Now that we’ve gone through the offensive side of the ball, it’s time to turn the page and look at the season that was for the San Francisco 49ers defense. Today, we’ll look at the edge rushing depth and how they performed in 2025, with a look ahead to 2026.
You could see the plan the front office had coming into the season. They wanted to bolster the edge rushing group by trading for Bryce Huff after drafting Mykel Williams in the first round. That trio was supposed to do the heavy lifting, while Sam Okuayinonu could provide run support, and Yetur Gross-Matos could help the pass rush.
That’s a group that could and should produce alongside Nick Bosa, but the injury gods had other ideas. Bosa didn’t make it to October. Williams barely made it to November. That meant Huff would need to lead the charge when he was brought in as a secondary player.
By the time we got to December, the team was relying on players who were not on the roster when Bosa and Williams were playing. Trading for Keion White and signing former Niner Clelin Ferrell barely moved the needle, but there weren’t many options at that point that made sense, unless you were willing to part ways with premium draft capital.
Strengths
It wouldn’t be fair to this group to judge them for playing in roles they were never supposed to play. Bosa had five tackles for loss, two sacks, and eight pressures in the first two games of the season. He is what a superstar looks like.
Huff had two sacks and eight pressures to go along with three tackles for loss with Bosa in the lineup during the first three games. The 49ers’ run defense was much better with Mykel on the field. Their yards per carry rose significantly once he was lost for the season, especially on rushes outside of the tackles.
Weaknesses
A lot like George Kittle on offense, it’s not a great sign that you can’t function once one player goes down. It’s a similar situation in referencing one of the best players in the game. Huff, as a rotational pass rusher, can be a difference-maker. But when Huff needs to play every down and hold up consistently against the run, it’s a different story.
We’re not going to talk down on players like White, Sam O, and Ferrell. Those are not players who should be on the field for meaningful starter-like snaps in the postseason. Unfortunately, injuries forced Robert Saleh’s hand.
Injuries also limited Gross-Matos to the point where he couldn’t practice during the week. That was a free agent signing the 49ers never got anything out of, meaning it’s another offseason where it’s time to revamp the edge rushing group.
What will the 49ers’ edge rushing group look like in 2026?
The addition of Raheem Morris means Williams will be in a position to succeed as an interior player far more than he did as a rookie under Saleh.
You’d think if Morris liked James Pearce, then he could work with Huff, who has one year remaining on his deal. The 49ers could release Huff and save $5.3 million against the cap. It’s a move that would mean they’d need to add another pass rusher. At Huff’s cap number, you’re unlikely to upgrade from a player who should benefit from playing next to Bosa and Mykel. Decisions, decisions.
Trey Hendrickson, Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Cam Jordan will all be options in free agency, but all figure to command more than what Huff currently makes.
Whatever you do will revolve around Bosa. Finding a pass rusher in the draft is always an option, but there aren’t any game-changers that instantly come to mind.
Then, there’s the trade market. Maxx Crosby might’ve given 49ers fans hope recently. As a player, nobody listed comes close to him. The duo of Bosa and Crosby will make the selection of Williams look even better, as teams would go out of their way to give their tackles help.
- Nick Bosa
- Mykel Williams
- Bryce Huff?
- Sam Okuayinonu
- Keion White
Robert Beal Jr. is a restricted free agent and will likely return. I’m fascinated to see which body types Morris brings in, whether through the draft or free agency.
A year after the Niners were one of the worst pass-rushing teams in football, it makes sense to reset the depth behind Bosa and Williams. You don’t have to do anything with Huff unless you are positive there’s an upgrade available.
This unit goes as Bosa does.