SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers' defense took a step back during the 2023 NFL season, with defensive end Charles Omenihu's under-the-radar departure playing a significant role in San Francisco's regression.
Entering 2024, the 49ers' offseason addition of Yetur Gross-Matos could be the missing ingredient to fill the tremendous void left behind by Omenihu's unique skill set.
Before quantifying the potential Gross-Matos brings to San Francisco's defense, it's essential to understand the impact Omenihu had during his two seasons as a 49er. Primarily a defensive end, Omenihu's physical profile opened the door for a bit of creativity with his usage, as San Francisco struck gold upon kicking him inside during obvious passing situations.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Omenihu stands just over 6-foot-5 with an arm length of 36 inches (both ranking in the 98th-percentile among defensive ends), allowing him to overpower interior offensive linemen while presenting a matchup nightmare with a physical profile guards and centers aren't accustomed to facing.
Gross-Matos also stands at 6-foot-5, with a 34 7/8 arm length that ranks in the 92nd-percentile among defensive ends, offering similar measurables as Omenihu, creating a tantalizing opportunity to use the 49ers' new addition in a similar fashion.
You can be assurred defensive line coach Kris Kocurek already has thought about it, as he explained the upside of Gross-Matos' versatility, highlighting the same physical attributes that allowed Omenihu to shine in his unique role during his tenure in San Francisco.
"Yeah, I really like Yetur. He's a big-frame dude, thick lower body, long and still has that explosive traits throughout his lower-body," Kocurek said. "Very instinctive player that always seems to be around the ball. And then the versatility that you talked about, being able to play him outside on all three downs.
San Francisco 49ers
"Versatility on third down in obvious passing situations, bump him down over guards, he has shown the ability to do that throughout his NFL career. In two-minute situations, getting a long body out there that can have the stamina, the speed and the length to go affect things, to go close out games. All those attributes are what brought him here."
Omenihu's, like Gross-Matos, joined San Francisco with a track record of production that didn't exactly align with the physical traits he possesses -- a welcomed project for Kocurek and the 49ers' defensive staff.
Gross-Matos recently told NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan that Kocurek's proven track record of developing players like Omenihu played a big part in his decision to sign with San Francisco.
“[Kocurek’s] kind of a legendary coach,” Gross Matos told Chan. “I definitely wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity. He’s great. He loves football, he loves D-line, he loves pass rush, and that’s part of the reason I came here.
“He’s developed other guys over the past couple of years, and as much as I wanted to be comfortable and stay in Carolina, it just made too much sense to come here, play for him and play in this defense, in this role.”
After never having more than 32 QB pressures in his first three NFL campaigns, Omenihu burst on the scene in 2022, logging 54 pressures and 16 QB hits, delivering one of the most pivotal plays of San Francisco's season with a clutch strip-sack in the 49ers' Wild Card win over the Seattle Seahawks -- rushing from, you guessed it, the interior.
The versatility of having an edge rusher that seamlessly could kick inside contributed heavily to the 49ers finishing the 2022 season as the NFL's No. 1 defense, and its absence could be felt when San Francisco concluded 2023 in the No. 8 spot a year later.
Omenihu is gone, now playing a key role for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for the 49ers in the form of Gross-Matos.
At 26 years old, Gross-Matos is entering a prime window where defensive linemen typically peak, with an opportunity to maximize his physical gifts that the Carolina Panthers never quite were able to fully tap into across his first four NFL seasons.
There has been plenty of turnover on San Francisco's defensive line since last season, and although Gross-Matos is among the new faces, his potential invites memories of an old friend, and perhaps is the key to unlocking the full power of the 49ers' defense.
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast