Have the 49ers Given Up on Drake Jackson?

It wasn't long ago that the 49ers had big plans for Drake Jackson.

He was their top draft pick in 2022 -- they took him in Round 2, and he had just turned 21. He was so young. With a little growth and development under renowned defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, Jackson surely would become a star opposite fellow defensive end Nick Bosa. What a tandem those two would be.

Last season, Jackson recorded three sacks in the 49ers' season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He seemed as though he had arrived. But in the next seven games, he touched the opposing quarterbacks zero times. We're talking no sacks, no QB hits. And then he injured his knee and spent the rest of the season on the Injured Reserve List.

In January, Jackson finally had surgery to repair his knee. And in OTAs and minicamp, he was rehabbing from his knee surgery. It's unclear when he will be healthy enough to practice.

And the 49ers don't appear to be waiting for him. This offseason, they signed Leonard Floyd, who had 10.5 sacks last season -- he's everything they hoped Jackson would be. They also signed Yetur Gross-Matos, who plays Jackson's position.

Now it seems like Jackson could get released if he doesn't play well in training camp and preseason. Because the 49ers don't need him anymore. They've moved on.

Jackson still is only 23 -- he's one of the youngest players on the team. But the 49ers don't have time to wait for him to mature. They need to win the Super Bowl now. Which means Jackson might need a new home.