After spending big money to find a competent defensive end opposite Nick Bosa, the Niners might have found the right man in a practice-squad call-up.
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch shakes hands with San Francisco 49ers’ Sam Okuayinonu on the sidelines during their game against the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. SANTA CLARA — Since the start of the 2023 season, the 49ers have been looking for someone — anyone — to set the edge opposite Nick Bosa on the defensive line., and had Cle Ferrell and a late-stage Kerry Hyder Jr.
Okuayinonu’s name might be tricky to pronounce, but his impact on games has been hard to miss for the 49ers this season. He was solid as a practice-squad call-up against the Jets and Rams, even with sparse snaps. He had a sack in one of his six plays in Los Angeles. Fail to do it, and the running back is going one-on-one against defensive backs, the quarterback is free to dance around for what seems like minutes, or they can scramble for big gains.
“Flo really bought into the scheme last game. He didn’t get a sack, but in the run game, he was doing exactly what we need,” Bosa said. Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, who boast the hyper-mobile Kyler Murray at quarterback and the outstanding, big-bodied James Conner at running back, will be a much better test of the 49ers’ possible competence and Okuayinonu, in particular.
“I had no idea about football,” Okuayinonu said. “I hated it at first… I didn’t like the physicality of it, it was too much thinking” But between “the brotherhood… the fans, the crowd. I started to like the game more and more.”
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