49ers 90-in-90: Where CJ West can improve in Year 2

Basic Info

**Age:**24 (His birthday is June 12) **Experience:**1 year **Height:**6’1 **Weight:**316 pounds

**Cap Status**

West enters the second year of his rookie contract. His base salary in 2026 is $1.005 million. His prorated signing bonus is $252,773, bringing his cap number to $1.257 this year.

Where CJ West can improve in his second year

During an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco during Super Bowl week, West spoke about where he can improve as a player:

Year 2, I mean, I need to have one of the biggest jumps I had in my football career. I’m just really bringing my game to the next level, being more dominant in the pass rush, dominating the run even more than I did, affecting the quarterback in different ways. You know, pushing the pocket in his face, making him have to roll out so that Nick can get a sack, so that Mykel can get a sack, or freeing up Alfred. Just changing the game in that way would make a big difference in our scheme and in our team. West being a more impactful pass rusher statistically than Davis and Elliott says more about them than it does West. If you look at PFF’s win percentage, West finished with 8.6%. That’s just under first-rounder Mykel Williams (8.8%) and easily clears second-rounder Alfred Collins’ 4.7%. There’s a reason the 49ers were comfortable trading for Osa Odighizuwa for a third-rounder. His 13.6% win percentage clears every non-Nick Bosa player on the roster. For a rookie, West held up even better than expected against double teams. Watching a Day 3 pick stand his ground was impressive. It’s the primary reason West saw his snap share increase in the second half. Being stout against the run is West’s trump card. West already identified the areas where he can improve in his second year. Push the pocket. Move the quarterback off his spot. A splash play every couple of games would go a long way for the defense. If West can get his win percentage, pressures, and/or quarterback hits into double digits while maintaining his superior run defense, it’ll be a positive season for the second-year pro with role player expectations.