Niner Noise
FanSided

5 reasons to be excited about the 49ers in 2019

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 24: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jimmy Garoppolo #10 after a one-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 24: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jimmy Garoppolo #10 after a one-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /
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SAN DIEGO, CA – DECEMBER 06: Cornerback Jason Verrett #22 of the San Diego Chargers celebrates after intercepting a pass in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium on December 6, 2015 in San Diego, California. The Broncos won 17-3. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA – DECEMBER 06: Cornerback Jason Verrett #22 of the San Diego Chargers celebrates after intercepting a pass in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium on December 6, 2015 in San Diego, California. The Broncos won 17-3. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Better Competition at Positions of Question

Last season, the 49ers essentially handed starting jobs to players like cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and Adrian Colbert. There wasn’t much by the way of training camp competition, and those two were all but given starting jobs after impressive 2017 campaigns.

But then, both players struggled during their second seasons at the pro level, with Pro Football Focus ranking each dead last among qualifiers amid their respective positions.

Both players are coming off season-ending injuries, yet the Niners aren’t going to simply gift either defender a starting job in 2019. San Francisco brought in veteran cornerback Jason Verrett to compete for the No. 2 job alongside Richard Sherman, while also moving defensive back Jimmie Ward into his natural free safety spot to compete with Colbert.

The added competition doesn’t stop in the secondary, either. More bodies at wide receiver, namely rookies Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd, spark some competition amid a position group which failed to produce a 500-yard pass catcher last season. The No. 2 tight end spot is up for grabs, particularly after the team added Kaden Smith in the NFL Draft and inked the veteran, Levine Toilolo, to a one-year deal.

It seems as if Kyle Shanahan recognized the need to instill some heftier competition at some of his weakest positions from a year ago.

If this competition breeds the best out of players, the Niners should be in far better shape than they were a year ago at this time.