One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the 49ers has been their highly effective rushing defense. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s unit has been a top-10 unit, showing improvement throughout the season. 13 games into the season, the running defense is only giving up 4.1 yards per attempt.
The biggest reason for the 49ers’ improved play as of late? Defensive end Arik Armstead, who’s set to make a hefty $9 million next season. When asked about the ex-Oregon defender, 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan added “Armstead is a very good player. There’s no doubt that I don’t want to lose him.