Niner Noise 49ers roundtable: Start of 2019 season edition
Question 3: Did the preseason increase or decrease your perception of how good this 49ers team is?
Aaron Tan
Honestly, the preseason didn’t really change any of my opinions, because I have always viewed preseason as a glorified practice at the most.
Dee Ford and Nick Bosa didn’t play at all in the preseason, which means that we have not seen the defense at its full capabilities yet. Those two are true game changers.
As for the offense, well, Jimmy Garoppolo looked horrid in his 2019 debut against the Denver Broncos. However, he bounced back quite nicely, albeit with some missteps, at Kansas City the following week. I think that Garoppolo will have a slow start to the season to knock off the rust, but it remains to be seen how his ACL injury will affect his play style.
Akshaj Dwivedula
Held steady. Not enough players played long enough. Deebo Samuel’s stock moved up a ton for me, though.
Chris Wilson
I’ll be difficult and answer “neither.” I have more faith in the defensive unit particularly when Ford and Bosa take the field. But on the other side of the ball, offensive line problems, Garoppolo’s rocky start and lackluster wideout play gives me pause.
James Jones
Increased, albeit with some measured optimism. The 49ers are no doubt a more talented roster than at any time since Kyle Shanahan has been here. As we know that does not always translate into wins once the regular season commences.
The only way to determine if the team is improved, of course, is to play the games. I tend to see the upgrades at multiple positions as enough reason to believe the 49ers will be an improved unit in 2019. In the previous two seasons, the team has lost 11 one-possession games, a clear-cut sign that they lacked the experience to win those contests.
With another year under the veteran’s belts and the infusion of talented youth, the 49ers roster is much better than we’ve seen in years, they just have to go prove it on game days.
Jeremy Wohlfart
It’s increased slightly with the potential of another rookie class that could make immediate impact.
The big question is Garoppolo as he looked like he was still favoring his knee a bit. He needs to be confident in planting it and depending on it to hold up.
Joshua Altorfer
The preseason revealed the Niners are a team with a lot of depth. The wide receivers and running backs are so deep that guys like Jordan Matthews and Jeff Wilson were held off the active 53-man roster. While some fans are disappointed with moves like these, I think it speaks volumes to just how talented both groups are.
The defense looked much improved throughout preseason, even though guys like Nick Bosa and Dee Ford didn’t even play a snap.
Jimmy Garoppolo bounced back from his bad outing against Denver and had an efficient Week 3 against the Chiefs. Fans should be optimistic about the upcoming season based on what the team showed in preseason. My perception of how good this team can be definitely increased from what I saw in the four preseason games.
Peter Panacy
No change, although it raised some concerns. Offensive line depth is worrisome, and the 49ers were awfully lucky in that department last year. It’s hard to make judgments when the playbooks aren’t opened up much at all.
Robert Morrison
The preseason games didn’t tell me anything about the quality of the team because that isn’t what they’re for. However, two things make me feel better about this year.
For one, there weren’t a lot of places on the roster where major battles for starting positions took place, mostly backups and fringe guys, which means the top of the roster is as strong as it’s been in a while.
Second, Jimmy G, after that startlingly bad first game, bounced back and looked like himself a bit. It’ll take a bit more time, but his looking confident is great news for this team moving forward.
Timmy Gibson
Decrease. But only a little. The O-line certainly scared me, and Garoppolo looked shaky at times. However, I’m hoping that when I see the team at full strength, and once Garoppolo knocks off the rust, I’ll feel better.