Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Saturday, December 28th, 2024
Kawakami: Deebo? Moody? Sorensen? Which 49ers are likely back in 2025, and which are probably out (paywall)
“Sorensen, who has come up through the 49ers’ ranks, also has recently gotten the public backing from Warner and Bosa that Wilks was not getting at this time last season. Maybe even more to the point, several the 49ers’ leaders compare Sorensen now to Saleh in his early tenure as DC and to DeMeco Ryans in his first DC year. And Saleh and Ryans are beloved inside 49ers HQ.
Is assistant head coach Brandon Staley an option for next season? I haven’t heard anything like that all season. Could Shanahan try to hire Saleh back now that he’s unemployed? My sense is that neither man seems entirely primed for a redo. Could Shanahan check back with Jeff Ulbrich, his first DC choice last off-season before the Jets blocked the lateral move? Maybe. There could be other options, too. But my sense is that Shanahan and Lynch feel that Sorensen grew on the job this season and will only get better into the future.”
“That press-man coverage deployed by defenses has often been coupled with simulated overload pressures or blitzes from defensive backs. Teams will stack the line with anywhere from six to eight players, but only send four or five of them, usually with three or more to one side. This messes with the 49ers’ protections, and tends to leave someone unaccounted for.
That was a common theme this season for an offense that operates with “hot” answers. In short, some teams try and create a clean pocket, sometimes max protecting on those key downs. The 49ers rarely do. Their answers for the quarterback are “hot” throws. When you’re “hot” with a free rusher, you throw to your “hot answer.” Usually, that was Christian McCaffrey.
San Francisco’s rigidity in waiting for McCaffrey to return and solve this problem for them was a glaring flaw. He also didn’t solve the problem.
The 49ers put the protection designations on their center, Jake Brendel. Brock Purdy can technically adjust them, but he rarely, if ever, does. For the most part, it’s because the 49ers have long play calls, with multiple plays built in, and carefully-timed motions. Purdy has to get all that in, make sure the call is going against the right defensive look. There’s a lot on his plate, and it’s hard to adjust the protections when blitz indicators might not come until the play clock is dwindling down.
My proposal, though, is to let Purdy, on key third downs, adjust the protection if he sees fit. At the very least, he can determine where he wants a potential free rusher to come from rather than being forced to throw hot, usually to a short option route, or a Jauan Jennings out-breaker, on a play that’s either short of the sticks or close to it.
It’s even more on Purdy’s full plate, but you’re about to commit to Purdy long term. Why not see if this can help you answer some of the questions you’ve been unable to answer against a man-heavy, aggressive defensive scheme?”
“Banks this season put together his best season as a run-blocker, according to Pro Football Focus. His pass protection was improved, too, as he allowed one sack and 25 total pressures.
The 49ers are being forced to turn to backups on the left side of the offensive line after injuries to Trent Williams, Jaylon Moore, Ben Bartch and Banks.
Banks said he is focused on helping the new players as much as he can.
“I’m just taking it day by day, making sure I’m present for the guys and helping out wherever I can with the new guys coming in or the young guys, whoever needs my assistance,” he said.”