When they are at their best, the 49ers defense will come at you in waves.
When the starting players leave the field, the second team can still attack the quarterback.
This has been going on since Robert Saleh called the defense.
This year, the Niners don’t have that luxury.
There will certainly be an inevitable decline after Charles Omenihu and Samson Ebukam leave in free agency.
The 49ers chose to pay Javon Hargrave and instead rely on internal pressure.
This leaves a gap on the edge.
Last year, Ebukam and Omenihu had pressure rates of 14 and 13 percent, respectively.
Through eight games, Clelin Ferrell and Drake Jackson have a pressure rate of seven percent.
Jackson hasn’t pressured the quarterback since Week 4.
He has yet to reach the quarterback position this season.
General manager John Lynch joined The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami earlier in the week and Jackson was among the subjects.
Here’s Lynch when asked if Jackson’s season was disappointing: “I wouldn’t call it a disappointment.
I think he went through the difficulties that we see the players go through.
I could tell Drake was a little annoyed too.
He has to deal with some things that make him not always feel his best.
So I think after fighting, had a great season, a very talented young man.
He started the season off strong with three sacks, and the second year was an interesting one for the players.
I always think so.
And I think you continue to work and put energy and time into a guy like Drake because of what he can eventually become.
The 49ers’ moves in the offseason will say otherwise.
The additions of Randy Gregory and Chase Young to the group removed Jackson from the rotation.
Against the Bengals, Jackson only saw the field for ten snaps.
That’s the least among all defensive linemen.
The last time Jackson didn’t have the lowest snap total was in Week 4, when he passed Kerry Hyder Jr.
, who is no longer with the team.
Lynch tells Kawakmi that “Drake is going to have to fight to earn reps.
” That won’t be easy to do if Jackson gets beaten and has to fight former first-round pick Young.
