A San Francisco 49ers player could have played themselves out of a spot on the roster due to their Super Bowl performance. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan already made one tough decision to fire defensive coordinator Steve Wilks following their Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The San Francisco 49ers might part ways with their DE
However, defense end Chase Young might not be back in San Francisco for the opposite reason Wilks was fired. According to David Lombardi, Young’s price tag for free agency might have gone up too much for the 49ers to afford due to his play in the Super Bowl:
“Young played well in the Super Bowl. He was a difference-maker on the pass rush, notching a sack and forcing Patrick Mahomes into an intentional grounding penalty over four pressures. But he ranked No. 24 of 43 qualifying edge rushers in Pro Football Focus’ pass-rush productivity score over his time with the 49ers and had some well-documented pursuit issues in the NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions.
Any problems relating to lack of effort seemed rectified by the Super Bowl, and Young’s explosive performance off the edge should grab the NFL’s attention. Edge rushers who can generate sacks in one-on-one opportunities are coveted assets in this league.
“I definitely want Chase back,” said fellow edge rusher Nick Bosa.
He understands the 49ers’ need for a competent bookending edge rusher. It’ll be a matter of price, which undoubtedly went up in the Super Bowl.”
Chase Young was relentless in the Super Bowl
Young created one sack and finished with two tackles in the Super Bowl. However, his relentless pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the bigger story. He ended the night with four pressures on Mahomes.
Nick Bosa wants Young back for the 2024 season because having another competent Edge makes Bosa’s job easier, as offensive lines can’t just set their protections for Bosa. However, the 49ers cap space for the offseason doesn’t look promising for Young’s return after the Super Bowl.
Cap space is an issue for the 49ers this offseason
According to Over the Cap, the 49ers are over $12 million in the red. The 49ers’ next defensive coordinator is going to walk into a more challenging situation than Wilks had in his first and only year with the team.
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