Top 5 Storylines Heading into 49ers Training Camp

Camp is just a few weeks away.

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Training camp is just about a month away for the 49ers. Here are their top five storylines going into camp this year.

1. Will Brandon Aiyuk show up?

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And will he bring the circus with him? NFL Insider Jason La Canfora recently reported that the 49ers are expected to cut Aiyuk before camp starts. In addition, Aiyuk has been posting triumphant dancing videos on social media as if he expects his freedom soon, but the 49ers still haven't released him yet.

If they want to avoid drama, the 49ers will release Aiyuk in the next few weeks. If the 49ers don't care about drama, they'll hold onto him and dare him to show up to the facility and force his release, something he could have done in May but chose not to. Maybe they think he's afraid to show his face.

Until the 49ers cut ties with Aiyuk, his presence or absence will be the No. 1 topic at camp, and his social media activity will overshadow everything the 49ers do on the practice field.

2. Who's the No. 1 wide receiver?

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Meaning, who's the wide receiver who will show up to camp every day and catch the most passes from Brock Purdy? Which receiver will earn Purdy's trust the fastest? And which one will stay healthy the longest?

Since the Super Bowl, the receiver who had the best rapport with Purdy was Jauan Jennings. But now, he's on the Minnesota Vikings. And his replacement, Mike Evans, has pulled his hamstring each of the past two seasons, is coming off the worst year of his career and has never played a snap with Purdy.

At this stage of Evans' career, he's best-suited to be a No. 2 receiver -- that's the role Davante Adams plays for the Rams. If the 49ers ask Evans to be their No. 1, they'll overuse him and he'll break down like he did last year.

Which means Ricky Pearsall needs to step up. He'll be 26 this season -- he's in his prime. He needs to stay healthy and build on his promising start to last season when he was among the NFL's leading receivers until he injured his PCL in Week 4.

Because if Pearsall doesn't step up, the 49ers' No. 1 receiver most likely will be their running back for the second year in a row. And that wouldn't be ideal.

3. Is De'Zhaun Stribling ready to contribute?

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He produced at Ole Miss, he plays to his 4.3 speed and he caught some long passes during OTAs.

But you could say the same things about Jordan Watkins, who caught just two passes as a rookie last year after playing well during OTAs, minicamp and training camp.

Watkins looked ready to contribute right away. And yet, the 49ers buried him for most of the season, mostly because he was a rookie and head coach Kyle Shanahan prefers to play veterans on offense. He would rather play a veteran such as Kendrick Bourne, who's old and has no future with the team, than develop a rookie like Watkins in real games.

Which brings me back to Stribling. He has an uphill battle to beat out veterans Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk to be the primary slot receiver. Particularly Robinson, because he was on the team last season and knows the system.

Stribling doesn't know the system yet. And Shanahan has no patience for receivers who make the occasional mental mistake.

Good luck, rookie.

4. How will Raheem Morris use Deommodore Lenoir?

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The 49ers' usage of Deommodore Lenoir has been a controversial topic since they lost the Super Bowl in 2024.

Before that game, he pleaded with defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to play in the slot and cover Rashee Rice. Wilks said no, kept Lenoir on the outside, and used Logan Ryan in the slot. Ryan gave up the Super Bowl-losing touchdown catch.

Last year, Lenoir publicly campaigned to shadow opposing teams' No. 1 receivers all around the field, but defensive coordinator Robert Saleh refused and kept him on the left side of the defense all the time. This allowed opposing teams to simply avoid Lenoir and pick on everyone else.

This year, it will be interesting to see what new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris does with Lenoir. In camp, Morris had Lenoir playing on both the left and right sides of the base defense at times, which was intriguing. Lenoir is the 49ers' best cornerback by far. They have to make sure he's in the thick of the action.

5. Will Brock Purdy improve in the pocket?

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Brock Purdy is a bit of an enigma because he plays so much better in games than he does in practice.

In games, he's one of the most elusive quarterbacks in the NFL. He's elite at evading pass rushers and extending plays.

In practice, he can't do those things because no one is allowed to touch him. He has to stand in the pocket, read the defense, and throw the ball on time. As a result, he tends to throw a ton of interceptions.

It's no surprise that his interception percentage has gone up every season he has been in the league. That's why the 49ers told Purdy this offseason that they want him to improve his game in the pocket this year.

Translation: Stop throwing so many picks.