Reporting For Purdy

 Brock Purdy has been fully cleared to play ball. I'm extremely surprised as this puts him about a month and a half ahead of schedule. I know he was a Cyclone but he might just have some Wolervine in him too.

Training Camp - Quarterback Watch

By Scooter_McG

Training camp is just around the corner (finally), meaning football is almost back!

The 49ers enter training camp as one of the early betting favourites to win the Super Bowl, as befitting a team that has been to two straight NFCCGs and has retained its core group of players. The 49ers undoubtedly have one of the strongest rosters in the NFL with a number of elite level players - not many teams in the NFL can boast having as many players that would be considered top 5 at their position as the 49ers in Williams, Bosa, Warner, Kittle, McCaffrey and Juice, not to mention other top players such as Deebo, Aiyuk, Hargrave, Armstead, Ward, Greenlaw and Hufanga. 

While the roster is very strong, in particular the top end of the roster, there are a number of positions that will be highly intriguing during training camp as players battle it out for key roles. 

No position will be more under the microscope for the 49ers than the QB position. Nothing new there, feels like the QB spot has been hotly debated throughout Shanahan's regime. But this year there is extra intrigue as the presumed incumbent starter Brock Purdy is expected to miss most if not all of training camp, while Trey Lance, the player they gave up three first round picks for just two years ago, will be in the battle of his life with another former #3 overall pick in reclamation project Sam Darnold. 

According to Shanahan, Lance and Darnold will be going toe to toe during camp to see which player emerges and puts themself in contention to lead the team week 1. The time is now for Lance to stake his claim and show the 49ers he can handle the job - if he can't prove he deserves that shot in camp he may never get another chance to salvage his 49ers career. And if he wants to prove he deserves to be the 49ers long term starter he will need to not only beat out Sam Darnold but do so in a manner that leaves no doubt in Shanahan's mind that Lance is ready to cut loose in the NFL. 

For Sam Darnold, while he is in a position to compete with Lance he finds himself in quite a different situation. First off, Darnold has already put a lot of film out there for teams to judge, and for the most part it hasn't been great. But most notably, Darnold can come into this battle without the baggage of being the great hope of the franchise just a year earlier. Instead, Darnold will be coming at this as a great opportunity to rebuild his reputation around the league and build his confidence and skills in a system that helps its QB, without the pressure of needing to win the starting job.   

Meanwhile, Brock Purdy's role during camp will be to simply stay the course with his rehab. If he stays on schedule then he should be ready to play very early in the season, maybe as early as week 1. And despite only having played a handful of games, Purdy comes into the season without needing to compete for his job - in fact he can't compete for his job due to his injury. 

Perversely, anything Lance or Darnold does in camp to show they deserve the starting job may all be a moot point if Purdy can demonstrate he is sufficiently recovered by the end of camp. It almost feels like there is little Lance or Darnold can do in camp and preseason that could trump what Purdy put on film at the end of last season. 

High Stakes for Trey

This really puts Lance in a very tough situation. The stakes are very high for Lance as if he can't get on the field this year then he will have a hard time convincing any team next year he is ready to lead their franchise or even be part of a QB competition. So not only does he have to outplay Darnold during camp, but he also has to hope that either Purdy's recovery is delayed (so Lance can demonstrate in games he deserves the spot) or that Purdy fails to fire on his return (so he can take over). It's a stark reality of the NFL - from franchise saviour to fighting for your NFL career in 12 short months. 

In short, Lance really needs to win the starting job for the 49ers this year and put some good film out there. And if he doesn't, his best move may be to agitate for a trade before the season starts, maybe somewhere that has an injury to a QB, so he can start convincing another coaching staff he could be their QBOTF. 

Darnold however is in a very different position. The funny thing for a player like Darnold - much like Trubisky a couple of years ago - is that barely seeing the field this season may not be a bad thing for him. He's played a lot in his short career already and what he needs is to distance himself from that bad film. Being the backup that only sees spot duty, if any playing time at all, but getting to learn under a well respected coach could be sufficient for him to earn a job competing to be the starter next year. 

