It stays to be seen how a lot Chase Younger boosts the San Francisco 49ers’ protection. However he’s already boosted this mailbag.
The 24-year-old defensive finish was the No. 1 subject after the 49ers made an Eleventh-hour deal to accumulate him Tuesday. Different subjects included defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ job standing, Drake Jackson’s roster standing and what the 49ers doubtless will do within the first spherical of the draft.
Thanks for the terrific, bye-week questions, which have been edited for size and readability.
How may the connection and synergy between Nick Bosa and Younger off the sphere elevate each of their efforts and efficiency on the sphere? — Doug H.
I feel you hit the nail on the top so far as why this deal makes a lot sense. This maneuver is a present for each gamers — for Younger as a result of he’ll be in a greater system, one that may use extra like he was used at Ohio State, and for Bosa as a result of now offenses gained’t have the ability to fully gear their cross safety to his facet.
Bosa and his older brother, Joey, have been mentors to Younger since Younger arrived at Ohio State. Bosa is sticking round Santa Clara through the bye, and his plan is to provide Younger a crash course within the 49ers protection so he hits the bottom operating when observe resumes subsequent week.
Did Younger are inclined to freelance and lose focus in Washington? I don’t know the reply as a result of I don’t cowl the Commanders. However even when that’s true, it’s laborious to see that occuring right here. Younger has an excessive amount of reverence for Bosa.
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It’s additionally laborious to see him ever getting the massive snap numbers he was seeing this season with the Commanders. Younger performed 75 snaps in a Week 6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has logged greater than 60 in two different video games this season.
Bosa by no means has hit the 70 mark since coming into the league in 2019. Defensive position coach Kris Kocurek will spell each gamers with Clelin Ferrell and Randy Gregory, which additionally must preserve Younger sharp and targeted.
Actually, how a lot of an improve is Chase Younger (vs. Ferrell, Gregory, Drake Jackson)? Lynch made it sound like a great addition for the worth, not essentially one they have been drooling over. I do know his strain numbers are good however anything that makes him stand out as a transparent improve? — Mason M.
I feel Lynch needed to be circumspect for 2 causes: 1) Younger hadn’t handed his bodily on the time Lynch was talking. It might have been awkward to gush a few commerce acquisition after which have the commerce get scuttled later within the day (it wasn’t). 2) Gushing about how a lot Younger will assist the group makes the opposite gamers on protection look unhealthy.
How a lot of an improve is Younger? His strain numbers aren’t simply higher than Ferrell’s, Gregory’s and Jackson’s individually — they’re higher than that group’s collectively. He has 38 quarterback pressures in 407 snaps this season. The opposite three have 35 in 689 snaps. (Somebody who’s good at math might in all probability quantify that.)
If the Bosa/Younger combo proves to be a wrecking ball this 12 months, there isn’t a approach they will signal Younger again proper? … Proper? — Ryan L
, I needed to fireside off that query throughout Lynch’s Wednesday presser, however I couldn’t get it out of the holster. I failed. My sense, nevertheless, is that this can be a nine-game rental the way in which receiver Emmanuel Sanders was in 2019. If Younger excels, it stands to purpose that he’d be a sizzling commodity in free company and that the 49ers may have the ability to recoup the compensatory third-round choose they despatched to Washington with a third-round compensatory choose in 2025.
In keeping with the final 49ers Minutia Minute, Jackson appears to be buried on the backside of the depth chart behind Ferrell and Gregory. Would you say DE is nearly a lock for SF as subsequent 12 months’s first-round choose? — Allan B.
Sure, I’d put it on the prime of the heap together with offensive sort out. Bear in mind, Younger and Ferrell aren’t signed for subsequent season whereas Gregory is owed no cash past this season. The defensive ends underneath contract: Bosa, Jackson and rookie Robert Beal Jr.
Jackson’s snap counts have been spiraling downward — good on you, Allan B., for being an avid Minutia Minute reader — and he might be the odd man out within the D-line rotation on recreation days. Beal barely practiced this summer season and has been on injured reserve because the begin of the season.
Oh, another reason they may take a defensive finish within the first spherical: The 49ers crave defensive linemen like Pooh craves honey. (Be aware to artwork division: Want a drawing of Shanahan as bloated Pooh gorging on cistern of honey besides cistern reads: D-line.)
Is there a way among the defensive gamers usually are not utterly purchased into defensive coordinator Wilks’ scheme? — Nathan W.
Properly, Fred Warner and the others are saying all the correct issues when requested about Wilks and the scheme. However on the very least it’s clear the blitz calls in Minnesota didn’t sit properly with the gamers.
The defensive linemen, together with Bosa, have mentioned it’s not their ordinary type. And on that much-scrutinized blitz on the finish of the half, Talanoa Hufanga didn’t totally decide to the blitz, which allowed Kirk Cousins to get off the fateful cross. Whether or not that hesitance was resulting from confusion or poor execution or wavering buy-in is unknown. However it certain underscores it’s one thing the group isn’t accustomed to doing.
How a lot enter does Kyle Shanahan give on the defensive facet of the ball? Would he step in and ask Wilks to vary issues up over the bye? — Jason H.
It’s Shanahan’s group. If he doesn’t like one thing, he’ll change it.
