Why San Francisco 49ers Must Focus on Defense as No. 1 Priority in 2015
Considering how the San Francisco 49ers' season just ended, labeling defense as the No. 1 priority in 2015 must sound rather preposterous.
(Feel free to invoke any other descriptor that conveys general outrage.)
There’s just no way the 49ers’ biggest need moving forward lies on the defensive side of the ball.
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A unit that ranked 10th in scoring and fifth in yards couldn’t possibly qualify as a more significant issue than an offensive counterpart that fell to 25th and 20th, respectively, in those same categories.
A Vic Fangio-coordinated group that sustained an unspeakable number of injuries at every level—yet still rated No. 5 in the entire league—is beyond reproach. Right?
And with the abundance of talent but total lack of production, how could the sputtering offense under Greg Roman not merit the title of top offseason priority?
Allow us to explain.
The Offense Has Problems…But Not Necessarily at the Core Level
Scoring 17 or fewer points in eight of 16 games and barely cracking 20 in two others generally won’t suffice at the NFL level.
For the 49ers, generating so few points despite featuring three 1,000-yard receivers, a dual-threat quarterback, a strong offensive line and a two-headed rushing attack, well, became the unfortunate and unacceptable norm.
Outside of the ageless Anquan Boldin and Frank Gore, the rest of this Colin Kaepernick-led contingent vastly underperformed.
Kaepernick didn’t throw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter all season. Even while throwing for more yards and touchdowns overall, he registered career-worst marks in interceptions, passer rating and QBR.
Former No.1 target Michael Crabtree averaged just 43.6 yards receiving, while tight end Vernon Davis recorded a paltry 245 yards all season and didn’t cross the goal line after notching two scores in Week 1.
Oh, and Kaepernick suffered more sacks (52) than any other quarterback in the NFL.
Injuries, pass-heavy play-calling, eight different offensive line combinations and Kap’s third-leading 2.96 seconds of holding the ball in the pocket contributed to that unsightly total, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
And lest we forget, despite the glaring correlation between Gore receiving 20-plus carries and San Francisco winning games, Roman would abandon the run for weeks at a time.
Along with the overhaul among the coaching staff, Gore, Crabtree and left guard Mike Iupati’s free-agent status will cause further uncertainty for the future of this offense.
OK, so what gives?
Consistent underachieving and scoring deficiencies notwithstanding, it’s the permanent, non-injury-related personnel losses that makes the Niners defense a greater need.
A team that wins behind a power run game and dominant defensive front only has the requisite pieces for the former, lacking those needed for the latter.
No Top-Five Without the Two Cogs Up Front
The necessary release of Ray McDonald and unfortunate alleged retirement of Justin Smith have removed the two essential cogs along the 49ers front line.
Unless the latter experiences a change of heart with prodding from his teammates, those bookend tackles that occupied blockers, set the edge and controlled the trenches are gone.
Say adios to the duo that helped the linebackers and secondary thrive.
Wave goodbye to the tandem that helped facilitate the defense’s top-five ranking in yards allowed for the past four seasons, not to mention top-three in scoring and run defense from 2011-2013.
Landing at No. 10 and No. 7, respectively, for those latter categories in 2014 was the worst it ever got under Fangio and head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Furthermore, Smith and McDonald owned the top two spots in Pro Football Focus’ ranking of 3-4 defensive ends in 2011. The “Cowboy” fell no lower than 16th, while his left-side counterpart qualified in the top 25 in each of the next three years.
Being honored by such a reputable and objective grading system was a fine tribute for their “dirty work” in the trenches that would otherwise go unrecognized.
As great as they are, All-Pro inside linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis wouldn’t have achieved said greatness without Smith and McDonald’s contributions. The same goes for rookie sensation Chris Borland.
Similarly, a thoroughly depleted secondary that played out of its mind this year wouldn’t have done so without No. 94 and No. 91 up front.
Strong safety Antoine Bethea owed, at least in part, his No. 2 team ranking in tackles, 49ers MVP award and sixth overall rating by PFF to that duo.
Chris Culliver’s top-15 standing and Perrish Cox’s NFL-high five interceptions at the cornerback position were further testament to what McDonald and the winner of the Hazeltine Iron Man Award did in the trenches.
Although they’re not officially gone just yet, both of these cornerbacks are also free agents. Underrated outside linebacker Dan Skuta and backup-turned-16-game-starter Michael Wilhoite, who replaced Bowman, are as well
Additional issues include Ahmad Brooks’ $9.6 million cap hit next season and Jimmie Ward’s tenuous status following a brutal rookie campaign at slot cornerback.
The Niners would prefer a more cost-efficient salary at outside ‘backer and nickel corner that didn’t allow four touchdowns in just eight games before landing on injured reserve.
But for the fundamental strength of this team to continue as such—regardless of who fills the roles of head coach, coordinator and assistant—the 49ers front office must find replacements on the defensive front.
Bowman, Willis and last year’s top cornerback, Tramaine Brock, will all return from injuries that devastated or completely wiped out their 2014 campaigns.
Cox, Skuta, Wilhoite and possibly Culliver can be had at team-friendly contracts as well.
But the same cannot be said about the two assets up front who helped them succeed in the first place.
What’s in Store for the Future?
Going forward, then, Tank Carradine is the first piece that must fortify the line.
San Francisco’s No. 40 overall draft pick in 2013 put together a solid sophomore campaign. He compiled 17 tackles, three sacks and three stops behind the line of scrimmage in 146 snaps spread out over nine relief appearances.
Those aren’t mind-blowing numbers, but they do indicate toward a positive trend.
But remove Carradine, and the 49ers are impossibly thin at defense end.
Quinton Dial earned positive grades across the board and has the versatility. But he and the injured Glenn Dorsey and Ian Williams primarily occupy the nose tackle position.
That applies as well to former practice-squad asset Mike Purcell. And current members Lawrence Okoye and rookie Garrison Smith are extremely raw.
Kaleb Ramsey, one of San Francisco’s two seventh-round picks, redshirted this season and remains an unknown commodity.
So, with a still-developing quarterback, high turnover at wideout and possible departure of the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, not to mention a new offensive coaching staff, the Niners offense will require ample work over the offseason.
That said, successful teams build their rosters from the inside out. They do so because games are won and lost at the line of scrimmage.
Presuming that the offensive line regains its top-notch form with a clean slate next year, with or without Iupati, the 49ers must make the defensive line their No. 1 priority.
Unless they believe mediocre backup Tony Jerod-Eddie will somehow morph into No. 94.
Final Thoughts
Niners CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke let one of the league’s premier head coaches slip away into the college ranks.
Their destructive blend of narcissism and ego-driven mismanagement fueled Harbaugh’s dismissal for non-football reasons with one year still left on his contract
Their vapid, pathetic attempts at an explanation during Monday’s press conference may have been worse than the actual firing of one of the best sideline leaders in 49ers history.
Well, unless you include York’s follow-up interview on Tuesday.
At any rate, if they want to reclaim any ounce of respect from an insulted 49ers fanbase and win games in 2015, they’ll begin by addressing the team’s pressing needs on defense.
One can only hope that free agency and the draft yield stronger additions than what the downgrade-filled class of available head coaching prospects will bring.
Because last time we checked, the likes of Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll and Jon Gruden aren’t walking through that door.
All team and player statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference, ESPN and NFL.com unless otherwise noted. All contract information courtesy of Spotrac. Advanced metrics provided by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Joe Levitt is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, waxing academic, colloquial and statistical eloquence on the San Francisco 49ers. Follow him on Twitter @jlevitt16
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