Inside the 49ers’ Silent Revolution: How Clelin Ferrell and Keion White Are Rewriting the Rules of Defense.QQ
The 49ers just bolstered their defensive line group, but not in the way you might have thought that they would.
The 49ers desperately need an edge rusher after losing Nick Bosa for the season with a torn ACL. So on Tuesday, one week before the trade deadline, they traded a sixth-round pick for Keion White and signed Clelin Ferrell, two players who technically are defensive ends. If they were to start for the 49ers, that’s the position they would play on first and second down.
But on third down, when it’s time to rush the quarterback, both Ferrell and White are interior rushers. Neither one makes an impact rushing from the edge. And the 49ers know this — they had Ferrell in 2023, and they used him as an edge-setter on base downs and an interior rusher on third downs.
Let’s examine how the 49ers will use Ferrell and White this season.
How the 49ers will use Clelin Ferrell
Michael Chow / USA TODAY NETWORK
Since Bosa went down, the 49ers’ starting defensive ends have been Sam Okuayinonu and Mykel Williams. Each player has hit the opposing quarterback just twice in eight games. They’re run-defenders.
Which brings us to Ferrell. The Raiders took him with the fourth pick in the 2019 Draft, so he was considered a bust. But in 2023, he signed a one-year deal with the 49ers, started all 17 regular-season games, and recorded 3.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits, mostly rushing from the defensive tackle position on third downs. He was a solid contributor.
The 49ers probably will use him similarly this season to how they used him in 2023. Which is odd, considering Bryce Huff is out for at least another week with a hamstring injury and Bosa is out for the season. You’d think they’d be in the market for edge rushers.
But Huff presumably will come back soon, and the 49ers also desperately need interior rushers, because none of the three defensive tackles the 49ers drafted this year are effective pass rushers at this point in their careers. Don’t be surprised if Ferrell cuts into Mykel Williams’ playing time.
