49ers Mid-Term Grades: Defense and Special Teams

On Thursday, I gave the 49ers offense its mid-term grades. Now it's time to grade the defense and special teams.

On Thursday, I gave the 49ers offense its mid-term grades. Now it's time to grade the defense and special teams.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: B

They lost DeForest Buckner, Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. Plus, Arik Armstead hasn't played well this season -- he has just 1.5 sacks and hasn't touched a quarterback since Week 4. You would expect to give this group a failing grade. 

But the 49ers defense ranks fifth out of 32 teams, and it just shut down the freaking Saints. And the defensive linemen the 49ers do have -- Javon Kinlaw, Kerry Hyder, D.J. Jones, Kevin Givens, Jordan Willis -- they aren't Pro Bowler but they play extremely hard and are having good seasons. The 49ers still don't have a quality edge-rush like they did last season, but the defensive line is as good as it possibly can be given its limitations.

LINEBACKERS: A

This the strength of a defense that has tremendously overachieved. Fred Warner arguably is the best inside linebacker in the league, and Dre Greenlaw, Azeez Al-Shaair and Marcell Harris are quality outside linebackers. Nobody scouts and develops linebackers better than 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who used to be a linebackers coach.

SAFETIES: B

Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt are solid, unspectacular players who miss games. Tartt is out for the rest of the season with turf toe. Ward is still healthy but he dropped an interception last week against the Saints. Backup Tarvarius Moore seems to be the best safety on the roster, but hasn't played much season. When he does play, he tends to cause turnovers. He should start the rest of the season.

CORNERBACKS: A-MINUS

Jason Verrett has become the 49ers. No. 1 cornerback and has allowed a passer rating of 76.4 this season. Jamar Taylor has become the starting nickelback and has allowed a passer rating of 69.1. And Emmanuel Moseley is a solid, versatile starting cornerback who gets picked on at times by the league's best wide receivers, but always hangs tough and plays above his talent level. The 49ers still need to draft a big cornerback next year who matches up with D.K. Metcalf and DeAndre Hopkins. Richard Sherman is not the answer any more.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D-MINUS

The 49ers might have the worst punt returners and kickoff returners in the league, because Kyle Shanahan refuses to play Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel on special teams. As a result, two muffed punts essentially cost the 49ers a game last week against the Saints. But hey, at least the 49ers have a mediocre punter and a kicker who will turn 38 in December. Not too shabby.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow, I will grade the 49ers coaching staff.