49ers roster: 5 players who have offered almost nothing in 2021

49ers Player No. 1: Offensive Guard Aaron Banks

While it might be marginally understandable why the 49ers haven’t played their first-round NFL Draft pick, quarterback Trey Lance, much this season in an attempt to properly develop him, the same argument certainly can’t be used for their second-round pick, offensive guard Aaron Banks.

First- and second-round selections are typically asked to step in and contribute right away in some sort of capacity, either as an immediate starter or, at the very least, a high-quality backup who’s pegged to start in the very near future when ready.

Banks, however, hasn’t come close to being anything of the sort.

Again, maybe this is some Niners mismanagement. After all, Banks wasn’t exactly seen as a scheme fit for Kyle Shanahan’s zone-style offense, so questioning the pick in of itself is fair.

Still, Banks struggled in training camp, missed the bulk of the preseason and has been active for just one game his rookie year yet still never saw an offensive snap.

The player Banks was originally intending to replace, right guard Daniel Brunskill, has easily been San Francisco’s primary weak spot along the offensive line, yet no change has been made here. None appears imminent either, which is not a good sign.

At all.