The 49ers possess the player named as the NFL's best on defense last season at edge rusher, but a critical aim for San Francisco in 2023 will be to ensure Nick Bosa has more in the way of support from his teammates at the position.

Bosa was named Defensive Player of Year after racking up 18.5 sacks in 2022. However, no other edge rusher managed more than five, and the Niners saw 11.5 sacks from last year leave the building as Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu and Jordan Willis all departed in free agency.

Those exits have paved the way for Drake Jackson, the 49ers' top pick in 2022 in the second round to be the undisputed starter at the other defensive end spot across from Bosa, and he will be under an intense spotlight as the Niners report to training camp next week.

Save for Nick Bosa's looming contract extension, Jackson's progress will be the dominant storyline surrounding the edge rush group as the 49ers look to ensure they have players who can pick up the slack when Bosa is off the field or on the rare occasions when he is not at his brilliant best.

49ers Training camp storylines: Edge rusher

The Bosa extension

The 49ers have a history of getting big-time extensions done around training camp, but the issue of Nick Bosa’s contract will hang over camp until it is done.

Both player and team have expressed confidence of coming to an agreement before the season starts, with each knowing they do not need the subject of his future hanging over another run at the Super Bowl.

It's a matter of time until Bosa signs his extension, and the main question is whether a contract that will make him the league's highest-paid edge rusher gets him to the $30 million a year mark.

Drake Jackson’s challenge

Jackson has no real rivals for the other starting defensive end spot, but he’ll still have to do plenty to convince his coaches he is someone they can trust to deliver consistent production off the edge

He only had three sacks and six quarterback hits as a rookie, but flashed athleticism, power and the intelligent hand usage to suggest he can continually be a disruptive force as a pass rusher.

The problem was an apparent lack of conditioning. Jackson did not play in any of the three playoff games last season after being inactive for two of their final three regular-season contests. 

Kyle Shanahan referred to Jackson's body not being ready for what the 49ers needed down the stretch. Jackson has since said he added 13 pounds in the offseason and hopes to play around 260 to 265 pounds in 2023. 

If he can maintain that weight and retain the explosiveness that played a significant role in the 49ers' decision to draft him, San Francisco won't need to worry so much about a lack of depth behind him and Bosa. Training camp will give the clearest indication yet as to whether that is a realistic expectation.

The Kris Kocurek reclamation projects

San Francisco defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has become renowned for taking defensive linemen who have been cast off by other teams and turning them into impactful players for the 49ers.

Arden Key and Charles Omenihu are the most recent beneficiaries of the Kocurek rehabilitation program, which has two new members in the form of Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant.

They were each part of a vaunted Clemson defensive line that helped the Tigers win the National Championship in 2019, but they have both struggled at the highest level.

Former fourth overall pick Ferrell has 10 sacks in four seasons, while Bryant has been limited to six starts across the same span. He recorded 4.5 sacks in 2021 but does not have a sack in any other season.

The potential for inside-out versatility will have played a part in the 49ers' decision to take a flyer on Ferrell. With Bryant, it's a low-risk bet on him staying healthy and reproducing the explosiveness, power and agility he flashed during his time in Detroit over the course of a 17-game season.

San Francisco could still dip back into the veteran edge rusher market, but right now, the 49ers are pinning their hopes on at least one member of this duo emerging as a productive rotational edge. Should they both fail to impress in camp, they could be looking over their shoulders at a talented day-three rookie.

Beal’s potential impact

The fifth round has been the money round in the draft over the years during Shanahan and John Lynch’s time with the team.

Robert Beal Jr. and cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. are each looking to prove themselves as fifth-round gems, and the former ticks a lot of the boxes the Niners look for in an edge rusher.

He was top of the draft class in GTFO, an in-house metric developed by the 49ers that measures the explosiveness of a player's get-off. His speed off the snap is complemented by length and power and rip and swipe moves that are established and effective parts of his arsenal.

There are several names ahead of him on the depth chart, but the pressure will be on those more experienced players in front of Beal if he excels early in training camp practices. His potential strides as another possible late-round find will be worth keeping a close eye on throughout camp and preseason.

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The 49ers need a lot of things to happen to be totally satisfied with their edge options beyond Bosa.

Expecting Jackson to take a year-two leap and at least one of Ferrell, Bryant or Beal to blossom into a consistent contributor may sound like a tall order. However, in Kocurek they have a defensive line coach with a remarkable knack for getting the best out of his players.  

Kocurek will have designs on living up to his well-earned reputation with this remodeled group and ensuring one of the best fronts in football is even more formidable in 2023.

History says Nick Bosa contract extension should happen soon

A record-setting deal could be on the horizon.

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