Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski scoured each NFL team for a surprise starter who could emerge in the coming season. The San Francisco 49ers are tougher than most teams because only a few starting spots are up for grabs.
There could be many opportunities for players to progress, especially along the defensive line. Sobleski thinks that the surprise Niners starter that might emerge is a defensive tackle, Kevin Givens:
Much of the success of the San Francisco 49ers last season was built on the game of their defensive front. The approach is expected to continue this fall, but the group will not be the same after general manager John Lynch traded DeForest Buckner with the Indianapolis Colts and Sheldon Day signed with the same AFC South team.
The 49ers responded by drafting Javon Kinlaw with this year’s 14th overall pick. However, the effectiveness of San Francisco was derived from its depth and the way its pass-rushers opposed the opposing quarters in waves.
Opportunities should arise for others, especially since Solomon Thomas is in the last year of his rookie contract after three disappointing seasons.
Last year, Kevin Givens signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent. It is undersized but very active. His ability to enter the opponent’s rear field perfectly matches the 49ers.
I may be in the minority, but I don’t think the defensive line will change much in 2020. I don’t expect Kinlaw to be as good as Buckner right now, but he won’t be far. The expectation is that the defense will receive more shots from Dee Ford and have an improved Nick Bosa. These two alone will make a world of difference from the start. In addition, Sobleski forgot to mention DJ Jones.
Anyone who watched the 49ers last year knows how much DJ represented the defensive line last year. The battle for cliches could be summed up in Thomas and Givens. To date, the organization is aware of Thomas’ limitations as a pass crusher. However, we still don’t know what type of player Givens is. After a string of defensive line injuries, Givens played ten snaps against Seattle in week 17, where he recorded quarterback pressure and a race stoppage. Good luck with a strong catch after watching Givens play so few shots last year.
The unknown makes you passionate about Givens. His speed and increasing pass make it easier to imagine Givens, especially when the 49ers have the game under control. These eruptions in the fourth quarter will be useful when it comes to developing younger talents on the list like Givens. Will it come out as a surprise starter? It’s unlikely. I think we are a year away from Givens making a real contribution to the team, but he could become a player who will carve out a role in transmissions – which should be Givens’ goal in 2020.
