NFL 2023: Ranking 5 best pass rush duos in the league

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 18: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates with T.J. Watt #90 after a sack against Sam Darnold #14 of the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter of the game at Bank of America Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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Jan 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) lines up before a snap during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports /

NFL pass-rush duo no. 3: San Francisco 49ers — Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave

As of right now, there probably isn’t a more dominant individual pass rusher in the entire NFL than 49ers superstar Nick Bosa. Bosa is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and rightfully so. He capped off a career year in 2022 with 18.5 sacks and a whopping 48 QB hits. He finished the year with a career-high 56 pressures, proving to be the single most dominant pass-rush force in the game.

It’s especially impressive when you consider that, unlike some of the other top-tier players on this list, Bosa didn’t have someone else ranking in the top 20 last season alongside him in QB pressures. The next highest on the team last year was Charles Omenihu, who ranked 52nd in the league with 21 total pressures.

Now, Bosa is being joined by star interior defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, who had his best individual season as a pass rusher last year with the Eagles. Hargrave had 11.0 sacks, 18 pressures, and 16 QB hits just one year after racking up 7.5 sacks, 24 pressures, and 18 QB hits.

This kind of productivity in tandem for new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is going to give the 49ers an absolutely dominant duo of pass rushers to lean on as they hopefully are able to figure out the quarterback position.

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