1. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers cannot stay healthy and have lost just about every key contributor at some point in the season. The latest blow came in last week’s loss when first-round pick Mykel Williams tore his ACL. Williams is a defensive lineman, so this doesn’t directly affect the 49ers secondary, but it could lead to an Asante Samuel signing.
Even before the injury, San Francisco needed to do something to improve their pass rush. Now that Williams and superstar Nick Bosa are down, the 49ers must accept their defensive line will be a weakness. Rather than trying to put a Band-Aid over a gaping wound, they could try to improve the secondary with Asante Samuel. Signing the former Charger means opposing quarterbacks will have to hold on to the ball longer, which gives the 49ers pass rush more time to get home. It’s an unorthodox strategy, but it might be the best move this team can make.
