Super Bowl LVIII was so close to being won by the San Francisco 49ers. They had enough opportunities to win their overtime loss to the Chiefs; they merely needed to make one play.
A team that has been so close to winning a Super Bowl in recent years would be insane to make big changes. However, they run a serious risk of seriously impairing their defense if they decide not to re-sign outstanding inside defensive lineman Arik Armstead.
It looks like they will allow Armstead to be sold.
It’s unlikely that Armstead’s five sacks and 27 tackles from the previous season will pop out at you. However, that does not fully explain why he is such a significant player. Armstead is a chess piece for any NFL team that has him at 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds.
His ability to rush the quarterback from almost any location and alignment on the defensive line and effectively gain penetration against the run game is his greatest advantage. The 49ers have a few players who can be used in this manner, such superstar Nick Bosa and Javon Kinlaw.
Additionally, this is a club whose secondary defense is a weakness. Although their defense isn’t bad, it is undoubtedly a concern, particularly if safety Talanoa Hafanga struggles to heal from an ACL tear he sustained in November of the previous season.
Excellent pass rush coverage is the best approach to offset a subpar secondary. To continue being a formidable defense, it would make sense to add guys later in the draft while holding onto some of their best players at the line of scrimmage. In addition, standout linebacker Dre Greenlaw may miss the entire season due to an unexpected injury he sustained in the Super Bowl, tearing his Achilles tendon.
Taking everything into account, the 49ers ought to give serious consideration to signing Arik Armstead.