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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Areas of Concern Entering Training Camp

By Chandler Wright

Jun 8, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly during minicamp at the San Francisco 49ers Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 8, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly during minicamp at the San Francisco 49ers Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco 49ers enter training camp coming off a 5-11 record in 2015. With a record that appalling, there must be plenty of reasons for the organization to be concerned. What are they and how can they be fixed? Niner Noise takes its crack at answering those questions ahead of July’s camp practices.

January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York (left), Chip Kelly (center), 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
January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York (left), Chip Kelly (center), 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 /

When a team goes 5-11, the first thing to analyze is usually the roster. For the San Francisco 49ers, the roster was in shambles last season, especially compared to other recent seasons. Retirements, injuries and free agent departures took a once proud franchise and dismantled its heartbeat.

This year, the roster is in a little better shape, but still, there aren’t a ton of household names like in years past.

The roster is full of young talent. Talent makes things exciting, but inexperience loses football games. It takes time to develop young players, and sometimes their first team doesn’t bear the fruit so to speak. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen to these 49ers. And I’m sure it won’t, as general manager Trent Baalke seems to be building from within, by signing the organization’s own players to deals before their contracts expire.

Too bad all of the holes haven’t been filled yet, and backups may not be ready to respond.

Last year, the 49ers biggest weaknesses on their roster included the offensive line group, as well as the quarterbacks. 49ers quarterbacks took the most sacks in team history, being brought down 53 times during the season. Most of this was due to the offensive line (which was ever changing), but Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert both had their struggles.

The 49ers also have a head coach, in former Oregon Duck Chip Kelly, whose offense is brilliant. With his scheme, Kelly should be able to mitigate some of the offensive line’s issues, as he likes quick-short passes that establish a rhythm and fast-pace. But Kelly’s scheme could take a while to sink in to his new locker room.

Whose to say? Only time will tell.

Let’s go ahead and take a look at these issues in further detail, as I attempt to rank the top five reasons the 49ers have for concern going into Training Camp 2016.

Next: No. 5, the Quarterback Battle