49ers training camp: 5 starting jobs fully up for grabs

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The 49ers don’t have too many holes in their starting lineup heading into 2022, yet these five spots are fully open to being seized during training camp.

The San Francisco 49ers may not be a Super Bowl favorite entering the upcoming 2022 season, but they’re certainly a solid contender and a strong play for making the postseason.

One of the benefits of being a playoff-caliber team is there won’t be too much argument about how the starting lineup looks, both on the offensive side of the ball and on defense, meaning the bulk of competition during training camp will focus squarely on climbing the depth chart.

However, the Niners aren’t completely devoid of starting assignments wholly up for grabs.

There may not be that many in comparison to some of the early years under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Nevertheless, there are a number of key spots on both sides of the ball where a clear-cut starter hasn’t been identified.

Let’s look at five such positions that’ll need to be determined in camp.

49ers starting position No. 5: Defensive end

Players in the mix: Charles Omenihu, Samson Ebukam, Drake Jackson, Kerry Hyder

San Francisco has one of the best dual-purpose edge defenders in the NFL in Pro Bowler Nick Bosa. And with interior defensive linemen like Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw poised to start, the 49ers appear to have three-fourths of their starting D-line in place.

However, in the wake of the inevitable parting of ways with oft-injured EDGE Dee Ford, the Niners have yet to identify who’ll occupy the other end spot opposite Bosa.

Sure, the 49ers invested a second-round NFL Draft pick in USC edge rusher Drake Jackson. Yet Jackson’s run-defense skills need some work, and he’s likely to start his pro career as a third-down rusher only.

This opens the door for players like Charles Omenihu, Samson Ebukam and potentially even Kerry Hyder, the Niners’ sack leader from 2020, to be base-down defenders.

All three of those players offer something in the pass-rush department, too, yet their ability to set the edge and stop the run will go a long way towards seeing a much more prominent role until Jackson gets up to speed.