It is no secret that the San Francisco 49ers are struggling on defense.
Specifically, they are struggling to get any pressure at all on opposing quarterbacks, which is why they should utilize rookie linebacker Nick Martin in a different way.
Martin was a healthy scratch for the start of the season until a bevy of linebacker injuries opened the door to him getting to make his debut.
Even after he was with the team, he struggled to see very much playing time and has questioned whether he is doing something wrong.
49ers need to take advantage of underutilized Nick Martin skill
Now, after injuries to Fred Warner and Tatum Bethune, Martin has been thrust into a slightly larger role as he has seen some time on defense. He played a little more against the Arizona Cardinals, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the third-round pick did well, only missing one assignment during the game.
Perhaps that will earn him a little more playing time going forward, but San Francisco may be underutilizing a talent of his that he displayed in college. In his breakout third season at Oklahoma State University, Martin recorded six sacks on the season and had 16 tackles for loss.
At this point, with the Niners dead last in the NFL when it comes to sacks, why not give Martin an opportunity to try and blitz the quarterback? He has proven he has done it in the past, and the 49ers are clearly desperate to get any sort of pressure on the quarterback.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has tried to get creative with his blitzes by bringing cornerbacks or trying to disguise blitzes, but nothing has been working. He is a great defensive mind, but he is only as good as the personnel on the field.
Obviously, the losses of Nick Bosa and Warner have put a lot of strain and pressure on a young defense. The fact that general manager John Lynch only made a modest addition to the defensive line with edge rusher Keion White has left the Niners in a tough spot as they try to make the playoffs.
Maybe Martin has not been exactly who the 49ers wanted thus far, but why not dial up a blitz or two for him per game just to see if somebody, literally anyone, can get some pressure on the quarterback.
San Francisco expended a third-round pick on him, so it is time to see what he can really do.