Nick Wagoner20 de jul, 2023, 19:54 ETLectura: 6 min.
We take a look at five players who don’t play quarterbacks but will be instrumental in San Francisco’s campaign.
SANTA CLARA — The ardor of defeat in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles last January has all but vanished, while the san francisco 49ers they begin their training camp next week.
“I really don’t let it linger,” the tight end admitted. George Kittle. “Because, hey, it’s football, it’s life, it happens s— and we gotta get on with what’s next.”
In the bigger picture, the 49ers have advanced to at least NFC Championship Game in three of the past four years, but have failed to reach their ultimate goal: a sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Heading into the new season, Deommodore Lenoir is set to start at one of the corners for the Niners.AP Photo
With players like Kittle, the running back Christian McCaffreyel tackle Trent Williamswide receivers Deebo Samuel y Brandon Aiyukel linebacker Fred Warnerdefensive end Nick Bosadefensive tackles Javon Hargrave y Arik Armsteadthe cornerback Charvarius Ward and the roster safety, it’s easy to see why this could be the year the Niners take the next step.
For that to happen, the Niners are relying on a handful of young players to get them to that next level. The quarterback situation will be the most prominent, but for the purposes of our current exercise, here are five non-quarterback players who need to make a quantum leap in San Francisco.
Lenoir was supposed to be the primary cornerback in the slot last year, but a season-starting injury to Emmanuel Moseley moved Lenoir abroad, where he seemed to improve as the season progressed.
“The game slowed down a little bit for me, just getting the replays all of last year,” Lenoir explained. “So this year I think it’s just a matter of taking the next step and just being one of the best corners in the league. That’s my goal.”
Lenoir is locked in as a starter opposite Ward. Going into the season, Lenoir is particularly focused on the deep pitch. On passes traveling at least 20 yards through the air last year, Lenoir allowed a complete 7 of 13 attempts for 254 yards and a touchdown, giving up a 124.7 opponent passer rating. On short and intermediate downs, Lenoir allowed just 382 yards and one touchdown with one interception for an 80.1 passer-to-opponent rating.
He seemed to improve in the postseason, when he was the most effective cornerback for the club, allowing just five catches of 12 attempts for 75 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for a 23.3 passer-to-opponent rating.
Teams will likely continue to challenge Lenoir more than Ward until Lenoir shows he can cover safety consistently. Since the 49ers didn’t make a significant investment at corners, he’ll have to rise to that challenge.
right tackle Mike McGlinchey it was the biggest offensive loss for San Francisco, signing an $87.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos. To replace him, the Niners looked within, giving McKivitz his first shot at the starting job.
McKivitz was a fifth-round pick in 2020, but has bounced between the practice squad and active roster, even being released in 2021. He hasn’t stopped fighting, appearing in 28 games, five of them starting. Seven of those games came at tackle, with two starts and mixed results, generating a win rate of 68.4 percent in blocks for passing plays and 72 percent in blocks for running plays. By comparison, the league average for tackles last season was 88.7 percent blocking for passing plays and 74.1 percent blocking for rushing plays, while McGlinchey shot 89.6 percent and 81.5 percent, respectively.
It’s a small sample size, but the Niners believe McKivitz showed enough to get a first chance at right tackle. Much of that confidence stemmed from an impressive start in a critical Week 18 game in 2021 against the Los Angeles Rams. Starting at left tackle in place of an injured Williams, McKivitz posted a 90 percent pass block rate. He’s just 26 regular-season snaps at right tackle, but he’s earned the trust of his teammates on the line.
“I think it’s very deserved,” Williams shared. “And just to see him keep working, not get discouraged, just keep his talent coming through with confidence, he earned it.”
After selecting Jackson in the second round of last year’s draft, the Niners hoped he would develop into a starting role for his second season.
Jackson started well enough, with three sacks in his first six games, but his production dropped after his body wasn’t ready to handle the rigors of a full season. He weighed in around 252 pounds as a rookie, finishing with 14 tackles, three sacks and one interception while averaging 20.1 snaps in 15 games. His 8.5 win rate against pass blocks and 3.8 percent rush rate ranked well below the other regular edge defenders on the Niners’ roster.
Jackson was eventually deactivated while healthy, a disappointing end to his rookie season. But with Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu y Jordan Willis emigrating in the offseason, the door was opened for Jackson to grab the starting role on the side opposite Bosa. He spent the offseason adding about 13 pounds and expects to play in the 260-265-pound range next season.
“He was unbelievable this offseason,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Even when he wasn’t volunteering, he was here on his own, always, just living in the gym trying to change his body.”
In the spring, Williams said he believed Jackson had All-Pro potential. The 49ers don’t need Jackson to be this good, but if he can provide a reliable complement to Bosa, San Francisco should continue its recent trend of defensive dominance.
As a fifth-round rookie in 2022, Burford immediately earned the starting right guard job coming out of training camp. But, he also had a tough time, giving up five sacks and posting an 88.4 percent win rate on passing plays (No. 65 among guards with at least 200 offensive snaps) and a 62.7 percent win rate on running plays (No. 79).
Burford rotated with the veteran Daniel Brunskill at right guard, though Burford started 16 games and averaged 44.5 snaps per game. With Brunskill migrating to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster has informed Burford that the job is his to lose, even though the Niners signed the veteran. Jon Feliciano to support deeply.
Like Jackson, Burford was a regular at the team’s facility, and he knows the importance of making the leap as a sophomore.
“He looks like a different guy, he handles himself differently,” Foerster noted. “This year, I think he’s better prepared for the whole process. He knows it. I think he’s ready for that step.”
The 49ers have received solid offensive line tier in their recent postseasons, but they’ve also suffered as opponents progress. That puts pressure on Burford to make a huge leap forward and solidify the right side of a line that carries huge question marks.
The Niners spent a third-round pick on Moody to replace the veteran Robbie Gould, who had been a picture of consistency for the Niners in six years, never missing a kick in 40 postseason attempts. But, the 49ers wanted to get younger and cheaper at the position.
Moody boasts a powerful leg, but he had his occasional lapses during his time at Michigan, making 82.1 percent of his field goals, including 17-of-27 from 40-49 yards and 4-of-10 from at least 50 yards. He impressed in the spring, but the real test won’t come until after the games start.
“He’s done a good job,” Shanahan described. “He’s got a great leg and we’re going to put him in a lot of situations and keep challenging him and hopefully he’s ready for Week 1.”
Moody will not have a honeymoon period. His ability to produce immediately will help shape his campaign.
2023-07-20 23:54:00
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