San Francisco loses key defensive player for season

Drake Jackson in the PUP list

The 23-year old Jackson couldn’t participate at the start of training camp and was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list. Eventually, the 49ers concluded that he wouldn’t be fit to play this season and decided to shut him down.

The former USC Trojan underwent patellar tendon surgery in the offseason with the expectation of being ready by Week 1. However, on July 29, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan determined that the severity of the injury and the surgery would prevent Jackson from participating in training camp.

“Anytime you do that type of surgery that he had, I think [Mike] McGlinchey had a similar one, those are big surgeries,” said Shanahan via Valentina Martinez of Sports Illustrated.

The 49ers drafted Jackson in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former USC defensive end was considered a major steal for the 49ers.

“They’re tough to come back from and you never know how they’re gonna react. We always know it’s a possibility to take a long time and it’s taking a long time,” Shanahan continued.

Drake Jackson’s unimpressive time with the 49ers

Jackson played a limited role as an edge rusher during his two seasons with the 49ers, contributing modestly to the defense. In his rookie year, he recorded three sacks and 16 quarterback pressures, primarily appearing in passing situations.

The defensive end notched three sacks in the season opener against Pittsburgh last year but struggled in his subsequent seven games, failing to register any additional sacks and recording only nine pressures before his injury.

In his two NFL seasons, Jackson has recorded 21 tackles (five for a loss), nine quarterback hits, six sacks, nine passes defensed, and one interception across 23 games.

The expectation was that Jackson would complement All-Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa, but as the 2023 season advanced, Jackson’s playing time diminished, leading to his eventual release by San Francisco. Injuries have hindered Jackson from fulfilling the high expectations set at the beginning of his career.

Tracy Walker replacing Drake Jackson

It seems Jackson’s tenure with the 49ers may be over, as he hasn’t lived up to the team’s expectations. He’ll need to find a new team if he wants to continue his career and make an impact in the league.

To fill Jackson’s spot on the 90-man roster, the 49ers signed safety Tracy Walker III to a one-year contract.

Walker, who was selected by Detroit in the third round of the 2018 draft, spent six seasons with the Detroit Lions. During his tenure, he recorded 375 tackles, 23 passes defensed, four sacks, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles over 79 games.

Last season, Walker started six games and played in all 17 for Detroit. He recorded 57 tackles, two passes defensed, one sack, and one forced fumble.