49ers Look to Rebound following Draft, Free Agency

San Francisco 49er fans are excited for the 2019 NFL season, and rightfully so after the deals their team dished out in free-agency and the picks they made in this year's Draft. The glaring weakness the Niners faced entering the offseason was at defensive-end as San Francisco's defense saw very little production overall in 2018, most notably at the edge position. Aside from a few bright spots in defensive stalwart DeForest Buckner, newcomer Richard Sherman and rookie linebacker Fred Warner, there wasn't a whole lot to cheer for on a lackluster 49er defense during last year's 4-12 campaign. And after a season in which their team finished in the bottom third of the league in generated sacks (37), general manager John Lynch & head coach Kyle Shanahan who are entering their third year at the helm of the franchise, made pass rush their biggest point of emphasis during the offseason.

Following a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire Pro Bowl defensive-end Dee Ford who led the league with 8 forced fumble sacks, three more than San Francisco's entire defensive unit last season, and 13 total sacks, the 49er brain trust knew they weren't finished bolstering the position, especially when Ohio State's Nick Bosa was still on the board at pick No. 2. Regarded as the best overall player entering the draft, Bosa was passed on by division rivals Arizona who possessed the first overall pick and chose to go in a different direction by selecting a quarterback. The decision to select Bosa was an easy one for the 49er front-office as he was the guy they had coveted all along, but were afraid wouldn't be available beyond pick No. 1. It just so happened that Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury's love for Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray worked out perfectly for San Francisco and allowed Bosa to fall into their lap. Having missed nearly all of his Junior year while battling injury and undergoing core muscle surgery, the Niners will depend on Bosa to stay healthy in order for their new-look defense to produce to its full potential. If the Niners can steer clear of the injury bug in 2019, their first two picks of this year's draft should make as big an immediate impact as any in the league.

Another department of need entering the offseason was at the receiver position and the 49ers made sure to add to their receiving corps with back to back picks in the second and third rounds during day 2 of the NFL Draft, selecting Deebo Samuel, second round, 36th overall out of South Carolina and Jalen Hurd, third round, 67th overall out of Baylor. Samuel, who's known for his play-making ability both in and out of the slot as well as returning kicks, was one of the top receivers in the draft after tallying an 11-touchdown, 62-reception season last year for the Gamecocks and made an instant fan out of coach Shanahan during the Senior Bowl which was partly coached by the 49ers staff. The two became quite familiar with one another and look to build on that relationship in the pros. But like most players the 49ers have acquired since the end of last season, Samuel has also had his fair share of injuries in the past, which seemed to be a theme for many of their additions this offseason. And while Samuel doesn't resemble the big bodied receiver that the Niners have been seeking for quite some time now, their third round selection certainly fits the bill. Hurd, a former running back at the University of Tennessee, stands at 6-foot-5 with 226 pounds and is an interesting specimen who provides plenty of versatility, but will likely be a project for Shanahan considering his raw talent. Either way, I don't think there's a receiver that Shanahan has drafted in his three years with the team that he hasn't liked in the NFL.

One of the more questionable picks in the draft, was who the Niners took in the 4th round, 110th overall. Needing a punter with Bradley Pinion now a member of the Buccaneers, Lynch & Shanahan got themselves a good one in Utah's Mitch Wishnowsky, but seemed to have reached for him considering the round they took him in. Recipient of the Ray Guy Award during his sophomore year in 2016, an award given to the best punter in college, the Aussie native will try to make pundits forget about his draft position and duplicate the success the 49ers had on special-teams when Andy Lee was punching his ticket to the Pro Bowl every other year. Hoping to strike gold at the linebacker position like they did with Warner in last year's draft, San Francisco selected Dre Greenlaw 148th overall out of Arkansas in the 5th round. With a trio of picks in round 6, Kaden Smith (176th), tight-end out of Stanford, Justin Skule (183rd), offensive-tackle out of Vanderbilt, and Tim Harris (198th), cornerback from Virginia, rounded out the 49ers' 2019 Draft class. Considering how needy San Francisco was for a defensive back, holding off until their final pick in the draft to select one came as a surprise to many.

Like Bosa and Samuel, Hurd, Greenlaw and Harris have all had a history of injuries during their collegiate careers, but the fun doesn't stop there. Free-agent acquisitions Kwon Alexander, a linebacker formerly with Tampa Bay and Jason Verrett a former Charger, are both coming off of season-ending injuries. Alexander who agreed to a hefty four-year, $54 Million deal, suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 with the Bucs last year and Verrett who signed a one-year contract for a modest $3.6 Million, was plagued with a torn Achilles tendon on the first day of training camp last year to go along with the myriad of other injuries he's had since entering the league as a 1st round pick in 2014. With both players having made the Pro Bowl -- Alexander in 2017 and Verrett in 2015, staying on the field would pay dividends for their new team, but will be a huge challenge, especially for Verrett who missed 43 of the last 48 games while a member of the Chargers with just about every injury under the sun. However, the signing remains a low-risk, high-reward deal for San Francisco hence the one year offer and figures of the contract.

Another piece the 49ers added this offseason via free-agency and a guy who was drafted by coach Shanahan during his time in Atlanta, is former Falcons running back Tevin Coleman who agreed to a 2-year deal worth $10 Million. Formerly one half of the 1-2 punch the Falcons featured at running back alongside Devonta Freeman, Coleman brings his familiarity with Shanahan's system to the Bay Area and also adds depth to the position that also includes running backs Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and the return of Jerick McKinnon who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews was also signed to strengthen the wide-out position and looks to find the spark he had during his first two seasons in Philadelphia when he tallied a combined 16 touchdowns and was on the doorstep of the 1,000 yards receiving plateau in his sophomore season when he fell just three yards shy. While the Niners decided to bring back a pair of former first round picks in free safety Jimmie Ward and defensive end Arik Armstead, some weren't as lucky as the team would bid farewells to OT Garry Gilliam, DE Cassius Marsh and LB Brock Coyle who were all released.

Having missed the playoffs for the past five seasons, 2019 will be a season in which the Niners will need to see major improvements on the field and in the win column before the seats of Shanahan & Lynch potentially begin to heat up, whether fair or not. A victim of overseeing a depleted roster due to countless injuries a season ago, coach Shanahan will be depending on a much healthier roster this upcoming season, most importantly at the quarterback position. And if QB Jimmy Garoppolo can make a full recovery and bounce back like all signs appear to indicate, then year three should be Shanahan's best yet at the helm of the 49ers. Though the hole at quarterback was a major concern a season ago with Jimmy G. out, it wasn't the only one as the woeful defense forced only seven takeaways in 2018, the fewest by a team in NFL history by a total, four fewer than the previous mark of 11 by the 1982 Baltimore Colts. San Francisco's new-look defense plans to throw that dubious record book out the window as they now feature one of the better pass rushing attacks in the league on paper with the additions of Bosa and Ford. The tandem should be a day and night difference from what they had a season ago alongside Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner.

With 49ers rookie mini-camp underway this week, full team training camp is slated to begin on July 25 for both rookies and veterans alike and will showcase plenty for us to keep an eye on as competitions are formed, guys get cut and roster spots are earned. The 49ers open the 2019 NFL regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


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