4 players who deserve more playing time after 49ers loss to Rams

The 49ers should ensure these four backups see more of the field in light of older established players not getting the job done.

The San Francisco 49ers are taking longer than expected to "figure it out" over the course of 2024.

With three weeks in the books, and following a disastrous 27-24 meltdown in Week 3 at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad is searching for answers amid a sea of problems.

Many of those issues stem from injuries, including ones that carry over from last year and others that have plagued the Niners early this season.

But injuries have highlighted one key problem: inadequate depth. Perhaps more significantly, many of San Francisco's backup veterans and fill-in starters have struggled over the first three weeks, leading many to believe Shanahan and Co. would be wiser shaking up the depth chart heading into Week 4's contest against the New England Patriots.

That equates to these four role players seeing an increase in field time.

No. 1: Wide receiver Jacob Cowing

Second-year wide receiver Ronnie Bell's tenure with the 49ers should have ended after a horrid preseason, but it assuredly should close after two brutal drops against LA, including one that could have iced the game late in the fourth quarter.

Bell is a superior blocker than rookie wideout Jacob Cowing, yes. But the latter is far more dynamic as an offensive weapon and has more reliable hands, too.

Yet Cowing hasn't taken a single offensive snap this season. That should change.

Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area backed up this claim by writing:

"Jacob Cowing, who already claimed the 49ers' punt return job over Bell, is healthy and might already be a more reliable target than Bell. The rookie has yet to be on the field for an offensive play but already has been active on game days as part of the special teams unit, thus San Francisco would not need to create an extra spot on the 48-player game day roster. "

If top wide receiver Deebo Samuel (calf) misses more time, Cowing should emerge as a go-to option.

No. 2: Linebacker Dee Winters

Unlike Cowing, the Niners have been trying to work second-year linebacker Dee Winters into the fray, but an unfortunate injury in Week 3 negated those efforts, leaving veteran backer De'Vondre Campbell in.

Those results weren't pretty, as Campbell was directly responsible for a rushing touchdown allowed to Los Angeles running back Kyren Williams before committing a costly pass-interference penalty on the Rams' final possession of the game, one that led to the game-winning field goal.

Campbell, who has looked nothing like the first-team All-Pro he was back in 2021 with the Green Bay Packers, is merely a stopgap until star linebacker Dre Greenlaw returns from last season's ACL tear.

However, considering Winters is likely a bigger part of San Francisco's long-term plans and not Campbell, benching the latter in favor of the former would be a wise choice until Greenlaw returns.

No. 3: Linebacker Tatum Bethune

Linebacker play has been especially problematic behind All-Pro Fred Warner this season, yet the 49ers have the pieces to potentially alleviate it.

Yes, the Niners appreciate veteran Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for his special teams savvy, but he's never been a reliable defender who can hold up in coverage or maintain consistency against the run.

Pass coverage was one of rookie Tatum Bethune's collegiate strengths. Despite being undersized at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, the seventh-round draft pick nevertheless impressed during training camp and in the preseason, pushing second-year pro Jaylen Graham off the 53-man roster.

Bethune might be the smarter long-term developmental option over Flannigan-Fowles at this point, and letting the rookie take his lumps could have notable benefits over the course of a full season.

San Francisco already knows what it has in Flannigan-Fowles anyway.

No. 4: Cornerback Renardo Green

Cornerback is a frustrating position when it comes to first- and second-year pros, as it often requires a steep learning curve that isn't quickly solved.

That said, rookie Renardo Green figures to be a prominent member of the 49ers' defensive backfield for a long time, which isn't exactly the case for the one-year veteran, Isaac Yiadom, who shined during camp but has since largely underwhelmed over the course of the first three weeks.

The Niners are still deep at corner, boasting two elites in Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, meaning they can likely get away with some inexperience if that trait is accompanied by youthful talent.

Green over Yiadom would be a solid shake-up to the depth chart, and it could pay dividends over the rest of the season.

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