The Biggest Question Facing the 49ers Defense in 2024
![Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) reacts after sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (not pictured) during the first quarter of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) reacts after sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (not pictured) during the first quarter of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_8070,h_4539,x_0,y_655/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_49ers/01j30yp1166aw18s820n.jpg)
The biggest question facing the 49ers defense in 2024 has nothing to do with rookie defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen.
He's a factor, but not the biggest one. Neither is Dre Greenlaw's Achilles tear or Arik Armstead's release. Those are mere footnotes.
The biggest question facing the 49ers defense in 2024 is Nick Bosa. Their defense goes as he goes. In 2022, he was the Defensive Player of the Year and they had the NFL's no. 1 defense. So they made him the highest-paid non-quarterback ever at the time assuming he would continue to be the best defensive player in the league.
But he wasn't the best defensive player in the league last season. He wasn't even the best defensive end in the league. Nor was he a first-team All Pro or a second-team All Pro. He was good, but not nearly as good as he was in 2022 when he was a human cheat code. And that's the main reason the 49ers defense regressed last season.
They can blame former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks as much as they want, but it's not his fault that Bosa recorded just 10.5 sacks and played uninspired run defense last season. That was Bosa's fault. The 49ers are paying him to be the best and he fell well short.
Now he needs to prove that he can bounce back and be the player they're paying him to be. Because his brother, Joey Bosa, fell off drastically after he signed his huge extension with the Chargers and never has bounced back.
Let's see if Nick is built differently.