Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Grading each position heading into 2018 training camp

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Solomon Thomas #94 and Eli Harold #57 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after the Seattle Seahawks missed a field goal attempt at Levi's Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Solomon Thomas #94 and Eli Harold #57 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after the Seattle Seahawks missed a field goal attempt at Levi's Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 01: Kicker Robbie Gould #9 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts with punter Bradley Pinion #5 after kicking a second quarter field goal during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 01: Kicker Robbie Gould #9 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts with punter Bradley Pinion #5 after kicking a second quarter field goal during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

B. . . . SPECIAL TEAMS

Key Additions: Dante Pettis, D.J. Reed, Richie James

Believe it or not, the 49ers boasted one of the NFL’s best special teams units in 2017. According to Pro Football Focus, which assigned the Niners an overall 71.0 grade, San Francisco’s special teams ranked fifth best in the league a year ago.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Veteran kicker Robbie Gould‘s 95.1 field-goal percentage ranked second out of all qualifying kickers, and he missed just two of his 30 extra-point attempts. A Pro Bowl snub for sure.

Outside of the specialists, the 49ers also boasted the league’s best in average punt-return yards against (4.2).

It’s safe to say this unit excelled.

But special teams are hard to evaluate as a whole on a year-to-year basis. Aside from those specialists, there’s generally a lot of roster turnover. Special teamers often make up the fringes of the roster. Sure, Gould and punter Bradley Pinion may be just fine in 2018. And the Niners added some viable return men in the NFL Draft, Dante Pettis, D.J. Reed and Richie James.

Continuity among the coaching staff should help, as special teams coach Richard Hightower returns for another year of duty.

That keeps this unit from starting off 2018 with a C-grade, but it’s far too early to determine how the coverage units will shape up.