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Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers added a familiar face to their defense Wednesday.

Even though the San Francisco 49ers ended last season with a 12-5 record and a playoff victory, there is still plenty of room for a defense that was last in the NFL in sacks to improve.

The 49ers concluded their 2026 NFL Draft with eight total selections. Four of those picks were used to address their defense. The rookies will join a defense that is still led by All-Pros Fred Warner and Nick Bosa.

Bleacher Report ranked all 32 NFL teams’ defense after the 2026 Draft. The 49ers were right in the middle of the pack and ranked 16th. The Houston Texans and Denver Broncos were the top two-ranked defenses. But San Francisco should be worried about their NFC West rivals. The Los Angeles Rams (No. 3) and Seattle Seahawks (No.4) rounded out the top 4.

GettySan Francisco 49ers LBs Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw

Who Did the San Francisco 49ers Add For Their Defense?

The 49ers hired former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as their new defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh took the Tennessee Titans head coaching position. Morris will take over a defense that will have a combination of youth and Super Bowl experience.

San Francisco signed back fan favorite linebacker Dre Greenlaw to a 1-year, $7.5 million contract. Greenlaw, who last played with the 49ers in 2024, will presumably regain his starting linebacker role next to Fred Warner.

The 49ers also signed cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones to 1-year deals for secondary depth. They also signed linebacker Cam Sample to a 1-year contract.

San Francisco has yet to add to their defensive line via free agency. But they traded a third-round pick to the Cowboys for defensive tackle Osa Odigizuwa. The 49ers also spent two of their draft picks to address a defensive front that was last in the NFL in sacks. The 49ers spent their third-round, No. 70 overall pick on Texas Tech edge rusher Romello Height. They also drafted Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton with their fourth-round, No. 107 pick. Both players could see the field early in their rookie year in pass rush situations.

The 49ers then drafted Washington cornerback Ephesians Prysock with their fourth-round, 139th overall pick and Louisiana linebacker Jaden Dugger with their fifth-round, 154th selection. Both players join crowded secondary and linebacker rooms, so they might not see as much playing time in their rookie season.

GettyFormer San Francisco 49ers DE Bryce Huff

49ers Key Defensive Losses

San Francisco traded last year’s starting linebacker, Dee Winters, to the Cowboys for a fifth-round (No. 154) pick. They also lost rotational defensive linemen Robert Beal Jr and Jordan Elliot, as well as defensive back Jason Pinnock. But arguably their biggest departure this offseason was edge rusher Bryce Huff, who led the team with 4 sacks. Huff announced his retirement after the season.

But the key to the 49ers’ defense for 2026 is health. Nick Bosa and last year’s first-round draft pick Mykel Williams sustained season-ending injuries. Fred Warner also missed a good chunk of the season. Bosa is tracking well for a Week 1 return, but Williams will be a closer call after suffering his ACL injury six weeks after Bosa’s.