The 49ers protection is clearly a low level proper now, and I completely perceive that frustrations with protection often name for DC’s being fired … however why the hell does Shanahan get so many passes with this fan base? He’s primarily the OC and the 49ers have scored solely 17 factors three weeks in a row. — Isaac C.
I don’t know if something has highlighted Shanahan’s deserves as a lot as the present Jimmy Garoppolo/Raiders offense fiasco in Las Vegas. Garoppolo’s passer ranking final 12 months: 103. Garoppolo’s passer ranking this 12 months: 78.1.
Spencer Burford has been abysmal this season, particularly in cross safety. Jon Feliciano should fill in for Aaron Banks whereas he recovers from the turf toe harm, however is there any indication he might slide in for Burford as soon as Banks is again? — Brian R.
Ask me after the Tampa Bay recreation. It appears that evidently Feliciano will begin at left guard towards the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If he’s stable in these contests — and if Burford continues to wobble — your suggestion is smart. Feliciano has began 28 video games at proper guard over his profession, 10 at left guard.
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Contemplating Shanahan’s feedback on the group being fatigued towards the Cincinnati Bengals, do you assume they regretted not staying near Cleveland after the Browns recreation to scale back the journey in the course of that brutal three-game stretch? — Allan B.
I puzzled the identical factor, and I’m certain the 49ers will at the least take into account what occurred this 12 months if there’s a comparable sequence in future seasons. Nonetheless, it looks as if the most important subject was having to rally after touchdown within the Bay Space within the wee hours of Tuesday morning following the Minnesota Vikings recreation. It meant that the 49ers primarily had a day and a half much less relaxation/restoration time than in a standard week. And, in fact, they have been enjoying a Bengals group that was recent and peppy coming off its bye.
Staying someplace within the Midwest between Cleveland and Minnesota may need helped. However the massive blow got here post-Vikings.
If a training change have been to be made (this late within the season) on the defensive facet, who could be among the candidates to take over? — Allen F.
I’ve puzzled whether or not Nick Sorensen is likely to be proper for that job. He’s been a coordinator earlier than — he was Jacksonville’s particular groups coordinator in 2021. And he’s had his hand in lots of completely different areas on the 49ers protection the final two years. For instance, he coached the linebackers when Johnny Holland was being handled for a number of myeloma final 12 months. His title this 12 months is defensive passing recreation specialist/nickels coach.
Holland is one other candidate. Shanahan has recognized him for a very long time. They coached collectively in Houston 15 years in the past and Holland was considered one of Shanahan’s first hires in San Francisco in 2017. Sorensen additionally might deal with the linebackers if Holland took over as coordinator.
Apart from Banks, have there been any Day 1 or 2 picks which have made an impression since 2019? Ought to this be regarding? Ought to we count on any contribution this season from Danny Grey? It appears that evidently with the roster getting costlier, picks might want to hit. — Jake T
Properly, Brandon Aiyuk (Spherical 1, 2020) ranks tenth in receiving yards regardless of lacking a full recreation earlier this 12 months. However I perceive your level.
One of many points is that some late-round picks and undrafted gamers have outperformed early-round picks. Jordan Mason (undrafted) is forward of Tyrion Davis-Value (third spherical) at operating again whereas Ronnie Bell (seventh spherical) is forward of Grey (third spherical) at receiver. You could possibly argue that Kevin Givens (undrafted) has outperformed or is at the least equal to Javon Kinlaw (first spherical) at defensive sort out. Quarterback additionally follows that sample (See: Lance, Trey).
Any probability Samuel Womack III’s return will permit Lenoir to maneuver down, and ship Isaiah Oliver to the bench? — Gregg C.
The 49ers tried Womack at nickel final summer season and appeared to surrender on that concept. He hasn’t been again at that spot since regardless of clear points on the place in the latest coaching camp. Might the group revisit that concept? Positive, however it could be laborious to do this in the course of the season.
Any information on Ilm Manning’s development after he was re-signed? — Martin H., Norway
No, none aside from the 49ers formally have switched him from sort out, which he performed within the preseason, to protect, which is a extra appropriate place for his physique. I put him in the identical class as sort out Leroy Watson: They’re observe squadders who in all probability gained’t issue on this season however who’re kids to look at when practices crank up within the spring.
UPDATE: After scripting this, the Browns signed Watson from the 49ers observe squad and onto their energetic roster.
Hello Matt, lots of unfavourable stuff is flying about in the mean time. What could be the “glass half-full” tackle the season to this point? — Simon A.
1. There have been no long-term accidents.
2. The group has but to play division frontrunner Seattle.
3. The group now has two former defensive rookies of the 12 months.
When’s the final time a lot strain was placed on a coordinator? — David D.
There have been calls to fireside Robert Saleh in 2018, particularly after his protection acquired crushed in a 46-13 loss to Seattle that 12 months. Shanahan resisted and the 49ers protection bounced again with a vengeance the next 12 months.
After all, the strain Saleh was underneath then and Wilks is feeling now pale in comparison with what then-offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye was going via in 2010. He was fired after simply three video games that 12 months. It didn’t assist that the 49ers, situated within the coronary heart of Silicon Valley, have been being run by younger, tech-savvy folks at that time and Raye clearly didn’t know what Yahoo was.
Which former Niners participant did you gown up as Tuesday evening? — Christoffer A.
Jalen Hurd. I knocked on a few doorways, then referred to as it an evening.
(High photograph of Chase Younger: Dustin Satloff / Getty Pictures)
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