Chase Young trade can help fix the 49ers' energy crisis
A day on from the San Francisco 49ers' third successive defeat, head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that what worried him the most on the defensive side of the ball was a clear lack of energy in the Week 8 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. "I believe yesterday that to me sticks out on […]
A day on from the San Francisco 49ers' third successive defeat, head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that what worried him the most on the defensive side of the ball was a clear lack of energy in the Week 8 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
"I believe yesterday that to me sticks out on the tape the most is just how slow and tired we looked. When that does happen, I think it leads to bigger holes. I think it leads to more mistakes. I think it leads to missed tackles. I could see on tape a different type of energy that was disappointing, but I also know that they need this rest and that showed the most."
San Francisco's bye week gives a tired group a chance to reset and get some rest, but there is no better way to add some juice to a team than landing a bonafide star on trade deadline day.
The 49ers did just that on Tuesday, acquiring 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year and former second overall pick Chase Young from the Washington Commanders for the remarkably low price of a compensatory third-round selection in next year's draft.
Reuniting the Buckeyes
Young's arrival sees the 49ers add another fearsome pass rusher to a defensive line that has surprisingly struggled to get home on pressures through the first eight games of the season, recording only 18 sacks.
Conventional wisdom says Young, who has 38 pressures on the year in a season where he is finally healthy after a long road back from a serious knee injury suffered in 2021, will drastically improve the 49ers' ability to convert the disruption that is largely being generated by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, who has 44 pressures in 2023 but only three sacks.
While pairing Bosa with his former Ohio State teammate Young should go a long way to solving the issues the defensive front has endured in recent weeks by creating more one-on-ones and giving the Niners a monstrous athlete who can win with his get-off, power and bend, it is not a cure-all for a defense that has had its fair share of problems in the secondary.
Pressure on Steve Wilks
Indeed, the issue that has been identified by many as the 49ers' most significant defensive concern is a disconnect between the front and the coverage.
A move for a defensive end in Young whose propensity for freelancing seemingly hastened his departure from the Commanders will certainly not fix that problem, and it is a trade that simultaneously serves as a vote of confidence in defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to do so and places pressure on him to find the solution.
Wilks, who came into the job with a reputation for getting the best out of players in the defensive backfield, is tasked with resolving that disconnect, but the case can be made he does not have the requisite resources to do so given the Niners did not address the cornerback position.
In Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, the 49ers have two dependable outside starters, but slot corner Isaiah Oliver is under increasing scrutiny after giving up eight catches on eight targets for 71 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals.
Behind that trio, the 49ers have precious little in terms of depth, leaving the Niners in a precarious position the rest of the way. Put simply, the 49ers can't afford to suffer any injuries at corner during the second half of the regular season.
49ers betting on their strength
Yet landing Young can also be construed as a vote for rush over coverage. The 49ers under Kyle Shanahan and in their previous modern day successful seasons have long since been defined by the disruption caused by the front, and an astute move for Young is perhaps an acknowledgment that the pass rush will need to do the heavy lifting and mask problems in the secondary as the Niners look to halt their slide and arrest a drastic downturn in defensive performances.
Acquiring Young doesn't lighten Wilks' to-do list, it doesn't lessen the need for Oliver to get back to something approaching solid cornerback play, and it certainly won't change the approach of opponents who have negated the San Francisco pass rush in part by a heavy reliance on quick game.
But quick game won't be consistently effective when you have two defenders who can win in lightning fast fashion off the edge paired with a supremely talented interior rush duo in Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead. This is a trade that not only gives the 49ers a potentially overwhelming D-Line quartet, but also serves to re-establish a mindset for the San Francisco defense.
In part because of the success teams have had in nullifying the pass rush, Wilks' group has too often been on the back foot of late.
Having another rusher of Young's immense skill set can tilt the initiative firmly back in the favor of the 49er defense by greatly improving the odds of San Francisco getting to quarterbacks and putting opposing offenses in negative down and distances.
Fatigue clearly looked to be an issue for the defense last week, but the frustration of the 49ers' consistent failure to make rushes count clearly exacerbated that.
Young doesn't fix everything, yet he should go a long way to removing that irritant from the equation. With a week off and a fearsome new teammate in their ranks, San Francisco's defenders should return from the bye with the spring in their step that was so evidently lacking last Sunday.
The 3 scariest trades that came out of the NFL’s trade deadline
Some contenders gave their rivals plenty to fear.
