Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 5 Young Players to Watch in 2016

By Chandler Wright

Oct 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (59) reacts after recording a sack against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Levi
Oct 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (59) reacts after recording a sack against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Levi /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next

The San Francisco 49ers are in the midst of rebuilding under new Head Coach Chip Kelly. While they may be exciting this year, rebuilding takes time. Here are five players who fit the Baalke/Kelly mold that will be in San Francisco for a long time and have breakout seasons in 2016.

Chip Kelly Trent Baalke Free Agency Frugal 49ers
January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Chip Kelly (left) and San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke (right) pose for a photo in a press conference after naming Kelly as the new head coach for the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

The San Francisco 49ers offseason program is in full swing, as the team held their three day rookie minicamp last weekend. Excitement is building about the new faces on the team this year. The 49ers roster was depleted over the last two years, but there is still a lot of talent on it, despite the fact that the talent is quite young.

Over the last two offseasons, 49ers general manager Trent Baalke has been trying to rebuild and reshape his roster as he sees fit. He’s added players such as defensive ends Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, both first round picks from Oregon, as well as lesser known players like right tackle Trenton Brown, from Florida.

Adding Head Coach Chip Kelly into the mix, the 49ers general manager/head coach combination and relationship is as strong as ever — certainly better than the Baalke – Jim Harbaugh relationship, anyway. Baalke and Kelly both like building a team with the same type of players: big players with as much power as they can possibly have. This will make for a lasting bond between the 49ers front office and its coaching staff.

Because we’re going to look at breakout players in this article, let’s answer the question: What does it take for a player to have a breakout season? It takes being in the right situation (coaching and scheme), having the skill-set necessary (talent level), and being determined (work ethic) to make it happen. Scheme fit, strong finishes during the previous season, and a solid offseason of work are all things you look for, so without further ado, let’s see what players will have strong 2016 campaigns for the new and improved 49ers.

Next: 1. DeForest Buckner