Steve Wilks' 49ers defense provides mouth-watering taste of its pass-rush upside
One of the overriding questions surrounding the 49ers this offseason has centered on how the defense might look following the change at coordinator from DeMeco Ryans to Steve Wilks. Saturday's preseason game with the Broncos offered the first potentially significant insight as several starters played at least one series for the Niners. And perhaps the […]
One of the overriding questions surrounding the 49ers this offseason has centered on how the defense might look following the change at coordinator from DeMeco Ryans to Steve Wilks.
Saturday's preseason game with the Broncos offered the first potentially significant insight as several starters played at least one series for the Niners.
And perhaps the most encouraging play came on the opening series, one on which the 49ers had consistent success getting pressure on Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.
Wilks is regarded as a more aggressive defensive play-caller than his predecessor. When he was defensive coordinator and then interim head coach of the Panthers last season, Carolina was ninth in blitz rate, per Pro Football Reference. The 49ers, meanwhile, finished the season 20th by the same metric.
However, per Sports Info Solutions, the 49ers were seventh in pressure rate, 20 spots ahead of the Panthers.
The mix of a more aggressive coordinator and a defense that excels at creating pressure with four and gained more elite talent on the front this offseason promised to be an enticing one, and 49ers fans had their appetite whetted by a second-down blitz sent by Wilks that quickly hurried Wilson.
Two of the new defensive linemen acquired by the Niners in free agency played a key role. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, signed to a four-year, $84 million contract in free agency, and defensive end Clelin Ferrell, ran a stunt. It worked perfectly as Ferrell easily beat the center to his inside shoulder, getting a free run at Wilson.
That stunt was complemented by Wilks sending Talonoa Hufanga, renowned for his well-timed blitzes, as an extra rusher off the edge. As a result, the 49ers were essentially able to get a one-on-one with every offensive linemen. Ferrell and Hufanga, attacking left tackle Garrett Bolles in typical banshee-like fashion, won theirs, leaving Wilson feeling pressure up the middle and from the backside.
It led Wilson to quickly flip the ball to running back Javonte Williams, who was immediately stopped for a four-yard gain.
That the Niners were able to apply such pressure on Wilson without the presence of Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, who remains away from the team amid his contract holdout, makes the defense's performance against the Broncos even more exciting.
Between Bosa, Hargrave, Arik Armstead and the likes of Ferrell and second-year defensive end Drake Jackson, the 49ers have several players on the defensive line who can emphatically win one-on-one matchups. In Wilks, they have a coordinator with a history of sending additional rushers to create more one on ones.
Such pressure packages put more strain on those in the defensive backfield but, if Wilks calls them diligently and the Niners execute them with the success they did against Denver, the story of the 2023 San Francisco defense could be one of an ideal marriage between play-caller and personnel.
49ers continue to show no signs of worry about Nick Bosa’s holdout
They remain confident he’ll be ready to go.
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