An Improved Snap Count For Jordan Willis Would Provide Low Risk, High Reward for the 49ers

The 49ers must move Willis up the depth chart to see if he should remain a part of their future.

The 49ers would have no source of consistent pressure, if not for the emergence of defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr. 

Hyder was supposed to be the first off the bench, providing depth to Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. 

Due to their injuries or ineffectiveness, Hyder has become San Francisco’s most important pass-rusher, and holds a commanding team-lead with 5.5 sacks. 

The 2019 49ers were built from the bottom up. Dreams of ending this season with one extra win hinged on the defensive line’s ability to take over games. 

Unfortunately, injuries and a poor season from Armstead, have turned that strength into a discernible weakness. 

One player that should improve the team’s sack output if given more opportunity is defensive end Jordan Willis. 

The 49ers must move Willis up the depth chart to see if he should remain a part of their future. 

Willis isn’t a game-changing defender, but he’s a solid backup. He has potential, is putting up numbers, has shown a lot of effort and is drawing a lot of attention. 

It’s hard not to notice the big number 78 on defense. 

In three games since being acquired from the Jets, Willis has 1.5 sacks and eight tackles. 

That’s 1.5 more than every other non-Hyder 49ers edge-rusher during that span. 

Depending on how pessimistic one is, this could be taken as an indictment on the non-Hyder edge-rushers’ production, or as improvement by Willis. 

But when looking at the numbers alone, Willis is doing more with fewer opportunities. 

He’s averaged 20 snaps a game the last three weeks. That’s six fewer than Dion Jordan and 26 fewer than Armstead during that span. 

Yet, Willis has just as many tackles as Armstead, and has more sacks than both. 

Sacks aren’t the defining factor in determining a defensive end’s worth. 

But it’s hard to deny that Willis has looked like the hungrier defender in all three games. 

He not only has demonstrated the ability to defend the run and rush the passer, he’s showing effort to follow the ball even when it requires lots of running, something a few defenders have struggled with. 

Good effort, Arik. Way to earn that contract. pic.twitter.com/My2m0ed3Uf

— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) November 17, 2020

At just 25 years old, there’s reason to believe he carries the most upside of any of the healthy young edge-rushers on the roster. This includes the recently acquired, and extremely hot-and-cold, Takkarist McKinley, who is nursing a groin injury.

McKinley came out strong for the Falcons with one sack and six-QB hits week one against Seattle. He since has played just three games, and has only four tackles and one QB hit. 

He also just failed his physical with Cincinnati. There’s no guarantee he’ll produce or stay healthy the remainder of the year. 

Whether you believe San Francisco should tank or contend, Willis’ snap count must go up. 

If he capitalizes on his increase in chances, he would become a key part to the defensive line’s depth. 

But if he’s overmatched, the 49ers would simply not re-sign him and move on to the next cost-effective experiment to backup Bosa. 

It’s very little risk to possibly achieve a nice reward. 

Follow me on Twitter @Mavpallack