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Nick Bosa isn’t just bringing the heat off the edge this season — he’s stepping into a full-fledged leadership role for the San Francisco 49ers, and he’s got a familiar face in Robert Saleh back to help ignite the fire.
With a new-look defensive line room featuring three rookies from the 2025 NFL Draft — including first-rounder Mykel Williams — Bosa has embraced being the veteran voice. “It’s one thing to come in and work on my job and get better,” Bosa said. “It’s another thing to try and bring everyone along with you. It’s definitely something I want to do.”
And while Bosa’s mentorship has been a welcome boost, it’s Saleh’s return as defensive coordinator that might just be the game-changer the 49ers need. After a disappointing 2024 season under Nick Sorensen — where the defense ranked 29th in points allowed and recorded a meager 37 sacks — Saleh’s impact is already being felt.
“His commanding presence in defensive meetings is what we needed,” Bosa said of Saleh. The numbers back that up. The Niners’ pass rush was predictable last season, lacking blitz creativity and recording just one sack by a non-lineman. Saleh’s arrival signals a return to the disguised pressures and organized chaos that once made this defense elite.
Saleh’s not doing it alone. He brought in his longtime mentor, Gus Bradley, as assistant head coach/defense. The two built dominant defenses together in Seattle, and their philosophies — though similar — balance each other out. “He sees my blind spots and I can see his,” Saleh said. “It’s a good yin and yang.”
Bradley’s addition is huge for a team relying on youth. Bryce Huff, a veteran edge rusher from Philadelphia, joins a mix of talented rookies like Williams and linebacker Nick Martin, with safety Jason Pinnock and nickel Upton Stout also capable of adding heat. Saleh’s intent is clear: if teams try to double Bosa, they’ll pay for it.
And while the defensive upgrades are the headliner, don’t sleep on the team’s unexpected position battle: kicker. Yes, Bosa’s even locked in on that one. “I actually am paying attention to it, I can’t lie,” Bosa said of the showdown between Jake Moody and veteran Greg Joseph. “It’s kind of exciting.”
Moody, a 2023 third-rounder, struggled last season going 24-for-34 on field goals. Joseph, on his sixth team in as many seasons, went 16-for-20 across three teams last year. The back-and-forth competition has even caught Kyle Shanahan’s eye. “They’ve both been kicking real well,” the coach said. “It should be a really good battle this camp.”
Whether it’s building a fearsome defense or finding consistency at kicker, the 49ers’ 2025 camp is full of storylines — and with Bosa, Saleh, and Bradley all locked in, this unit may be poised for a massive bounce back.
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