, according to PFF. Granted, there’s a big difference between being a nice surprise as a rookie and being asked to fill the shoes of a Pro Bowler like Charvarius Ward.
Green is an ideal candidate, as he stepped into a starting role midway through the season last year, replacing Isaac Yiadom on the outside. In 7 games, he had 61 tackles, 13 pass breakups, an interception, and a forced fumble, while being a key cog on the boundary opposite Charvarius Ward. He’s one of a few 2nd or 3rd year players locked into a starting role, so his being the top breakout candidate makes sense.
3) WR Jacob Cowing: who has earned glowing reviews from teammates and the coaching staff this offseason. While a full-time starting role may not be present, Cowing could be an early contributor with how the 9ers WR room looks.
Aiyuk isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season. DeMarcus Robinson is expected to be suspended to start the year and that could move Jauan Jennings from the slot to the outside, leaving an opening for Cowing to earn a Week 1 role alongside 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall. Cowing has great athleticism and has clearly made his mark this offseason. He and 2025 5th Rd WR Jordan Watkins could be the top reserves to start the year, with the chance for more.
35 days until TC
ReplyDeleteNick Martin breaks his thumb.
ReplyDeleteTrent Williams says Nick Martin broke his thumb lifting weights. Lombardi says that it doesn't look too serious.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Martin will need to wear the hand club? But if TW feels Martin will be very good player, I'll roll with that.
Imo Martin will be the highest impact rookie for the 49ers this year, health permitting. Have a really good feeling about him.
DeleteLong term maybe one of the DL ends up being a better player, but as a rookie... WLB is a position a guy can make a big impact based on athletic talent, especially playing next to a guy like Warner.
As long as they get the protection upfront that they didn't get last year I agree that WLB should be seamless with a guy like Martin.
DeleteScooter / Razor
DeleteRE Winters VS Martin as WLB starter
* I think we all agree, TC will determine who the starter will be?
Dee Winters logged 62 snaps in 2023 and had an expanded role filling in for the injured Dre Greenlaw. However, Winters struggled to stay on the field consistently dealing with injuries in 2024.
The good news? Winters finished 2024 strong with 3 straight games over 50 snaps, including the final 2 with 62 snaps each. Of Winters’ 398 total defensive snaps, 175 were tallied in the final three games. With 16 total tackles and 8 defensive stops, the second-year linebacker showed his largest stretch of play in the NFL
To win the starting WLB job, Winters will need to improve his coverage. He allowed 14 receptions on 17 targets.
Nick Martin: The 49ers selected Martin with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 draft. Martin only played 5 games in 2024,
but earned 1st-team All-Big 12 honors in 2023 with 140 tackles, the most by an OSU player in nearly 4 decades.
* NFL Analyst By Lance Zierlein: A 2 year starter who missed much of the 2024 season with a knee injury. Martin’s career snap experience is relatively low, but his monstrous 2023 production is eye-catching. He too frequently misreads play design or fails to locate the football, which leads to badly missed run fits. He gets stuck on blocks but has the speed and athleticism to pile up tackles when he stays clean. He can blitz but struggles in coverage,
Yeah of course, starter will be decided in TC. And Winters may win the job initially. But I just have a feeling Martin is going to have a good rookie year, whether he starts initially or works his way into that job during the season.
DeleteJennifer Lee Chan agrees with me, 2 TE's on the 53 and Spencer Burford is their Swing OT.
ReplyDelete34 days until TC
ReplyDeleteI may have missed it. But does anyone know if Al Collins has signed yet?
ReplyDeleteAES
DeleteAs of June 18, 2025, the 9ers' 2nd round draft pick, DT Alfred Collins, has not yet signed his rookie contract.
I believe almost none of the 2nd rounders have. The top two 2nd rounders were given unprecedented guarantees, and that's slowed the whole process up.
DeleteThanks guys. I hope this gets resolved before TC.
DeleteScooter
DeleteRE DT Alfred Collins : It is my understanding that it's due to ongoing negotiations regarding guaranteed money in the contract, similar to other 2nd round draft picks this year? He's likely seeking a fully guaranteed contract also? Is that your understanding why he has not signed yet?
No, I didn't know the details on negotiations and actually thought that all draft picks were signed. I believe that the 49ers are depending on Collins to hit the ground running. Let's get this resolved much sooner than later.
DeleteGEEP, you are correct it is about guarantees.
DeleteBasically, 2nd rounders don't usually get fully guaranteed money. But this year the 33rd and 34th picks were given fully guaranteed money.
This has become a point of contention for the rest of the 2nd rounders. I suspect the 49ers are waiting to see what the teams ahead of them can negotiate before finalising anything.
If players/ agents are smart they'll keep holding out. Most teams will blink at some point before TC and that will set the market.
Per SFChronicle,
ReplyDelete"49ers shouldn't worry about Nick Martin's injury
While painful, it doesn't appear as if Martin will miss any time between now and the beginning of Niners training camp in late July. Per the report, the rookie didn't require surgery and is expected to make a quick recovery."
This is good news.
D. Bonilla,
ReplyDeleteHas some positive news and video of Mustapha working out. He's running and looking strong.
33 days until TC
ReplyDeleteAES
ReplyDeleteVideo of 9ers safety, Mustapha, shows optimism of ACL recovery
https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/6/21/24452952/video-of-49ers-safety-shows-optimism-on-their-acl-recovery
The 9ers have a stable of good RBs, with CMC the bell cow, followed by Isaac Guerendo and rookie Jordan James out of Oregon. My RB sleeper is UDFA Corey Kiner. The 9ers gave him a 3 year, $2.99 million contract with $255,000 guarantee to sign.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ninersnation.com/2025/6/20/24452907/49ers-next-potential-undrafted-running-back-find-clear-path-place-53-man-roster
According to Sportec, the 49ers signed UDFA Evan Anderson last year for 3yrs and $2.8mil because they were impressed with his TC play.
ReplyDeleteThe 49ers apparently liked what they saw in Corey Kiner over the last couple of months as well to sign him for a tick under $3mil.
I'm interested to see how he does in TC.
I love this move. Didn't know that Evan Anderson was signed for 3 years.
DeleteShows that the Front office is betting on young players and signing Corey Kiner to a similar deal, is insurance for CMC.
If CMC makes it through Training camp, then Patrick Taylor Jr will be cut from 53, to be the vet player who will be called from the PS on gamedays.
32 days until TC
ReplyDelete