If he does play, then the pressure will be on to show he has improved to convince teams next year he is ready to lead a franchise again. Seeing extensive playing time this year and falling flat with his third straight team, this time under Shanahan, would likely spell the end of any hopes he has of being a long term starter anywhere. Conversely, playing well for the 49ers would be a certain ticket to a starting job and nice pay day somewhere next year. 

For Brock Purdy, his test will come once the season starts. In all likelihood he will be given the opportunity to lose the starting job, rather than having to win it. At that point it becomes a pretty simple equation for Brock - play well and stay healthy and the 49ers QB job is yours for the forseeable future. 

Training Camp Dates

 

#49ers Official Training Camp dates: Rookies report: July 18 Veterans report: July 25

Four Fascinating Storylines from 49ers OTAs and Minicamp

By Scooter_McG

The 49ers have finished the OTA and minicamp portions of their offseason program and now the long wait until training camp begins. 

While it is never a good idea to take too much away from these practices, there were some interesting storylines to follow. Here's the storylines I found most fascinating.

QB battle looms

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch promised that Lance and Darnold would split reps with the 1s while Purdy rehabilitates his elbow, and that is exactly what happened during OTAs and minicamp. Depending on which reports you read, and the message the author wants to convey, you will hear some conflicting information regarding how well either player looked through these practices. 

It is a huge season for Lance in terms of his long term tenure with the 49ers. There was a lot of talk prior to OTAs about how Lance had been working on his throwing mechanics and how much they have changed. And from what I have seen it does appear that he has improved his footwork and mechanics to some degree, at least during warmups. It will be interesting to see how that holds up under live action though. And I do worry that if he gets caught thinking about his technique that is may slow down his development in terms of reading defenses and getting the timing correct within the offense. The burden of having to beat out not only Purdy but also Darnold will also test his mettle. Will he rise to the occasion, or will he crumble under the pressure? 

For Darnold, while this is no doubt the best situation he has found himself in in terms of team and coaching staff around him, it is a big task to come into an environment where there is already two QBs on the roster that know the offense and the staff believes in and wants to see succeed. And Shanahan's offense is not an easy one to learn. Can Darnold reinvent himself and turn his career around? Will he even get that chance?  

It didn't sound like either player really stood out more than the other in OTAs and minicamp, either good or bad. The battle during training camp should be fun to watch.  

And no matter how good either player looks during camp there appears a decent chance it is just a battle to be the backup. Purdy looks to be on track to be ready at some point during training camp and Shanahan and Lynch have both outlined how Purdy is currently the leader in any battle to win the starting QB job. If Purdy is able to return at full strength during camp and show he can still run the offense efficiently, it will be hard to supplant him. 

Offensive line takes shape

When the 49ers didn't add any OL during the draft it came as quite a surprise to many, following the loss of McGlinchey and Brunskill in FA with a couple of journeymen (Prior and Feliciano) the only additions. But Shanahan and Lynch have been adamant throughout the offseason that they liked what they already had on the roster. 

During OTAs and minicamp it was indeed Colton McKivitz lining up as the starting RT, with the other four spots to be manned by the same four players as last season (noting Burford is in line to be the full time starting RG this year now that Brunskill has left, while Williams did not participate in team drills with Jaylon Moore predominantly standing in for him at LT). 

It is impossible to really tell how the unit looks until pads go on, so we didn't really learn anything about the OL during OTAs and minicamp, outside of the fact the team seemed happy to stick with those players as the starting unit. It appears the FA additions of Prior and Feliciano worked with the second unit throughout practices. 

Of all the position groups on the team, the OL is the one that stands out as being the biggest risk for the team's success in 2023. How the unit performs during training camp will be one to watch closely, and whether the team looks to split reps with the first unit at any of the positions. 

