No. 2: Injury concerns
You knew that it would come to this. No matter what anyone tries to say or explain, the 49ers season will be defined by injuries. Last year, per Football Outsiders (h/t Niners Nation), the 49ers lost 105 games due to injury. That is absolutely crazy.
And it’s not like the Niners are avoiding injuries or choosing iron men. No, they’re basically running headfirst into the storm and yelling at the sky. Signing Verrett, whose career has been derailed only by injuries, or signing linebacer Kwon Alexander, coming off a torn ACL, or even drafting EDGE Nick Bosa, whose collegiate season ended with a quad issue, all laugh in the face of the injury bug.
Richard Sherman is finally feeling healthy, although his leg issues have cost him a bit of speed. Matt Breida torn his pectoral muscle when lifting. Linebacker Fred Warner needed a clean-up surgery on his knee. Running back Raheem Mostert needed a surgery to fix his broken forearm and then a second surgery. Bosa sprained his hamstring in practice. Jimmie Ward broke his collarbone, the list goes on and on.
This training camp will be defined by how people recover, and more importantly, who doesn’t get hurt.