Defensive Line Thread

Originally posted by Cisco0623:

Originally posted by Heroism:

The DL needs to be reloaded. Edge needs young talent. The interior DL needs way more beef inside. They need to add one or two guys whose strength is run defense. If they go into 2024 with Armstead and Hargrave as base IDL, it'll be another long season of s**tty run defense.

I'm wondering if we should move away from wide 9 or at the least have other schemes rotated more etc. do you think that's realistic or of any benefit?

To be perfectly honest, I think we need to bring back Kinlaw and see if he can build on his late-season emergence. If he can, then put AA back at edge to pair with Bosa and Hargrave on the other side.

Then rotate the interior on pass-rush downs. That's my thought as it stands, but we'll see who we can get.

AA - Kinlaw (if he has a breakout season) - Hargrave (if healthy) - and Bosa could be a very good line. But obviously you have to have depth and a plan in place.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by Cisco0623:

Originally posted by Heroism:
The DL needs to be reloaded. Edge needs young talent. The interior DL needs way more beef inside. They need to add one or two guys whose strength is run defense. If they go into 2024 with Armstead and Hargrave as base IDL, it'll be another long season of s**tty run defense.

I'm wondering if we should move away from wide 9 or at the least have other schemes rotated more etc. do you think that's realistic or of any benefit?

To be perfectly honest, I think we need to bring back Kinlaw and see if he can build on his late-season emergence. If he can, then put AA back at edge to pair with Bosa and Hargrave on the other side.

Then rotate the interior on pass-rush downs. That's my thought as it stands, but we'll see who we can get.

I hear you but I'd want a rookie who is a run stuffer to complete. We can't trust kinlaw getting hurt and then we're back to a bad run d etc.

Originally posted by Cisco0623:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by Cisco0623:

Originally posted by Heroism:

The DL needs to be reloaded. Edge needs young talent. The interior DL needs way more beef inside. They need to add one or two guys whose strength is run defense. If they go into 2024 with Armstead and Hargrave as base IDL, it'll be another long season of s**tty run defense.

I'm wondering if we should move away from wide 9 or at the least have other schemes rotated more etc. do you think that's realistic or of any benefit?

To be perfectly honest, I think we need to bring back Kinlaw and see if he can build on his late-season emergence. If he can, then put AA back at edge to pair with Bosa and Hargrave on the other side.

Then rotate the interior on pass-rush downs. That's my thought as it stands, but we'll see who we can get.

I hear you but I'd want a rookie who is a run stuffer to complete. We can't trust kinlaw getting hurt and then we're back to a bad run d etc.

1000% agree. We definitely need more talent in the pool. We can do way better than Givens, McGill, Kalia, etc. as our IDL depth.

We can also do way better than Jackson, Austin Bryant, Ferrell (I'd bring him back, he was OK), and Alex Barrett as our DE depth. I am very curious to see how Robert Beal improves going forward. We all knew he was a raw athlete. He honestly seemed to play a bit bigger than I expected for being only 250. I like that.

If Jets don't pay up, do we have enough cash, and is he worth a deal

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39525819/jets-decision-make-biggest-free-agent-bryce-huff

Originally posted by pillageDatazz:
If Jets don't pay up, do we have enough cash, and is he worth a deal

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39525819/jets-decision-make-biggest-free-agent-bryce-huff

I'd love to have Huff but it's the money thing.

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
I'd love to have Huff but it's the money thing.

I hope we have a killer draft, we need starters/depth everywhere

Originally posted by pillageDatazz:

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
I'd love to have Huff but it's the money thing.

I hope we have a killer draft, we need starters/depth everywhere

THIS!

Originally posted by pillageDatazz:

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
I'd love to have Huff but it's the money thing.

I hope we have a killer draft, we need starters/depth everywhere

This. It's our best path to sustainability. We need more top players on rookie contracts.

Honestly, IMO the 49ers need to part ways with Armstead. He has a hard time staying healthy and I don't think he meshes with Hargrave. If I had to choose a DT to pair with Hargrave it would be DJ Reader, solid run defender that would take heat off of Hargrave. I remember Reader being a problem for the 49ers, and I think that game is what made me keep an eye on him the rest of the season. I hope Lynch gets him, doubtful, but everyone one thought that of Hargrave too.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Honestly, IMO the 49ers need to part ways with Armstead. He has a hard time staying healthy and I don't think he meshes with Hargrave. If I had to choose a DT to pair with Hargrave it would be DJ Reader, solid run defender that would take heat off of Hargrave. I remember Reader being a problem for the 49ers, and I think that game is what made me keep an eye on him the rest of the season. I hope Lynch gets him, doubtful, but everyone one thought that of Hargrave too.

I don't know how much money moving on from Armstead would save, but there's no reason to splurge on run defense when it's easily addressable on day 3 of the draft or in the bargain bin of free agency. DJ Reader is going to be extremely expensive relative to what he does.

Very good article on how Wilks screwed up the D this season.

And, IMO, we should be back terrorizing opponnets next season.

https://www.ninersnation.com/2024/2/24/24077514/49ers-defensive-coordinator-search-rumors-steve-wilks-fired-scapegoat-kyle-shanahan

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Honestly, IMO the 49ers need to part ways with Armstead. He has a hard time staying healthy and I don't think he meshes with Hargrave. If I had to choose a DT to pair with Hargrave it would be DJ Reader, solid run defender that would take heat off of Hargrave. I remember Reader being a problem for the 49ers, and I think that game is what made me keep an eye on him the rest of the season. I hope Lynch gets him, doubtful, but everyone one thought that of Hargrave too.

I dunno man. I think this season showed that Hargrave is undersized and may have conditioning issues. I get AA is costing us but we need to have as much size and strength as possible. He may not be the pillar he once was but can we get better? To risky to move on to hopes at this point.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Honestly, IMO the 49ers need to part ways with Armstead. He has a hard time staying healthy and I don't think he meshes with Hargrave. If I had to choose a DT to pair with Hargrave it would be DJ Reader, solid run defender that would take heat off of Hargrave. I remember Reader being a problem for the 49ers, and I think that game is what made me keep an eye on him the rest of the season. I hope Lynch gets him, doubtful, but everyone one thought that of Hargrave too.

Id consider it if they can take his cap hit this year and let him walk as a free agent - provided we had a replacement lined up. I doubt we will. I am curious as to his value on the open market. His current deal had a 17 million per year average. Very good player, but do you have to pay that much for a very good DT? To add, he's entering year 10. While I think his best years have been the last 5, foot problems for an extremely large man just don't seem like we should hitch our wagon to him longterm. I'm hoping between a top tier run stuffer and Kalia Davis, that we can potentially move on.

So which DL are we taking at #31?

Originally posted by NCommand:
So which DL are we taking at #31?