SANTA CLARA – It would be a misnomer and quite foolish to even hint that the 49ers will be just fine along their defensive line without Javon Hargrave.
The two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, who appears almost certainly headed for Injured Reserve after suffering a triceps injury last week against the Los Angeles Rams, is an anchor on the front line and one of the 49ers’ leaders inside and outside of the locker room.
While Hargrave’s absence leaves a clear void along San Francisco’s defensive front, pass rushing extraordinaire Nick Bosa is less concerned about who will take his place in the lineup than he is about not having Hargrave’s presence around.
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“We’ve all practiced a good amount together, whoever’s going to in there,” Bosa said Wednesday. “We all went through camp together. The biggest thing is missing ‘Grave around the facility. We all eat breakfast together as a D-line and he’s always laughing and smiling.”
Hargrave’s upbeat personality has been credited for helping to keep the positive vibes going inside the 49ers’ facility at Levi’s Stadium in spite of the team’s shaky start to the 2024 season.
Part of the problem for the defense this season has been a serious lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The 49ers had a top-10 pass rush each of the last two seasons but have generated only eight sacks in their three games this season.
Hargrave had one of those eight but historically has been great at getting to the quarterback, having notched 45 ½ sacks during his career.
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Without him in the lineup, the 49ers are going to have to get creative in finding ways to put the pressure on.
Jordan Elliott, a third-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2020 who has played sparingly in San Francisco’s first three games this season, is the leading candidate to fill in for Hargrave on Sunday against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium.
The 49ers also acquired some depth to help make up for Hargrave’s void, signing defensive tackle Shakel Brown to a free agent contract on Wednesday. Brown was with San Francisco in training camp and released at the end of August.
Pro sports teams love to trot out the ‘next man up’ phrase whenever an athlete gets injured, and it makes sense for sure. But there’s also a thin line between picking up the slack and trying to do it so much that you lose sight of your own game.
While that is a legitimate concern, linebacker Fred Warner doesn’t see that being an issue for the 49ers.
“Not at all,” Warner said. “I think it’s just a matter of everybody doing their job a little bit better than what we’re doing right now. It’s not huge changes that need to be made or glaring issues. It’s just little things that need to be cleaned up.”
There’s a very slim chance that Hargrave can avoid going on IR with the idea of returning late in the season.
It’s a longshot, for sure, but Bosa is keeping an optimistic outlook on the entire situation.
“The bright side is it’s something that he’ll bounce back from and his career won’t be altered by it,” Bosa said.
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