Will Randy Gregory Make a Difference for the 49ers?

Last week, the 49ers traded for veteran edge rusher Randy Gregory. This Sunday, he could make his debut with the team.

Will he make a difference? Will he even play, or will he stand on the sideline for most of the game?

The answer has everything to do with Drake Jackson. Jackson was supposed to be the 49ers' starting defensive end opposite Nick Bosa this season. Jackson was the 49ers' second-round draft pick in 2022 and had an offseason full of praise from the coaching staff.

Then in Week 1, Jackson recorded three sacks, and it seemed his stock was skyrocketing. But in retrospect, those sacks came to him as a result of pressure from other players -- Jackson merely was at the right place at the right time.

Since then, his luck has run out. In the past four games, Jackson has recorded zero sacks and zero quarterback hits. He has become a zero as a pass rusher.

Enter Randy Gregory. The 49ers wouldn't have traded for him if they still had confidence in Jackson for this season. Perhaps Jackson can reach his potential next year, but the 49ers can't wait for him. They're Super Bowl contenders now. So they need a veteran who has produced in the past. That's Gregory. The 49ers feel their culture and standard of excellence will bring the best out of Gregory, who has had stretches of excellent play and stretches of terrible play during his career. Most recently, he was playing terribly in Denver. But two years ago, he gave the 49ers fits in the playoffs when he was with Dallas.

Let's see which Gregory shows up in Santa Clara.