The 49ers’ pass rush has been waiting for help, and Monday brought three developments that could change the picture fast.
San Francisco’s offense has rolled through three weeks, but the defense has leaned on the opponent more than it probably wants to admit. One of the clearest problems early on has been the lack of heat coming off the edge and through the middle. That may be about to shift.
Mykel Williams is expected to practice this week, a big step for the former first-round pick after an ACL tear ended his season. He had only one sack as a rookie, but he was beginning to carve out a real role before the injury, and his ability to rush from the interior gives the 49ers something they’ve been missing.
Once he slides inside next to Osa Odighizuwa, the matchups should get a lot friendlier for him. He may need a week or two to fully settle back in, but this is the kind of addition that can change a pass rush.
There’s also help coming from the draft class. The rookie third-round pick missed Week 3 with a broken hand after a quiet preseason and no pressure in Week 1, but he did flash in Week 2 with a sack.
He can play with a cast, though he may be somewhat limited. Even so, the 49ers drafted him for his burst and his ability to fly off the edge, and with Williams moving inside, he should get chances to do exactly that.
He’s expected to work in part-time and won’t have to lean too heavily on his hands.
Then there’s the veteran insurance policy. San Francisco signed Matthew Judon to the practice squad, and the expectation is that he’ll be elevated as soon as this week.
Judon is in his 11th NFL season and will be 34 years old, so the 49ers can’t ask for everything anymore. But with 72 career sacks, he still brings real value and can help the younger players around him.
Put it together, and the 49ers could have all three of these players as their top rushers within the next week or so. None of them played in Week 2, but that could soon be a very different story.
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