Romello Height is starting to carve out a place for himself in a very select group, and the timing could matter even more for a 49ers defense already being shaped by Raheem Morris.
The rookie edge rusher has had to work through real adjustments since breaking his right hand in the Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins. He’s been playing with a bulky club on that hand, and he said it has changed the way he can rush the passer. His power rush hasn’t been the same, so he’s leaned more on quicker first steps, tighter inside counters and extra study of opposing tendencies.
“Basically, I had to change up my game plan,” he said.
Height also changed his setup in a different way. After wearing a Guardian Cap through the preseason and in Week 1, he decided it was too heavy and was slowing him down.
He moved to a LIGHT helmet instead, the same type Kyle Juszczyk wears a few lockers over. Juszczyk said he liked it for the weight and safety rating.
“It’s a little bigger,” he said. “It has a little astronaut look to it. But your neck is so much less sore.”
That kind of adaptation fits a defense that has been forced to adjust on the fly. Morris has kept the 49ers at a high rate of cover 3, but he’s layered in disguised looks and gotten to those coverages in less conventional ways.
He’s also ramped up the use of cover 6 - the cover 4 and cover 2 combination - to 17.4 percent. From 2022 to 2025, the 49ers used cover 6 on just 7.1 percent of snaps, a sign of movement away from the Legion of Boom-influenced system Kyle Shanahan has leaned on during his San Francisco tenure.
The point, as reported, is that Morris has put his own stamp on the scheme.
“If the rookies keep improving as the season progresses and Bosa looks like himself, this 49ers unit can have an exceptional pass defense.”
That backdrop makes the current health situation around Nick Bosa even more important. Brock Purdy’s update ahead of 49ers-Falcons included praise for what he’s seen from the star pass rusher, but also a reminder not to rush him back.
“I’ve only got a little bit of Nick Bosa and the little bit I got was very exciting. So, I can’t wait to get all of it, but you never want to rush the process.
You always want to do like [reporter] Grant [Cohn] says and get guys back healthy and do the things you need to do to get them back. I love watching your stuff, Grant, you crack me up.
But, get those guys back and do those things, so it’s always good. Nick Bosa will come back and we’ll get him back healthy and able to go on this run.”
There’s still a chance Bosa could play Sunday, the 49ers’ final game before the bye week, but Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported a “high level of optimism” that he’ll return for San Francisco’s Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 8 at Levi’s Stadium.
And while Bosa’s status hovers over the defense, Height’s recent production has pushed him into a notable category of his own. In the Week 6 trench grades, one note pointed out that Height’s weighted impact grade came in higher than Osa’s. The difference was partly tied to Osa being on the field every snap, but it also reflected the crunch-time plays Height made in that game.
That’s the kind of detail that matters for a rookie trying to earn more than just a mention in the rotation. For the 49ers, it also underscores how much of this defense is being built through adjustment - new looks from Morris, young players growing into bigger roles, and veterans like Bosa working their way back into the mix.
In Other News...
Nick Bosa Return Hope Just Got Very Real For 49ers Defense
Nick Bosas absence has been one of the biggest storylines hanging over the 49ers defense, and the latest signs are encouraging enough to keep the conversation going. Since the calf injury knocked him out in late September, San Francisco has had to manage without one of its most disruptive players, and the idea of getting him back has obvious appeal for a unit that feeds off edge pressure and game-changing plays.
There is real optimism around Bosas comeback, but the 49ers still do not have an official confirmation on when he will be ready to go. The timing matters because a return in early November would give San Francisco a major boost right as the season starts to tighten, and the defense is clearly watching this one closely. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Pass Rush Looks Different Even Without Key Edge Rushers
San Franciscos pass rush has been one of the clearest changes on the roster through the first six weeks, and the production has come even while the defense has been missing key edge help at times. The 49ers have consistently found pressure in ways they simply did not a year ago, with the front looking deeper, more varied and more disruptive than it did last season.
John Lynch pointed to a broader mix of reasons for the surge, from Raheem Morris influence on the defense to Chris Kiffins work with the line and the impact of added bodies up front. Osa Odighizuwa and Keion White have been part of that shift, while rookies Gracen Halton and Romello Height have also been pulled into the rotation as the 49ers have tried to keep the rush fresh despite injuries to Nick Bosa and Mykell Williams. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Have Real Freedom To Go All In
A strong start has left the 49ers in an enviable spot heading into the trade deadline, with the kind of flexibility that can change the shape of a season in a hurry. Between a healthy amount of salary-cap room and a roster built around veterans who are not getting any younger, San Francisco has every reason to treat this moment like a real window, not a passing opportunity.
What makes the situation even more interesting is how much draft capital the 49ers still have available to work with, which gives them room to chase help without stripping away the future. No move has surfaced yet, but that combination of urgency, resources and ambition is exactly why San Francisco is expected to be active if the right deal comes along. [Read more 🡒]