It’s no secret that the biggest issue on defense for the San Francisco 49ers is at safety.
They barely did anything this offseason to improve it, which means their only option is to hope that at least one player steps up. We’ll see if that plan pans out for them, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
With that said, there is another issue with the 49ers' defense that they didn’t improve much either. This is an overlooked issue that can end up limiting them during the 2026 season, as it did last year.
A limiting factor
Texas Tech's Romello Height reacts to making a play against Oregon State during a non-conference football game, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThe aforementioned overlooked issue is with the edge rusher position. This was a glaring issue for the 49ers last year, and it factored into their pass rush being irrelevant. Of course, being without Nick Bosa had much to do with it.
