San Francisco 49ers: Breaking Down Strongest, Weakest Positions in 2016
By Jerod Brown
Final Thoughts
The San Francisco 49ers have an unbalanced roster. They have a couple of positions that are obvious strengths and a few that are in massive need of help. The offseason is still young and these weaknesses can be addressed but they’re currently significantly behind.
Having a ton of players at a position doesn’t constitute a strength. If anything, the overcrowding of positions serves to prove that the team isn’t quite sure who will provide the play they need.
The wide receivers are competing for every spot behind Torrey Smith and nobody holds much of an advantage over one another. The cornerbacks are a fountain of youth with no real leader or shutdown option. The quarterbacks? Well, they’ll remain a mess unless Chip Kelly’s system continues to mask obvious deficiencies.
Fortunately, the team has an impressive and young defensive line that can be a building block for the franchise moving forward. On offense, the running back group will support a floundering quarterback until the team finds a true franchise starter.
The 49ers–and specifically general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly–will have to hope that the strengths of the roster can outweigh the weaknesses in 2016. Otherwise, a 5-11 record will feel like a success story.
Next: The 49ers Were Smart to Avoid Myles Jack
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.