NFL Media analyst Charley Casserly, who joined KNBR on Tuesday morning, is very impressed with Bosa and identifies his presence as a key factor in getting the 49ers to finally turn a corner in head coach Kyle Shanahan's and general manager John Lynch's third year running the team.
"They got over the hump this year, primarily because of Nick Bosa," Casserly said on the "Murph and Mac" show. "In the past, they had no outside rushers. Solomon Thomas didn't pan out as an outside rusher. Arik Armstead is not an outside rusher. He's an inside rusher and an outside run player when you put him at defensive end.
"So this got them over the hump. Really, Bosa, this guy, he looks like a young J.J. Watt. Right now, he looks that good. Now, we'll see over time, but you can play him at both edges. You can play him at tackle. You can move him around. He's got a great motor, but he's quick, he's fast, he's strong, he plays the run and the pass. A great inside move too."
Casserly also mentions the addition of Dee Ford, who he views as a speed guy on the outside without a lot of moves. The pair, however, give the 49ers defense that legitimate outside threat that forces opposing quarterbacks to worry.
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