The San Francisco 49ers added defensive end Chase Young ahead of the trade deadline. The talented pass rusher suited up in red and gold for the first time on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, helping the Niners earn a convincing 34-3 victory.
Did Young's addition provide the defensive spark the 49ers needed to snap their three-game losing streak? We'll find out in the coming weeks as fans eagerly await evidence that the team can win consistently down the stretch. On Sunday, San Francisco appeared to be firing on all cylinders, looking more like the team that dominated opponents through the first five games of the season.
Quarterback Brock Purdy, speaking to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer after the game, expressed his excitement about the team's move to acquire Young.
"As a player, I'm on the offensive side of the ball, and to see us go and get another key guy on the pass rush and on the defensive side of things, we're like, Let's go," Purdy said after the game.
The addition of Young was yet another big in-season move by the 49ers' front office, which pulled off another high-profile trade last season, adding running back Christian McCaffrey. The latest addition of Young was met with enthusiasm in the locker room, as players recognized the potential of the Young-Bosa edge-rushing duo.
"That's showing you what our ownership and everyone in the front office is thinking in terms of this team, for us to go do it right now," Purdy said. "Add a key piece like Chase Young, we're all for it. We're hungry and we're ready to be able to play our best football to make a run at the whole thing. Yeah, it gives us confidence knowing that defense, they're stacked."
In Young's debut on Sunday, he and Bosa combined for a sack of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, showcasing the defensive front's potential.
"From what I saw there, it seemed like he had a big impact," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Young's 49ers debut.
Purdy, who deals with fierce pass rushes weekly, appreciates his team having one of its own. The 49ers defense finished the game with five total sacks, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.
"They got players across the board," Purdy said of his defense. "They're going to make plays. They're going to get the ball for us. It's on us as an offense to pick them up and go put points up on the board, simple as that."
