49ers’ Secondary Key to Defensive Resurgence
Much of the lack of success of the San Francisco secondary in 2015 was due to the lack of pressure on the quarterback. I will admit right away I am no expert in the X’s and O’s but I think I’ve watched enough football in my life to know a little bit about strategy. However, it doesn’t take a “mangenius” to know that when the quarterback doesn’t have time to throw he is more likely to make poor decisions, and that sometimes means bringing a blitz. However, you can’t rely on the blitz all the time because then you will become predictable and find yourself with less coverage than necessary if the QB can avoid the pressure for a few seconds.
With Aaron Lynch suspended for the first four games and a lot of unproven pass rushers on the roster, it’s hard to say where the pass rush will come from, and there is some skepticism about the scheme under new coordinator Jim O’Neil. Despite all that, I think the secondary has the potential to be one of the bright spots in the 49ers defense. Pro Football Focus ranks the 49ers cornerbacks as 14th in the league despite having overall what is considered to be one of the worst overall rosters in the league. While there is some unproven depth at that position, Jimmy Ward finally started looking like a first round pick at times last season and we’ve seen Tramaine Brock be very effective, especially with his ball skills.
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One guy I am very intrigued about is Dontae Johnson with his size. He played well at times last year and there is a good chance he will be one of the outside CBs in the nickel defense when Ward goes inside. After that there are some questions, although this year’s fourth-round pick Rashard Robinson’s stock dropped more for his off-field issues than for his talent on the field. Perhaps he can emerge. The 49ers best defensive alignment right away, especially if Ian Williams has to miss time early in the season will be the nickel. I think whoever the 3rd CB ends up being along with having Ward in the slot gets the best players on the field. So long as there is some pressure up front and the safeties provide help over the top for these corners, an improvement over last year’s pass defense is likely.
The 49ers for the past several seasons have had good, hard-hitting safeties. Goldson and Whitner weren’t the best coverage guys but they could bring the lumber (and sometimes personal fouls, whether warranted or not). When Goldson left in free agency and they drafted Eric Reid, it did not seem like there was much of a drop-off. Antoine Bethea came in to replace Whitner when he left in free agency before the 2014 season, and while there was maybe a drop off in the run stuffing nature and hard hits of Whitner they may have gotten a better coverage safety. However, Bethea at 31 is now entering his 11th season coming off an injury that cost him more than half of the 2015 campaign and Reid is coming off an underwhelming year. Now that Ward is entrenched as potentially one of the starting corners and the primary nickel back, the only reserve safety with significant experience is second year pro Jaquiski Tartt. While Tartt seems to be the type of hard-hitting safety the 49ers have liked in the past, does he have the coverage skills to play there full time? Or is he more likely to be a guy they go to in big dime and goal line situations?
There seems to be a lot of talent in the secondary, and I have a feeling that if they can get something, just anything out of the pass rush they might be able to hold their own. It may take another year and I think eventually we’ll have to see if Tartt can transition to replace Bethea as the starter and primary safety opposite Reid. We also need to see growth out of Johnson, Reid, Ward, Brock and see who emerges as the primary contributors at corner behind the starters. Will it be Kenneth Acker, Keath Reaser, Marcus Cromartie or Rashard Robinson? I know I’m anxious to see. While this team doesn’t figure to contend this year, growth from the secondary could keep them more competitive in games and give them something to really build on leading into 2017.
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