Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers defense last season was like a ’78 Corvette with a busted transmission—flashy on paper, but sputtering when it mattered. Nick Bosa revved his engine. But the rest of the line? More jalopy than juggernaut.

While Shanahan’s offensive schemes slice through defenses like a hot knife through butter, his draft-day decisions on the defensive front have left fans scratching their heads harder than a rookie QB reading a blitz. Now, as free agency twists the knife, the cracks in the foundation are impossible to ignore.

Let’s cut to the chase. Since 2020, the 49ers have drafted four defensive linemen: Javon Kinlaw, Drake Jackson, Kalia Davis, and Robert Beal Jr. Combined, they’ve delivered the impact of a deflated whoopee cushion. “This is why their defensive line is in the shape it is,” analyst Akash Anavarathan tweeted.

Kinlaw, the 14th overall pick in 2020, bolted for Washington this week. Jackson? A rotational piece at best. The result? A run defense that hemorrhaged 1.5 yards before contact per attempt in 2024—eighth-worst in the league.

Stats Don’t Lie

• 49ers’ Run Defense (2024): Allowed 220 rushing yards to Buffalo in a snowstorm—the second-worst in Shanahan’s tenure.
• Leonard Floyd’s Exit: Released after a shaky season (8.5 sacks but poor run defense).
• Draft Capital Wasted: Zero Pro Bowlers from their DL picks since 2020.

Honestly, if you can’t stop the run in today’s NFL, you can’t compete. And the 49ers’ front office clearly missed the memo.

San Francisco’s defensive line isn’t just thin—it’s transparent. The only D-tackles left are Evan Anderson and Kalia Davis, with Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins cut or traded. That’s like replacing a steak dinner with gas station sushi. GM John Lynch’s solution? Maybe re-signing D.J. Jones, a run-stuffer from their 2017 draft. But Band-Aids won’t fix bullet holes. The 49ers hold the 11th pick, and mock drafts buzz about Georgia’s Mykel Williams or Michigan’s Mason Graham. But Kyle Shanahan’s track record here is shaky.

Remember Solomon Thomas? Exactly. They need a culture pick – someone who eats double teams for breakfast. Meanwhile, family reunions just got awkward in the Bosa household.

Joey Bosa’s Buffalo gambit

While Nick Bosa anchors San Francisco’s defense, his brother Joey—a five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher – just signed a one-year, $12.6 million deal with the Buffalo Bills. Instead of teaming up to form the NFL’s most fearsome sibling duo, Joey chose to chase rings with Josh Allen.

For the 49ers, it’s a gut punch. It highlights a deeper issue: their inability to build a defensive line worthy of their Super Bowl aspirations. While the 49ers’ trenches crumble, Joey Bosa’s move to Buffalo feels like a missed opportunity.

Pairing him with Nick could’ve resurrected the “Gold Rush” era. Instead, the Bills get a proven disruptor to chase Patrick Mahomes. It’s salt in the wound for Shanahan – a reminder that his draft misses forced him to sit out the pass rush market. Besides, the 49ers stand at a fork in the road.

Double down on flashy skill players or rebuild the trenches like the ’85 Bears. As philosopher George Santayana warned, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” For Kyle Shanahan, repeating 2024’s defensive collapse isn’t an option.

Will the 49ers learn from their draft-day blunders, or will they keep serving up Swiss cheese defense? And hey, Kyle, have you ever considered that defense wins championships?

“Football is a game of errors. The team that makes the fewest errors in a game usually wins.” – Paul Brown.