Answering the Most Pressing Questions about the 49ers in Training Camp

Topics are swirling at training camp, let’s set ‘em up and knock ‘em down. Camp is a time for questions early and answers late, what can get lost is that many players have taken an important step forward.

What’s the deal with Nick Bosa?

He trusts his own preparation over being at training camp. Bosa puts in the work and arrives in Santa Clara ready to go, his prep isn’t a concern. He will need to ramp up into football shape before the season opener, general manager John Lynch says that requires three weeks, which puts a soft deadline at August 20th. Contract negotiations are likely conflicting over guaranteed money, the Niners are always concerned with setting new precedents.

What’s the deal with journalists and analysts throwing shade at Trey Lance?

The common thread is a focus on past performance, not the future. This doesn’t make sense over a 23-year-old who’s only started four games and finally found a coach that has improved his mechanics significantly in a short time.

Calls for cutting Lance ring of being tired of the quarterback drama. Camp notes that focus on Lance’s dropped picks but ignore Brock Purdy’s reveal an agenda, glaring intellectual dishonesty and a disturbing lack of professionalism.

Believe in Brock and say the starting job is his based on last year, agreed. However, Purdy has to show he’s near that level now and he’s not. Brock clearly needs more time and the Niners will be patient with him.

Hate on Lance in addition to pumping up Purdy? Why? I thought the job was Purdy’s? My expectation is all this will be moot when they sign Kirk Cousins next year.

Is Purdy’s slow start a concern?

Not yet. Purdy needing weeks to ramp up speaks to the importance of health and reps, a lesson that needs to be applied to both Purdy and Lance. Kyle Shanahan tested Purdy’s arm with consecutive deep sideline throws in practice Monday and Purdy hung up both passes. If Purdy is to become the franchise quarterback, not just this year’s starter, that will have to change. He has six weeks before the opener, what matters is his progress from week to week.

What will determine who gets QB2 out of Lance and Darnold?

The exhibition games. Shanahan said those games will take on an added importance this year, I think the QB2 competition is what he had in mind. Lance needs to prove he can make the read, get the ball out quickly, and hit the layups. Darnold has to prove he can make quick decisions and not turn the ball over.

The joint practices with the Raiders will help in evaluations. In camp, the daily stats aren’t the priority, it’s the reads and execution, which can only be evaluated on film. I believe the camp evaluation is more about non-quarterbacks at the back end of the roster, deciding who to feature in the games to determine final cuts.

What’s happening in the position battles?

I’m focused on wide receiver. Ronnie Bell had three catches on Monday including an acrobatic one-hander. Danny Gray is getting open deep, but what’s the conversion rate? Some continue to have a passion for the idea of Danny Gray, a deep threat to force the defense to respect it, vs. Gray the player, who continues to body catch everything.

I’ll admit to a bias, I hated the pick when it was made, because I knew Gray did not have good hands. Bell on the other literal one hand, does. To me that’s it right there, we’ll see what Kyle Shanahan thinks. Purdy can’t throw deep sideline anyway, why keep Gray?

Another factor is the emergence of undrafted free agent D’Shawn Jamison, who is making a strong case for the 53-man roster at cornerback. Jamison returned three kicks for touchdowns at Texas, all from 90 to 100 yards. If he can win the return job, is Ray-Ray McCloud in danger of being cut? That would open space for both Bell and Gray and add needed depth in the secondary. Solves a lot of problems.

I expect to see a deep rotation of returners, whoever wins that job secures their place on the roster. McCloud, Gray, Bell, and Jamison may all get an opportunity. Special teams play is going to be critical in who makes the roster at WR, LB, and DB.

Colton McKivitz is winning his one-on-one drills should that increase confidence in him?

It helps, but it also needs to be pointed out that he’s getting beat for sacks in 11-on-11 play.

Any subtle positive takeaways from camp?

Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The Niners excel in player development in position groups with coaches widely considered to be among the league’s best: Kris Kocurek on the defensive line, Johnny Holland at linebacker, Bobby Turner at running back, and Chris Foerster on the offensive line. Now add Wilks, one of the league’s best teachers in the secondary, taking a hands-on approach at camp.

If the secondary takes a quantum leap, that optimizes the Niners' heavy investment in the defensive line. Last year when Emmanuel Moseley was healthy, the line was creating pressure, but also getting help from coverage sacks.

Get back to that performance on the backend, now add Javon Hargrave, a healthy Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead, and an emerging Drake Jackson, to defensive player of the year Nick Bosa, and the defense can dominate.

Maybe they can earn my nickname for a historically great Niner defense – Alcatraz. They lock teams down.

With all the focus on offense, it’s the defense this year that has an opportunity to be truly special – and they’ll need to be if the Niners are to open the year with a run of victories.