San Francisco 49ers: 5 Players Who Disappointed in 2015
By Peter Panacy
Linebacker Michael Wilhoite
2015 revealed inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite is best suited as a backup rather than a full-time starter — a role he was forced to accept after the offseason retirements of LBs Patrick Willis and Chris Borland.
Wilhoite played particularly well the year before while fellow linebacker NaVorro Bowman recovered from his knee injury suffered in the 2014 NFC Championship game. But this season proved Wilhoite’s 2014 campaign wasn’t a sign of things to come.
True, Wilhoite was second on the team in tackles (62). But the 29-year-old undrafted free agent offers nothing in the pass rush and was a liability in coverage. Pro Football Focus gave him a minus-11.2 pass-coverage grade and a minus-16.5 grade, overall — lowest among all 49ers defenders.
Wilhoite suffered an ankle injury in Week 13 and was eventually placed on season-ending injured reserve. The 49ers may still retain him in 2016, given he’s a restricted free agent, but the team will be looking for some sort of upgrade during the offseason.
Next: Torrey Smith