San Francisco 49ers’ Offseason Tries for Quiet Improvements
The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback battle continues to dominate headlines, but good things are brewing in the bay.
Offseason reports have unanimously decided the Kaepernick vs Gabbert matchup has been a disaster with poor outings day in and day out. A decision for the starting quarterback probably won’t come until late in the preseason.
And while the quarterback remains the most important position in the pass-happy league, the 49ers have other positions to be looking forward to.
Navarro Bowman is locked up on a monster four-year deal that has him playing for the Bay until 2022, when he’s 34 years old. There have been critics toward the deal, but despite odd timing, he is one of the few key pieces during their dominating three-year span under Harbaugh that are still playing for San Francisco and it is important for the 49ers to hold on to him during his prime.
Carlos Hyde continues to impress Chip Kelly as they set the bar for him to have a breakout season. With seemingly no capable quarterback in sight in Chip Kelly’s fast-paced and run heavy offense, expectations should be high for the junior running back.
“Carlos is a stud. He’s been a full go since we started in the beginning of April. Participated in everything. And he’s as advertised. To have someone that size that is agile, has the vision, it’s really impressive to see him work every day.”- Chip Kelly
The run game with Carlos Hyde should excel even more so with the Oregon Wall playing above expectation. College teammates Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner continue to excel manning the defensive wall. The secondary has plenty of holes but with Bowman anchoring the linebackers and the youthful defensive line looking to dominate opposing running backs and quarterbacks, the 49ers’ defense can improve on the 24.2 points per game allowed in 2015.
The 49ers are perceived as an ugly and chaotic team. And while it’s hard to win without a stable quarterback this team is seeing improvements in small steps. Chip Kelly is a coach that can win with subpar talent while the defense continues to take steps forward. Hyde will look to carry the ball and chain of the offense with a career year and cover for the weak quarterback play.
They’re not favored to win a single game, but they are far from a 0-16 team. The little things to root for right?