49ers training camp: 5 biggest battles to watch in 2021

49ers training camp battle No. 4: Starting Right Guard

While nowhere near as flashy as an elusive or overpowering running back, San Francisco’s offense will ultimately go as far as its offensive line will allow.

So, it’s no wonder the 49ers invested heavily in upgrading the O-line during the offseason.

One of the big moves, of course, was to use a second-round draft pick on Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks, who’s more of a power mover and might take some time to adjust to Kyle Shanahan’s outside-zone rushing scheme.

That said, Banks is the preferred choice to win out at right guard, potentially pushing the versatile Daniel Brunskill back into a reserve role in 2021.

It might be wise to have Brunskill support the rest of the Niners O-line as a backup, as he’s essentially played all five spots during the last two years and generally accounted for himself well. In theory, this would allow San Francisco to feasibly keep only three backup linemen on the 53-man roster, saving an extra spot to beef up the depth somewhere else.

Yet this is all contingent upon Banks winning out in training camp and being a key reason why the 49ers O-line is significantly better than it was a year ago.