49ers 2019 training camp: 5 top takeaways amid preseason

The San Francisco 49ers are nearly halfway through their 2019 NFL preseason campaign, and training camp has revealed a number of key takeaways. Here are five of them.

Five minutes into the San Francisco 49ers‘ first preseason game of 2019, you were probably already clamoring for the regular season to begin.

But then you had the realization there’s still a month to go before the Niners wrap up this exhibition campaign, announce their 53-man roster and get ready for a Week 1 road bout against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Yet the NFL preseason and training camp is crucial for head coach Kyle Shanahan, perhaps more so this year than the previous two under his watch. After all, San Francisco’s expectation level for success is at an all-time high for Shanahan and his staff, and questions will pour in if the 49ers wind up having yet another sub-.500 season.

Better to solve as many problems and issues now compared to having to address them during the regular season, right?

While there are still three more preseason games and a slew of practice sessions between now and early September, we can deduce some pretty notable takeaways from training camp.

Here are five you need to know.

No. 5: It’s Good the 49ers Stockpiled Depth this Offseason

Like it or not, injuries are always a key factor in any team’s success or failure. And San Francisco is no exception.

The 49ers are already dealing with some notable injuries during training camp, including their top pick from this year’s NFL Draft, EDGE Nick Bosa, dealing with an ankle sprain. Veteran EDGE Dee Ford is also recovering from a minor knee issue. Third-year wide receiver Trent Taylor suffered a Jones fracture in his foot, likely keeping him out of action until the second or third week of the regular season.

Thankfully, the Niners stockpiled plenty of depth both along the defensive line and at wide receiver during the offseason.

Bosa, Ford and Taylor are all but guaranteed roster spots this season, so their respective injuries aren’t going to endanger their immediate future.

But what the injuries do accomplish is to allow other members deeper down the depth chart to see increased reps and snaps during practices and exhibition games. Considering both the defensive line and wide receiver groups are arguably the deepest positional units on San Francisco’s roster, the added evaluation of role players and depth could wind up proving crucial once the regular season rolls around and the 53-man roster is announced.