Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 10 Players with a Lot to Prove in 2016

By Peter Panacy

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
10 of 11
Next
May 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) during organized team activities at the SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) during organized team activities at the SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Linebacker Ahmad Brooks

At 31 years old and as one of the more expensive 49ers players on the roster, linebacker Ahmad Brooks may already be heading towards the door as San Francisco looks to get cheaper and younger all around.

True, Brooks was tied for the team lead — alongside fellow linebacker Aaron Lynch — in sacks with 6.5. But Brooks graded out with a minus-10.2 overall grade in 2015, which was second worst above inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite (minus-16.5), according to Pro Football Focus.

So that makes Brooks an expensive commodity who is no longer playing at the same level which earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2013.

Salary concerns may have already determined Brooks’ fate this season. Yet the Niners may want to consider at least holding onto him for one more year depending on what they do in free agency, the draft and how those players, if added, pan out in 2016.

Still, it’s reasonable to assume Brooks doesn’t have a promising future with the team this season. And it’s all but guaranteed 2016 will be his last in San Francisco given the shape of things to come.

Next: QB Colin Kaepernick