What an offseason it has been so far for the San Francisco 49ers. The team has totally reshaped their future. They’ve put all their chips on the table and have gone all-in on the third pick of the NFL Draft Trey Lance. Now, all eyes are on rookie minicamps, OTAs, and training camps. There are a ton of questions remaining on the team that made the biggest headlines this offseason. Let’s get into some of them.
Will Trey Lance Start Day One?
False. Many have asked this question over the past few weeks, but it does seem like Jimmy Garoppolo will get the opening day start. However, this doesn’t mean Lance is necessarily not ready to start in the NFL. Lance has all the talent to start off the bat, but it is also a luxury to get to groom your rookie quarterback, which is what it looks like head coach Kyle Shanahan will do here.
Conversely, if the 49ers received an incredible offer for Garoppolo sometime soon, they’d almost have to take it. We know they stated earlier in the offseason that the price for Garoppolo would be a first-round pick, but they’d be lucky to get that. If San Francisco were to get a first or even second-round pick plus more picks, this would be a really great deal for them, and Lance would get the start right away. Otherwise, it should be Garoppolo out there when they take on the Detroit Lions on September 12th.
Do The 49ers Have Too Many Running Backs?
True. While you can never truly have too many running backs, this is probably the closest it can get. Shanahan is very well known for his running back committee, but what happens when five guys are hungry for carries? Coming into the draft, the 49ers had Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, and JaMycal Hasty in the backfield. During the draft, they took two players in Trey Sermon and Elijah Mitchell. All five can be productive ball carriers at the NFL level, and it will be interesting to see if any are cut after the preseason.
At Least Three UDFAs Could Make the Roster?
True. The 49ers have a stellar undrafted free agent class and really addressed some need here. The three guys that stand out most are Justin Hilliard, Austin Watkins, and Josh Pederson. Hilliard was definitely one of the better UDFAs the 49ers picked up and has got some really nice talent at the linebacker position. Watkins is a receiver who really fits the mold of the 49ers scheme. He’s a do-it-all guy with a great 6’1″ frame. Finally, Pederson is a high-upside tight end, and the 49ers need some guys to spell George Kittle from time to time. Each year, about one UDFA makes the roster per team. So, to have three is super impressive.
Will The 49ers Will Have a Top-Five Defense?
True. The 2019 49ers team that went to the Super Bowl was built all on defense. Since then, only a few personnel changes have been made. Last year, this defense was completely injury-riddled. However, if they can stay healthy this year, lookout. The team is built by an incredible front seven and awesome linebacker corps that can ignite at any time. They are headlined by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, who create havoc for opposing offenses.
The only problem is the secondary. Besides Jason Verrett, there are no real stars in the secondary. There are a lot of solid players, but the unit is not very top-heavy. It certainly is the weakest link of this defense. Hopefully, the front seven and linebackers can make plays quick enough, which will allow the defense to get rolling, and the secondary won’t get exploited as much. If this defense is at the top of its game and fully healthy, there’s no reason they can’t be a top-five unit in this league.
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