Drake Jackson adds muscle, strength

The 49ers made a big splash in FA signing the best DL on the market in DT Javon Hargrave. But they also lost some important role players on the edge in Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu and Jordan Willis. FA additions such as Ferrell and Bryant will help fill some of the snaps lost, but the team will be counting on last year's second round pick Drake Jackson stepping up in year two.

It was encouraging then to hear and see how much bigger and stronger Jackson is heading into year two. According to Jackson he has added around 15 pounds of muscle this offseason while hitting new personal bests in terms of bench and squats. The added bulk was noticeable as he took to the podium for an interview during OTAs. While not necessarily sculpted, Jackson does indeed look bigger and thicker. 

Both the coaching staff and his teammates also noticed and made comments about the strides Jackson made this offseason. Kyle Shanahan and Steve Wilks were very complimentary of the work he has put in to get himself ready for year two, while teammates have commented that despite the added bulk and strength, Jackson remains quick and agile. 

The arrow definitely appears to be pointing up for Jackson, which is great news for the 49ers.  

Wide receivers ready to take off

While the offense was very good last season, one aspect of the offense that was a little underwhelming was the play of the wide receivers. They weren't bad, but after a stellar 2021 campaign from Deebo Samuel and a strong second half to the 2021 season by Aiyuk, as well as Jauan Jennings emerging as a solid #3 receiver, the 49ers WR group appeared poised to become one of the top units in the NFL. 

Instead, while Aiyuk gave a solid performance and his first 1,000 yard season in 2022, he failed to really emerge as anything more than a complementary receiver. Jennings established himself as the third WR, but was inconsistent. And while Deebo continued to be a beast with the ball in hand, he appeared to regress as a threat on anything beyond five yards from the line of scrimmage. 

It was very encouraging then to hear about how Aiyuk appears to have taken another step forward this offseason in terms of his ability to separate from DBs. Aiyuk himself has outlined how he feels ready to 'take off' in 2023, and coaches and players alike seem to agree. I was also excited to hear Deebo acknowledge he was 'awful' and out of shape in 2022 after the distractions of contract negotiations. Hopefully that means he has been dedicating this offseason to getting in better shape and refining his route running down the field to provide a threat to defenses at all levels, like he provided in 2021. 

Danny Gray also received some praise from coaches for his offseason and how he has looked in practices. Gray had a season to forget last year, but if he can come in and contribute in year two that will add a nice speed dimension to the WR group.  

Brock Purdy: Keeping It Real

 The 49ers have been exremely effusive in their praise of Brock Purdy's 8 games, with the most recent comments by GM, John Lynch; "Is it a flash in the pan or is it the real deal? As we've gone back and studied it, he played at a high, high level. Not only played within the system, he made a lot of plays outside the system by extending plays. He showed tremendous playmaking ability. He showed tremendous ability to run the system efficiently, effectively, ***push the ball downfield*** — he just had an incredible first year, Brock is the leader in the clubhouse, as we said, but it’s open for competition”. 

Sounds like the 49ers are sold on Purdy already, but should they be? I'm not going to dismiss what he did, which is win but I did take a look at what Quinn and Carroll were able to do to him in those playoff games. Cover 1 Robber forces the quarterback to push the ball downfield, and regulated CMC to a paltry 14 carries for 51 yards and 8 catches for 22 yards. In order to get the running game going the quarterback has to force the defense into a Cover 2. This is the next step in Brock's evolution to determine if he really is the 49ers franchise quarterback. Coming off a serious injury to his throwing arm, Brock Purdy will need to show he can force defenses into a 2-man shell. If he can do that, then they have their franchise quarterback. If not, the search for the next 49ers franchise quarterback will continue.

49ers NFL 2023 Draft Day 3 Selections

By Scooter_McG

The 2023 NFL Draft is a wrap. After the longest delay in 49ers history before making their first pick at pick 87, the 49ers ended up making nine total picks, with three yesterday and six selections on Day 3 - two in the 49ers magic round (aka round 5), one in round 6 and three in round 7. 

