No. 1: Offensive Line Woes
Perhaps no other concern looms as large for the 49ers as their offensive line.
Sure, there are some new faces this training camp — Jeremy Zuttah, Tim Barnes, Brandon Fusco and Garry Gilliam, among others. Yet there aren’t exactly significant enough changes to suggest this group should improve upon some woeful numbers from a year ago.
The only safe bet along the line right now is left tackle Joe Staley. Zuttah could be a slight improvement, but that’s about it.
And then there’s the injury to offensive guard Joshua Garnett (knee), which could keep him out for a month or longer.
This likely pushes veteran lineman Zane Beadles into a starting position, which isn’t great, considering Beadles posted a lowly 39.5 overall grade last year, per Pro Football Focus.
There’s a chance the Niners O-line turns a page this season and jells enough to not be at the bottom of NFL rankings this year.
But the safer bet is this is a bad unit needing some additional help when the 2018 offseason rolls around.
Next: 49ers training camp stock watch after Week 2
Hopefully, though, these issues are minimized this season and, at best, play a role in determining the next courses of action general manager John Lynch and Co. have to take in this long-term rebuild.