When the San Francisco 49ers were the dominant force in the NFC back in 2019, their success largely hinged on the laurels of their defensive, specifically a stout defensive line under then-coordinator Robert Saleh.
Yes, the Niners made plenty of efforts to get back to that during the 2025 offseason, including bringing Saleh back and then using three of their first five picks in the NFL Draft on D-linemen, including the No. 11 overall selection on defensive end Mykel Williams. And then Saleh pressured his team into trading for former New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff.