Third-year pro defensive end Tank Carradine is poised to take over an important role in 2015 for the San Francisco 49ers defense.
It is a job that is mandated thanks to the retirement of veteran defensive end Justin Smith during the offseason. Long considered to be the linchpin of the defense, Smith’s departure has now created a void along San Francisco’s defensive front.
With Smith gone, the 49ers will be needing to get some outstanding effort out of their second-round pick from the 2013 NFL draft.
Carradine hasn’t exactly seen much of the playing field since being taken by the 49ers that year.