49ers Training Camp position-by-position breakdown

Defensive Line Breakdown

The 49ers will suffer slightly from no longer having Justin Smith on the defensive prowl, but only a little. True, Smith was a stud and one of the best defensive linemen in the game, having opened up countless holes for linebackers to blitz quarterbacks or stuff running backs behind the line of scrimmage, but “The Cowboy” was not getting any younger and it is time for the 49ers to let some young guns step up and get some reps. In the long run, if not in 2015, this will prove to be better for the organization.

So who are these young guns taking over for Smith? Tank Carradine and Tony Jerod-Eddie have been around for awhile, but have not yet had the chance to play a large number of reps. That should change this season as both will be regulars in teh 49ers rotation. The addition of Darnell Dockett will also help the 49ers get over the loss of a fan favorite, as Dockett, when healthy, is one of the better defensive linemen in the NFL.

Ian Williams return from injury will be a boon to the 49ers at Nose Tackle as he will be able to split time with Glenn Dorsey, who had a career resurgence in San Francisco, keeping both of them fresh. While I’m at it, thank goodness Ray McDonald is gone.

Two more interesting players to keep an eye on are Quinton Dial, who will likely make the roster but is not guaranteed of a spot, and former Olympian and Briton Lawrence Okoye, who will be hoping to crack the 53-man roster after two seasons on injured reserve and the practice squad, respectively.

To add to this impressive depth, even without Justin Smith, is newcomer and first-round draft pick Arik Armstead. Armstead, an Oregon product, is quite raw and will probably not be a starter for at least most of this season, but has all of the physical tools to be one of the best in the game. Look for him to learn a lot from veterans, especially Dockett, and begin to let his talent really shine later on in the season.

Next: Linebackers Breakdown