Day 3 has been a real gold mine for the 49ers in the ShanaLynch era, with numerous stars, starters and solid contributors added during their tenure. The expectations will be high that some of these players can have the same impact as their Day 3 predecessors. So let's take a look at the six picks they made on Day 3.

The 49ers first pick on Day 3 was used to add some much needed depth at CB. I hadn't really looked at Luter prior to the draft, but after reviewing his scouting reports and seeing some highlights I can absolutely see why the 49ers like him. He's got good length, he's got very good athleticism and moves well, and he will combat the receiver to make it hard on them right throughout the play.

He was actually too good for his conference. Teams avoided throwing his way. And for good reason - he allowed a completion percentage of only 45.3% during his time at South Alabama. He also had good ball production over his time in college, in particular in 2021. 

Luter fits right in with recent picks Lenoir and Womack as a player that has inside/ outside versatility, a combative attitude and a nose for making plays on the ball. 

The 49ers second 5th round pick was another elite athlete, high upside pick. Beal Jr played on the vaunted Georgia Bulldogs DL, but in mostly a rotational role as a pass rush specialist. He's raw, and he's an older prospect as a 6th year senior, but he has elite speed (sub 4.5s 40 time) and length (around 6'4" with nearly 35" long arms). Those have to be enticing tools for Kris Kocurek. 

While Beal didn't have top end production in college, he did record 36 QB pressures over the past two seasons. 

He'll need some developing, but Beal brings a speed element to the 49ers pass rush which they haven't had since Dee Ford. 

In the 6th round the 49ers added a LB to help replace the loss of Azeez Al-Shaair this offseason. Winters fits the mold of LB the 49ers have coveted during the ShanaLynch era to a tee. He may be undersized (5'11", around 225lbs), but he's fast (4.49s 40), he's aggressive, and he triggers quickly downhill. He also brings excellent pass rush/ blitzing potential, as evidenced by his 7.5 sacks last season. 

Scouting reports outline he has some issues in coverage, largely due to poor discipline, but guys like Greenlaw and Al-Shaair came into the league with similar issues. The way the 49ers play they want the LBs to fly around the field and be quick to trigger, and Winters seems a nice fit for the way the 49ers play. His pass rush production also fits nicely with Steve Wilks' aggressive, blitzing schemes (which Ji'Ayir Brown can also fit nicely into). 

With their first pick in the 7th round the 49ers added a second TE, highlighting some dissatisfaction with the depth behind Kittle. Willis is an interesting addition in that he didn't really play like a traditional inline TE at Oklahoma, but as more of an H-Back. And that is likely how the 49ers will look to use him. He offers excellent versatility and ability to line up in multiple positions, making him an excellent option as a #2/ #3 TE. 

One thing you will see consistently repeated about Willis is that he isn't a great athlete. Don't expect him to be beating defenders through his speed and acceleration, or to maul a DE from an inline TE position. But he is a smart player that knows how to use angles as a blocker, hit moving targets, and to get defenses lose him as a receiver.

Ronnie Bell is the sort of WR that doesn't stand out in any particular way physically - the best way to describe his physical traits would be "average". He's around 6'0", 190lbs. He runs around 4.5s-4.6s 40 time. He's not particularly elusive, though he does have decent explosive traits. 

But what Bell is, is productive. Has been since his sophomore year at Michigan, when he overtook more lauded and physically gifted players such as Donovan Peoples Jones and Nico Collins as the Wolverines most productive WR. He's a reliable player that helps keep the chains moving and can come up with the big play when needed. He came back from a torn ACL in 2021 to have his best season in 2022, showcasing his determination and resilience. 

Basically, he's Rod Tidwell. And it wouldn't surprise if he ends up carving out a nice career with the 49ers. 

With their last pick of the 2023 NFL Draft the 49ers added another LB, this time a player in Jalen Graham that played the same Star position that Fred Warner played in college.  

