The San Francisco 49ers defense has played a massive role in the team's recent run of success that began with its trip to the Super Bowl to cap the 2019 season.

Since then they've gone to three NFC title games and another Super Bowl, finishing top 10 in points allowed four times and finishing top 10 in yards allowed five times. In that same stretch they've seen two defensive coordinators leave for head coaching jobs.

For a long time the 49ers were more likely to be classified as a defense-first team despite having head coach Kyle Shanahan at the helm. That started to transition some last year as the offense cruised and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks faltered enough to lose his job at the end of the season. Now the 49ers are looking to bounce back with first-time DC Nick Sorensen running the show.

Here's how we're projecting the depth chart for the 49ers' defense in Week 1 against the New York Jets:

Defensive end

Nick BosaLeonard FloydYetur Gross-MatosRobert Beal Jr.

Gross-Matos is dealing with a knee sprain that could keep him out of Week 1. In that case we can slide Beal up one spot with a practice squad defensive lineman likely moving up to the gameday roster. The quality of depth at DE will be something to keep an eye on all season.

Defensive tackle

Javon HargraveMaliek CollinsJordan ElliottKevin Givens

This is another group that's a little thin after Arik Armstead left in the offseason. Collins and Elliott should help shore up some of the 49ers' run defense issues. Hargrave could help the DE situation a lot by bouncing back with a dominant pass-rushing season.

Linebacker

MLB Fred WarnerWLB De'Vondre CampbellSLB Demetrius Flannigan-FowlesCurtis RobinsonDee WintersTatum Bethune

It looks like the 49ers will lean heavily on their veterans at linebacker with Flannigan-Fowles winning the starting Sam LB job. He won't be on the field much since the SLB comes off the field in nickel packages. That leaves Warner and Campbell manning the second level while Dre Greenlaw recovers from the Achilles tear he suffered in the Super Bowl.

Cornerback

CB Charvarius WardCB Deommodore LenoirNCB Isaac YiadomRenardo GreenRock Ya-SinDarrell Luter Jr.

The 49ers' unofficial depth chart lists Lenoir as a starting outside CB and the starting nickel CB. Our guess is San Francisco leans toward a veteran as the third CB and goes with Yiadom. That would put Lenoir and Ward as the starting outside corners in the base defense, with Lenoir kicking inside when Yiadom comes on the field in nickel packages. If Green, the second-round pick from Florida State, did enough to win a starting job in camp, he'll be in the slot as the nickel corner with Lenoir sticking outside.

Safety

Talanoa HufangaJi'Ayir BrownGeorge OdumMalik Mustapha

It remains to be seen whether Hufanga will be ready to play in the season opener after missing all of training camp to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 11 of last season. If he doesn't play, Odum figures to slot in as the starter like he did throughout the preseason. Veteran Tracy Walker is also expected to get elevated from the practice squad.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Projected 49ers Week 1 defensive depth chart vs. New York Jets