Is it time for a defensive rebuild?

The most maddening thing about the defense is how much we've put into drafting defensive players. So far we have little to show for those high round investments. We missed on armstead, and Solomon is looking more and more like a bust. Jimmy Ward is average to below average at best. Not overly impressed with Tartt at safety. Witherspoon is still hot trash.

We basically have two decent line backers, Buckner who is good not great and an old free agent Sherman who still has a little left in the tank. How the hell do we fix this?

blow it up. Start over.

we basically have Buckner, Foster, and Warner. The entire secondary needs a rehaul. Sherman is on his last legs.
Maybe if they are smart, they get an edge rusher. But you never know with this regime.

The good thing is that if we start the rebuild now, it will go along nice with a new defensive coordinator running a different philosophy.

Originally posted by jays9ers:
The most maddening thing about the defense is how much we've put into drafting defensive players. So far we have little to show for those high round investments. We missed on armstead, and Solomon is looking more and more like a bust. Jimmy Ward is average to below average at best. Not overly impressed with Tartt at safety. Witherspoon is still hot trash.

We basically have two decent line backers, Buckner who is good not great and an old free agent Sherman who still has a little left in the tank. How the hell do we fix this?

Downplaying them a bit. I think we have a very good linebacking duo(If warner continues to play well) and buckner is very good, but he has no one pulling attention off of him. Everyone else is mediocre at best, other then tartt who is actually good when he play but that never happens so he is irrelevant. So we have 5 good players, two of which are hurt one of which is old. I agree we need to rebuild. We have part of the defensive core but its incomplete.
We need depth overall, but specifically we need:

• an edge rusher
• another corner
• a FS
• A SS(Tartt can't be relied on)
• A new coordinator

we have tackles, we have a corner or two and we have two stud MLBs. we need safety help (again) DE's and OLBs and most importantly a new DC

There is so little to blow up.
We are at square 1 with talent right now.

Talk about being overly dramatic. Who thought that this team had the foundation for a dominant defense in 2010? Anyone? Bueller?


What really tied that defense together was acquiring a dominant edge rusher and adding better defensive playcalling. They didn't need to start from scratch, just add at the right positions.


I think with Buckner, Foster, Warner, Day, Thomas, Colbert, Tartt...etc, there is a nice collection of young talent but you need the outside pass rush element if you want to run what is largely a vanilla defensive scheme and have people be successful. More depth at CB and S overall would be welcome.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Talk about being overly dramatic. Who thought that this team had the foundation for a dominant defense in 2010? Anyone? Bueller?

What really tied that defense together was acquiring a dominant edge rusher and adding better defensive playcalling. They didn't need to start from scratch, just add at the right positions.

I think with Buckner, Foster, Warner, Day, Thomas, Colbert, Tartt...etc, there is a nice collection of young talent but you need the outside pass rush element if you want to run what is largely a vanilla defensive scheme and have people be successful. More depth at CB and S overall would be welcome.

yup. defense is mainly about acquiring/drafting talent and staying healthy. we still need another offseason of new talent, we just aren't there yet

Maybe it is irrelevant now but I sure wish we had brought back Eric Reid.

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:

yup. defense is mainly about acquiring/drafting talent and staying healthy. we still need another offseason of new talent, we just aren't there yet

Not just talent, talent at key positions. A consistent outside pass rush would open up more opportunities for guys like Buckner inside, would allow for more creative utilization of blitzes...etc, help the secondary in not having to hold up in coverage as long.


That is why I don't think the situation is really that dire once you can bring in a high quality edge rusher or two.


The coaching issues...that is a whole other matter. If the defense doesn't show some real improvement then I don't know that Saleh makes it to a third season.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Talk about being overly dramatic. Who thought that this team had the foundation for a dominant defense in 2010? Anyone? Bueller?


What really tied that defense together was acquiring a dominant edge rusher and adding better defensive playcalling. They didn't need to start from scratch, just add at the right positions.


I think with Buckner, Foster, Warner, Day, Thomas, Colbert, Tartt...etc, there is a nice collection of young talent but you need the outside pass rush element if you want to run what is largely a vanilla defensive scheme and have people be successful. More depth at CB and S overall would be welcome.

I thought 2009 niners d was pretty good. I believe towards the top in fewest points allowed. 2010 might have been a step back from that before the real take off in 2011. But it had been a group that had success. I dont believe the same can be said about this current group.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Talk about being overly dramatic. Who thought that this team had the foundation for a dominant defense in 2010? Anyone? Bueller?


What really tied that defense together was acquiring a dominant edge rusher and adding better defensive playcalling. They didn't need to start from scratch, just add at the right positions.


I think with Buckner, Foster, Warner, Day, Thomas, Colbert, Tartt...etc, there is a nice collection of young talent but you need the outside pass rush element if you want to run what is largely a vanilla defensive scheme and have people be successful. More depth at CB and S overall would be welcome.

This defense would look great with the following in their prime:
Willis, Bowman, Goldson, Whitner, Brooks, Rogers, J. Smith and A. Smith.

The talent is the difference.

Rebuild the position coaches.

Originally posted by TheWooLick:

This defense would look great with the following in their prime:
Willis, Bowman, Goldson, Whitner, Brooks, Rogers, J. Smith and A. Smith.

The talent is the difference.

This defense looked far from dominant in 2010 even with a lot of those players.

Originally posted by crabman82:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Talk about being overly dramatic. Who thought that this team had the foundation for a dominant defense in 2010? Anyone? Bueller?

What really tied that defense together was acquiring a dominant edge rusher and adding better defensive playcalling. They didn't need to start from scratch, just add at the right positions.

I think with Buckner, Foster, Warner, Day, Thomas, Colbert, Tartt...etc, there is a nice collection of young talent but you need the outside pass rush element if you want to run what is largely a vanilla defensive scheme and have people be successful. More depth at CB and S overall would be welcome.

I thought 2009 niners d was pretty good. I believe towards the top in fewest points allowed. 2010 might have been a step back from that before the real take off in 2011. But it had been a group that had success. I dont believe the same can be said about this current group.

Colbert has done zero so far. Day got into action just this week. Tartt not on the field therefore is a wishin and hopin player. You are reaching.

Move Soloman inside to his natural position for several games and see what happens before you call him a bust. Bruckner as the other DT. Base downs.

This idiot DC needs to start over or move on.