The 49ers added Chase Young to their defensive front on Tuesday, just before the NFL trade deadline, and general manager John Lynch believed it was the best move the team could make to help address their stalled pass rush.
“I’m glad we did Chase for the right reasons, not just because we felt like we had to do something,” Lynch said via conference call Wednesday morning. “I believe with all my heart that all the answers are right here in the building.
“We didn’t have to do that, we just saw an opportunity, and we felt like we could stay true to who we wanted to be, in terms of building through the draft, while adding a player that we felt could help us.” “We have the rest of this year.”
The 49ers have built their team from the trenches outward by selecting three defensive linemen in the first round and one in the second over the past seven NFL drafts (Solomon Thomas in 2017, Nick Bosa in 2019, Javon Kinlaw in 2021, Drake Jackson in second In 2022). But through eight games, the group that previously led the NFL in quarterback takedowns has recorded just 15 sacks, tied for 19th in the league. Three of those sacks were made by linebackers Fred Warner (two) and Dre Greenlaw (one), not members of the D-line.
Lynch believed the 49ers had the players who could get the job done, but he also knew that acquiring Young, the former No. 2 overall pick who had 14 sacks in 34 NFL games, in a trade with the Washington Commanders was a no-brainer. They can do it. Do not ignore.
“We didn’t necessarily feel like we needed to do something,” Lynch said. “We weren’t going to be reactionary on our last streak. We felt all along that if the right thing happened, we ultimately thought this was something that would really help us.”
However, the numbers don’t lie. The 49ers have lost three straight games while allowing 400 or more yards of offense in the past two contests and 300 or more yards in three additional games. If the team wants to maintain its dreams in the playoffs, it must stop the bleeding.
“We put a lot of resources in there,” Lynch said. “These guys need to not only be good, they need to be really good and in control, and I feel like that’s on the way. We need to do that, and that takes everyone.”
The 49ers previously added defensive tackle Javon Hargrave in free agency over the offseason and pass rusher Randy Gregory in a trade at the beginning of October, but the combination still hasn’t impacted games enough to tip the scales.
Lynch remains steadfast that the 49ers already have the personnel in the building to get back to winning ways after a three-game losing streak, but a major self-evaluation is needed throughout the building during the team’s bye week.
“I felt like it was the best deal I could get,” Lynch said. “We’ve had a number of conversations and we’ve always been of the philosophy that it starts up front, and this was the deal that made the most sense for us.”
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