Why Nick Bosa's return might not be enough to fix 49ers' big issue from 2026

The San Francisco 49ers are coming into the 2026 season with plenty of optimism. While there are some concerns about the franchise's long-term future, San Francisco should have confidence for at least this season.

But that isn't to say there aren't areas of the roster worth worrying about. The wide receiver room is new, and things could get off to a slow start. Christian McCaffrey is coming off a huge 2025 season, and his history doesn't bode well for 2026.

However, the 49ers' "biggest concern" for 2026, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner, is the pass rush production. Even with the return of Nick Bosa, Wagoner still isn't sold on the 49ers being a good pass-rushing team in 2026.

49ers pass rush still a big concern even with Nick Bosa's return

"Biggest concern: The pass rush," Wagoner writes. "In 2025, San Francisco finished last in the NFL in sacks (20). It brought in defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, but it's still fair to wonder if the 49ers have enough on the edge with Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams coming off ACL injuries and rookie Romello Height replacing Bryce Huff."

The return of Bosa and Mykel Williams to the edge rusher room is going to be big, and Odoghizuwa is also a nice addition for the interior of the defensive line.

But that doesn't mean that there aren't some real concerns about this defensive front. The 49ers' pass rush might not actually be significantly better than it was last year.

It shouldn't be any worse, barring a total collapse, as 20 sacks last season was a terrible season for the 49ers' pass rush group. Myles Garrett, now on the Los Angeles Rams, had 23 sacks on his own last season.

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The options for the 49ers' pass rush in 2026 are a lot more encouraging than they were for most of the 2025 season, but there are still question marks about all of them.

How will Odighizuwa perform in a new system? Will Bosa and Williams return to form after serious injuries last season? Can Height break out in his rookie season?

There's no denying that the potential is here for a strong season, but the questions surrounding the 49ers pass rusher group, both from the edge and the interior, are real issues that could lead to an underwhelming season for San Francisco.

Even though Bosa is coming back to the defense in 2026, his return might not make enough of a difference to significantly improve the 49ers' pass rush group as a whole.

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