The 49ers may be off to a disappointing 3-4 start to the year, but there are some notably positive developments happening over the course of the season.
It’s easy to be frustrated with the San Francisco 49ers’ start to their 2022 campaign.
A 3-4 record seven weeks into the season is a problem, especially when three of those losses came against inferior opponents like the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons. And with the Niners looking to get back on track amid a weakish NFC, each one of those losses could end up being disastrous when final playoff seeding is determined.
Yet San Francisco is a long way away from that point, and it hasn’t always been bad for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad.
In fact, there have actually been some notably great developments for the 49ers this season, some of which weren’t exactly ones anyone would have predicted.
Let’s take a look at some of those net positives for the red and gold from these first seven weeks.
49ers positive No. 1: Nick Bosa playing at an All-Pro level
Perhaps this isn’t a shocker or a surprise, but Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa is playing at an All-Pro level.
He should have been an All-Pro a year ago anyway, but blame the voters on that one.
Regardless, Bosa is back among the league leaders in the sack department with seven, tied with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and just 1.5 sacks behind the NFL leader, New England Patriots linebacker Matt Judon.
And Bosa has reached that feat over six games played. Had he not missed Week 6 because of a groin injury, there’s a good chance he’d be in the sack lead right now.
Bosa still headlines what’s been a pinnacle piece of the Niners defense, their defensive line, and he’s playing at an All-Pro level right now, which is probably to be expected.
Still, it’s a pleasant development that will help keep San Francisco’s defense playing at a high level despite a two-game skid.
49ers positive No. 2: Charles Omenihu has been a nice revelation
The 49ers seem to have a knack for picking up castoff-type players, either via trades or from the free-agent scrap heap, then turning them into bona fide contributors.
Last season’s trade pickup of defensive end Charles Omenihu from the Houston Texans didn’t move the needle much, in terms of the Niners’ defensive potency. But it did help with depth, and San Francisco has needed that depth a good deal thus far in 2022.
Sure, Nick Bosa is receiving the praise for leading the 49ers in the sack department, but Omenihu isn’t far behind on the leaderboard with three of his own, those coming in a rotational role.
Niners Nation’s Jordan Elliott described why Omenihu has been so valuable to the Niners this season:
"The 49ers are getting this high level of production from Omenihu while he is making just $2,540,000 this season. Two and a half million dollars is an absolute steal when you compare it to the amount of money being made by players who aren’t producing at the same rate Omenihu is. Omenihu currently has a pressure rate of 13.6%, which ranks in the top 15 among players with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps this season."
San Francisco has long focused not just on star power for its D-line but also the depth, and Omenihu’s presence is paying off nicely.
Cheaply, too.
49ers positive No. 3: Aaron Banks is finally coming into form
Perhaps the 49ers knew what they were doing all along when they used a 2021 second-round NFL Draft pick on former Notre Dame offensive guard Aaron Banks, even though he struggled in training camp his rookie season and eventually saw only five regular-season snaps that year.
Banks was essentially handed the starting left guard spot when Pro Bowler Laken Tomlinson departed in free agency, and that alone raised questions about whether or not Banks would be adequate enough as a replacement.
So far, however, so good. And then some.
Highest-graded 49ers player against Kansas City (PFF): Aaron Banks. 91.5. He has yet to allow a sack this season
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) October 24, 2022
Read More: Aaron Banks’ improvement in Year 2 has been fun to watch
Not long after Banks’ first year in the pros, it wasn’t hard to find takes out there (including some of our own) suggesting he was trending towards being a complete bust.
To date, he’s easily the best-performing interior offensive lineman on the Niners’ roster right now.
49ers positive No. 4: Charvarius Ward has been worth the cost
San Francisco only had one big-ticket free-agent acquisition last offseason, inking away cornerback Charvarius Ward from the Kansas City Chiefs on a lucrative three-year deal worth up to $40.5 million.
Sure, Ward wasn’t exactly great against his old team, but in fairness, few on the 49ers defense should be bragging about their efforts during that game. And Ward had just come off a groin injury, too, so it’s probable he wasn’t at 100 percent.
Taking away Week 7, the Niners’ investment in Ward is paying off nicely.
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He already has 38 tackles and nine passes broken up, as well as an interception and a forced fumble. And even including the debacle against Kansas City, Ward is forcing opposing quarterbacks to post a passer rating of just 64.3 when targeting him in coverage.
That’s good.
Considering just how big a problem San Francisco’s cornerback room was a year ago, Ward’s presence has mostly solidified this group, turning it from a weakness into a strength.
And that’s precisely what the 49ers will need if they want to stay in the playoff discussion over the second half of 2022.