49ers' Fred Warner can pass Patrick Willis' franchise milestone in 2023
By now, everyone knows that San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner is one of the best, if not the best, LBs in the game. Warner can do it all: defend the run, defend the pass, and he can even blitz when called upon. And, he does it all well, which is what places him […]
By now, everyone knows that San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner is one of the best, if not the best, LBs in the game.
Warner can do it all: defend the run, defend the pass, and he can even blitz when called upon. And, he does it all well, which is what places him at the top of the mountain, so to speak.
When it comes to his overall career thus far, Warner is already in a league of his own. He's the only linebacker in NFL history to record 118 or more total tackles in the first five years of a career since the 1970 merger, per Pro Football Reference. Warner and Hall of Fame safety, Steve Atwater, are the only players in NFL history to record 118+ tackles in their first five seasons.
That's right. Legends such as Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly, Mike Singletary, Derrick Brooks, Junior Seau, Jessie Tuggle, and even the 49ers' own Patrick Willis never accomplished that feat.
Speaking of Willis, Warner can one-up him, yet again, in 2023. If Warner can finish the year with 179 combined tackles, which would be a personal best, he will pass Willis' record for the most combined tackles during a linebacker's first six seasons with the 49ers (812).
Now, obviously, getting to 179 total tackles in a single season is no small feat. Only four players have eclipsed that mark since 2013, but, all four instances have occurred over the last two seasons: Foyesade Oluokun has done it twice, along with Nick Bolton (2022) and Jordyn Brooks (2021).
Warner's career-high is currently 137 combined tackles and that happened in 2021. The key with this season is the addition of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. The combination of Hargrave and Arik Armstead in the middle of the defensive line, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, will open up all kinds of room for Warner to run, thus dramatically increasing his chances of making more tackles.
Sure, there's definitely a chance the aforementioned trio will just wreck things up front to the point where Warner doesn't need to make as many tackles and is dropping back in coverage more due to the opposition playing behind the sticks.
Overall, the odds are against Warner, but he certainly has a shot to get it done.
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Featured image via Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
