In 2015, the 49ers defense had just 28 sacks, the second-worst total in the NFL. It was a steep decline from the 42 the unit had in 2011 when Aldon Smith had 14 all by himself.
This past season, the 49ers’ sack leaders were linebackers Aaron Lynch and Ahmad Brooks, with just 6½ each.
But new defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil wants to change that.
In speaking to the Bay Area media this week, O’Neil says he wants his defense to be relentless and aggressive, and that will include a focus on pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
“We are going to stop the run on early downs and then we want to confuse and hit your quarterback,” O’Neil said.
The 49ers will continue to run a 3-4 scheme just as they have in recent seasons and just as O’Neil did in Cleveland the past two seasons. But he says that 3-4 will be a shifting, versatile scheme in which he hopes to use his players’ pass-rushing talents to their best potential.
“We’re going to find ways to get after the quarterback, whether it’s three, four, five, six, seven guys if we have to, because if you let quarterbacks be comfortable in the pocket, it’s hard to win,” he said.
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There’s been much speculation since the hiring of head coach Chip Kelly about how the 49ers defense will evolve in 2016. Kelly’s spread offense operates at a quick tempo, meaning the San Francisco defense may be on the field more than ever before. Because of that, O’Neil told the media this week that he knows opposing teams are likely to try to control the clock with a ground game. But in passing situations, the 49ers will have to be aggressive to put pressure on the quarterback to force mistakes, get sacks and get off the field.
O’Neil also said Kelly has been sitting in on defensive meetings.
“He’s very involved,” O’Neil said. “I want to build this thing to complement coach’s offense. So, the best teams play complementary football.”
The question is, who on the 49ers will emerge this summer as the team’s best pass rushers? The team didn’t add any veteran edge rushers in free agency. Top rookie pick DeForest Buckner and second-year man Arik Armstead should make the defensive line much better, and draft pick Ronald Blair has promise but, at this point, Lynch seems to be best positioned as a premier rusher – if O’Neil can put him into position to make plays.
