It turns out that finding a franchise quarterback is easier than finding a franchise pass rusher.
The 49ers, of course, traded for Jimmy Garoppolo in October, and even if they hadn't they would have had an excellent shot at Kirk Cousins in March. Locating players who beat up on guys like Garoppolo and Cousins, however, has proven far more elusive.
A year ago, the 49ers had Myles Garrett as their top-rated player in the draft, but Garrett was taken No. 1 overall by the Browns. The 49ers studied soon-to-be-free agent pass rushers Chandler Jones, Melvin Ingram and Jason Pierre-Paul, but their teams all made sure they didn't reach the open market.