When the 49ers overhauled their defense this offseason, they could have focused on improving their pass rush.
Instead, they prioritized run defense. Each of their first five draft picks was an excellent run defender in college. After the draft, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said he tries to stay two years ahead of NFL offenses. I guess he thinks the run game is on the rise.
Pro Football Focus agrees.
"Of the top 10 offenses in EPA per play last season, seven also ranked in the top 10 in rushing EPA per play," writes PFF's Bradley Locker. "In other words, for teams to establish effective, efficient offenses, the run needs to be at least a prominent feature — if not a driver. Recent gameplay and analysis have demonstrated that passing helps generate chunk plays and score points, but players and coaches reemphasized just how crucial the run is for fielding a high-flying offense.
"In 2024, teams averaged a 30.13% rushing success rate, which was up from 28.84% the year before. Moreover, players amassed a gaudy 1,513 total explosive runs (rushes of 15-plus yards), much more than the 1,437 in 2023.
"Essentially, teams are leaning back into the run to fuel efficient offenses because the ground game can now produce big plays through elite runners."
The resurgence of the run game in the NFL is a product of two things: One, defenses are using two-deep safeties more frequently and daring offenses to run the ball. And two, quarterbacks are becoming more mobile, which means lots of offenses now have two rushing threats in their backfield rather than just one.
If you can't stop the run in today's NFL, your defense is in trouble. Good thing the 49ers understand that.