Graham is the second player from my mock draft the 49ers took, and yet another player in which the 49ers brought in for a visit before the draft. In fact, that's very much been the theme this draft with the 49ers taking a lot of players they are known to have met with during the draft process. 

Graham is another smaller sized LB prospect, but unlike Winters is a player that didn't test overly well. However, much like all the 49ers LBs, he plays fast and physical, with excellent instincts and a quick trigger. Of note, unlike Winters who has been critiqued for his lack of discipline at times, this is an area that Graham is praised for. He compensates for his lack of elite physical tools by quickly diagnosing plays and getting into the right positions to make plays. 

Summary   

As has often been the case with the 49ers since Lynch and Shanahan took over, I find myself liking the Day 3 selections more than the Day 2 selections. Each of the players picked comes with something they can hang their hat on and it is easy to see how they can carve out a role on the team. 

By and large the picks all have something in common - they are more football player than athlete. That's not to suggest these guys are all bad athletes, in fact some are excellent athletes, but what is notable is most of them bring strong college production and football IQ to the table. To be honest, the same can be said of the Day 2 picks. 

A notable exception there is Robert Beal Jr, who is more of a project but has elite athletic traits. That's the benefit of having a coach like Kocurek who has a tremendous track record of taking good athletes and putting them in positions to succeed. 

Lastly, another notable part of the 49ers draft is the lack of any OL. The 49ers added a bunch of OL last offseason, as well as a couple of FAs this year, and it would appear they are content letting those guys thrash it out. Given how it worked out last year, with Banks, Brendel and Burford all coming in and playing above expectation, I can see why the 49ers might feel comfortable with this approach. But there is no doubt that there is some risk attached to letting McGlinchey walk and replacing him from within (or FA addition Matt Pryor).  

Day 3 Of The 2023 NFL Draft: 49ers Edition

 

“Rounds 1-3 are the easy picks to make. Rounds 4-7 are the picks that make Super Bowl champions.” ~ Bill Polian

Best Available:

38. Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
48. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
51. Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
54. Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
57. JL Skinner, S, Boise State
59. Jalen Redmond, DL, Oklahoma
66. Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
67. Karl Brooks, DT, Bowling Green
68. Andre Carter II, EDGE, Army
70. Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
79. Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
80. Nick Saldiveri, OL, Old Dominion
81. Moro Ojomo, DT, Texas
82. Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
84. Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina
85. Cory Trice, CB, Purdue
88. Chandler Zavala, IOL, NC State
89. Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
93. Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama
96. Colby Wooden, DL, Auburn
97. Parker Washington, WR, Penn State
100. Jaquelin Roy, DL, LSU
101. Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
103. Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M
104. Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota
105. Anthony Bradford, IOL, LSU
107. Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame
109. Daniel Scott, S, California
111. Nick Herbig, EDGE, Wisconsin
112. Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State
113. Kaevon Merriweather, S, Iowa
115. Isaiah McGuire, DL, Missouri
117. Andrew Vorhees, IOL, USC
118. Starling Thomas V, CB, UAB
119. Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton
120. AT Perry, WR, Wake Forest
121. Kei'Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
122. Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU
123. Luke Wypler, IOL, Ohio State
126. Richard Gouraige, OT, Florida
127. Sidy Sow, IOL, Eastern Michigan
128. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford
129. Will Mallory, TE, Miami
130. Viliami Fehoko, EDGE, San Jose State
131. Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
132. Henry Bainivalu, IOL, Washington
133. Braeden Daniels, OT, Utah
134. Warren McClendon, OT, Georgia
135. DeMario Douglas, WR, Liberty
136. Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
137. Myles Brooks, CB, Louisiana Tech
140. Gervarrius Owens, S, Houston
141. Jay Ward, CB, LSU
142. Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama
143. Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
144. Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State
145. Dante Stills, DL, West Virginia
146. Nick Broeker, OT, Ole Miss
148. Quindell Johnson, S, Memphis
150. Darrell Luter Jr, CB, South Alabama