49ers Questions Heading Into Camp

Rookies report to training camp on July 18, veterans on the July 25, and the 49ers face several questions heading into it. Camp will start to reveal if this team is a title contender or destined yet again to be in the mix and fall short.

Will Brock Purdy start Week 1?
Yes. The Niners will push for it and Purdy’s doctor says he is on schedule if not ahead of it. If Purdy feels he is not ready to play, then he must say no to protect his career. That said, a young player will default to his doctor and the doctor is saying yes. My take is Purdy will only sit if his doctor says no, regardless of exhibition games or camp reps.

Will Colton McKivitz be the answer at right tackle?
In my view, no, but the Niners don’t have a choice. There are no starter-capable backups at tackle. Fans can say look at what line coach Chris Foerster did with Jake Brendel, and that McKivitz is better in pass pro than Mike McGlinchey, but this is still ultimately about McKivitz himself.

From NFL analyst Warren Sharp, “Over the last two seasons, playoffs included, McKivitz has allowed a 7.5% pressure rate when lined up at left or right tackle. That rate would have ranked 62nd out of 67 qualified tackles last season.”

If McKivitz does not meet team expectations, maybe they can shop at the trade deadline for a tackle on the final year of his deal. The Niners have made a deadline deal frequently, what form that takes, we’ll see. In my view, if the team record is solid and McKivitz is ok they will pass on a deadline deal this time, knowing they have a full cupboard of picks in the draft.

What about the offensive line overall?
Trent Williams is the league’s best, and Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, and Spencer Burford should all improve, so the Pro Football Focus rating of 18th in the league seems low – for the regular season.

The schedule gets talked up for the frequent travel and the Niners having less rest than their opponents. However, the schedule has this silver lining. Ten of the 49ers' 17 games are against teams that ranked 12th or lower in sacks last year. Seven of the ten are teams that ranked 21st or lower in sacks. That’s great news for the line, and for Brock Purdy, who has stratospheric numbers in a clean pocket.

The downside is the playoffs, where Dallas and Philadelphia will be teeing off against McKivitz and Co. Philly 61.9 pressure rate against the Niners last year. Dallas 48.5, and when pressured on dropbacks by the Cowboys, Purdy was 4-12 for 55 yards. Great defensive lines are the Niners kryptonite until the right tackle is addressed.

Who are the rookies to watch in the first week of camp?
Wide receiver Ronnie Bell is competing for an active roster spot, and so are linebackers Dee Winters and Jalen Graham. They’ll need to make an impact early and maintain that momentum when the vets arrive. I’d also keep an eye on undrafted free agent running back Khalan Laborn, who has the potential to take a roster slot from Ty Davis-Price.

The rest of the draft class isn’t fighting for jobs, it’s more a question of how they perform and how they'll be used. Will Cam Latu and Brayden Willis earn their way on the field when the season begins? How quickly can the juniors Robert Beal Jr. and Darrell Luter Jr. develop? Can Ji’Ayir Brown start Week 1? This is the opportunity to make their case.

What vets could get talked up?
I’m looking forward to seeing what injury redshirt defensive tackle Kalia Davis can do. The last few roster spots on the defensive line will be highly competitive. On the offensive line, I’m hoping to see good work from Jon Feliciano and Jason Poe. Can Danny Gray make the roster? Can Tay Martin? Wide receiver is another position group with tight competition.

When will Nick Bosa sign an extension?
I think they’ll get it done in August and whether Bosa plays a down in the exhibition games or not he’ll be in peak shape and ready to go when the regular season starts.