The bye week arrived at the perfect time for the San Francisco 49ers. It is always a tremendous benefit when a team can regroup at the midway point of the season. That goes a long way, especially for a playoff-contending team like the 49ers. All of their focus will be to improve their 4-4 record as they muster their playoff push. However, four 49ers players need to step up when they emerge from the Bye week.
Four 49ers That Need to Step Up After the Bye Week
Ji’Ayir Brown
There was a lot of hype for safety Ji’Ayir Brown entering this season. He filled in at the midway point last year when Talanoa Hufanga tore his ACL. Brown did a solid job for a rookie, which set him up nicely for a second-year leap. However, he has yet to take that leap. Brown has been underwhelming and disappointing this year, especially in coverage. He’s allowed 14 receptions on 24 targets for 236 yards and two touchdowns. His passer rating allowed is an absurd 102.1
That is not adequate for a starting safety no matter the experience. He needs to step it up when the 49ers emerge from their Bye. Luckily, there is a chance he created some momentum for himself. Against the Dallas Cowboys, he registered an interception and was sound in coverage. That could catapult him into finally taking that leap. The 49ers will need him to play up to his envisioned potential or he will become a liability.
Deebo Samuel
Another player who is not playing to their standard is
wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Aside from his performance against the
Seattle Seahawks, Samuel hasn’t made a significant impact yet. According to
Next Gen Stats, Samuel has averaged just 3.8 expected yards per carry across 23 total carries this season. That’s more than two full yards fewer than his expected yards per carry average last season (6.5). Samuel recorded 11 explosive gains (10+ yards) and gained at least five rushing yards over expected on five carries last season.
He has not done either on any of his 23 carries this season. With
wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk out for the season, the 49ers need Samuel to step it up. He isn’t going to come anywhere close to replacing what Aiyuk did, but he can certainly provide a greater impact than he has thus far. To his defense, the opportunities haven’t been heavily there for him. The 49ers need to get the ball to him immediately and give him the chance to do damage. Otherwise, they will limit their offense.
Nick Bosa
Of all the players who need to step up, it is pass rusher Nick Bosa who has been the best. Bosa has generated 44 pressures this season, 20 more than the next closest 49ers pass rusher. He has accounted for 30.3 percent of the 49ers individual pressures generated this season, the second-highest pressure share in the NFL, trailing only Trey Hendrickson (32.9 percent). So, why on earth is Bosa a player that needs to step up?
For starters, he needs to stop whiffing so many tackles. Bosa has registered 10 missed tackles this year. He missed 10 tackles in 2022 and 2023 combined. That needs to get cleaned up. A player of his caliber cannot be whiffing so badly. Lastly, he needs to reel in some more sacks. He’s been generating amazing pressure, but since he is the only threat on the defensive line, it’s on him to be better. It’s a little unfair, but this is why the 49ers are paying him the big bucks.
Brock Purdy
Last but not least is quarterback Brock Purdy. He’s done well this season considering Christian McCaffrey has been absent. However, he’s been trying to do a little too much to make up for it. Purdy has thrown an intermediate pass (10-19 air yards) on a league-high 32.2 percent of his total attempts this season. That indicates he’s trying to look for explosive plays to move the chains. With McCaffrey gone, he’s trying to be that. Thankfully McCaffrey is poised to return in Week 10 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so Purdy can step up by being himself.
No longer should he feel
the pressure of putting the offense all on himself. It started in the last game when he stopped trying to go down the field a ton. Purdy targeted the intermediate level of the field on 26.9 percent of his total attempts, his second-lowest rate in a game this season. He elected to trust in his skill players more and let them go to work against Dallas. The 49ers gained a season-high 149 yards after the catch and averaged a season-high 8.3 yards after the catch per reception in that game. That is what Purdy is supposed to do and not try to do it all.
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