Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Identifying 5 Cornerstone Players on 2017 Roster

By Peter Panacy

December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end DeForest Buckner (99) sacks New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. The Jets defeated the 49ers 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end DeForest Buckner (99) sacks New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. The Jets defeated the 49ers 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next

The San Francisco 49ers are short on talent. But they do have a number of players around which to build in coming years. Let’s take a look at five cornerstone pieces to help get the franchise back on track.

Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) takes the field before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) takes the field before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

If 2016 wasn’t an indication to you just how bad the San Francisco 49ers roster is, who knows what will be.

The Niners ranked close, or at, the wide majority of offensive and defensive categories last season. And, if you believe Hall of Famer Bill Parcells, San Francisco’s 2-14 record tells you exactly what anyone needs to know. It’s the indictment of indictments.

That said, the 49ers aren’t totally helpless. There are pieces in place. A few of them at least.

Good teams identify these cornerstone pieces and build rosters around them. While we have no clue how San Francisco’s front office and coaching staff are going to come together in 2017, it is possible to identify a number of the key contributors around which the roster should be built.

Let’s focus on those guys for a moment.

If the Niners are smart this offseason, they’ll try to formulate a roster that puts these guys’ talents into the best position for success.

Playmakers make plays, and these five will have to be a major part of the equation, as far as getting the 49ers back on track.

We find our first two within the secondary.