Having depth on the defensive line has been one of the tenets of the 49ers’ team-building approach under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, and they reaffirmed their commitment to strength in numbers on the defensive side of the trenches with their moves in the offseason.
San Francisco spent its top pick in the draft on an edge rusher in USC’s Drake Jackson and signed two players at the position in free agency, bringing back Kerry Hyder Jr. and acquiring former Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Kemoko Turay.
The Niners appear set to eventually bid farewell to Dee Ford and end his injury-plagued tenure with the team. However, following the additions they made this offseason and with Arik Armstead able to play off the edge as well as on the interior, the Niners’ group of outside pass rushers might be the deepest they have had under Lynch and Shanahan.
Not all of those players can remain on the active roster, though. Just over a month out from training camp, let’s look at the edge rushers the 49ers have signed and the role they could play in 2022.