Recently, 49ers Webzone journalist Marc Adams wrote an article outlining which San Francisco 49ers rookies have the best chance of contributing early. He does a good job identifying opportunities different rookies will have, but I want to take a deeper dive into what will affect the snap counts for three players.
Edge rusher Romello Height
Height was a productive edge defender in his time at Texas Tech, and he figures into the defensive line rotation this season. ESPN.com currently lists him as the backup to defensive ends Nick Bosa and Sam Okuayinonu.
Okuayinonu has been a valuable rotational player, but he has never had more than three sacks in a season. The Niners were worst in the league in sacks last year, generating only 20, largely due to injuries to Bosa and Mykel Williams, the other starting defensive end. But that meant players such as Okuayinonu played more snaps, and his lack of production is part of the reason Height was drafted. Don't be surprised if Height moves ahead of him on the depth chart quickly.
The question is not what role Height will play, and considering the unit's lack of production, we know he will see the field often. But what happens when Mykel Williams returns? Williams was hurt in Week 9 last season, and he is supposedly hoping to return to the field during training camp.
While there have been updates and frequent evidence concerning tight end George Kittle's recovery, there has not been as much talk about Williams'. In the past, we have heard that players "hope" to be ready for Week 1—remember all of the talk surrounding a certain disgruntled wide receiver this time last year?—but frequently that does not come to fruition.
Not only would Williams have to be physically ready to hit the field in the next few weeks, but he also has to get into football shape. Perhaps a more conservative timeline should be expected.
Therefore, before Williams returns during training camp—if he does—Height will get more reps. If Williams is out for any time early in the season, Height will get more reps. And since the Niners' situational pass rusher last year, Bryce Huff, retired, more snaps will be available. Ditto if Williams has a lower snap count early.
Add to that the fact that Williams often slides inside on passing downs to rush the passer. It is possible that if Height flashes in camp, he will not only be the starter at one of the edge positions to start the season, but also one of the primary pass rushers on third down even after Williams returns. Williams' timeline will go a long way to determining how Height develops.
Defensive tackle Gracen Halton
One of the biggest problems with pass rush production last year was that little pressure was generated on the inside. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins was drafted solely to stop the run, and Jordan Elliott—now with the Tennessee Titans—was also a run-first defender. That was why general manager John Lynch traded for Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. He has pass rush chops. It is also the reason Lynch drafted Halton, an inside disruptor at Oklahoma last year.
Here is where it gets interesting. Collins will likely play on rushing downs, so one of the two defensive tackle spots is open. That will likely be Odighizuwa, but stopping the run is not his forte. Who will play the other defensive tackle on 3rd-and-longs, and who will be there when the opponent starts a series, is unclear.
The assumption is that Odighizuwa will be a three-down defender, but what happens if Halton proves to be a great disruptor? Could he be the three-down guy or at least a three-down guy some of the time?
In addition to that, what happens when Williams comes back and slides inside? Does that mean Halton or Odighizuwa heads to the bench on third downs?
The Niners hope Halton will be a force in the middle, but if he is, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will have some tough—but welcome—decisions to make regarding the starting rotation.
Wide receiver Jacob Cowing
The current assumption is Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk, and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling will be the first four on the depth chart in some order.
But who returns punts has not been determined. Last year, newly acquired Skyy Moore took over those duties and was the best punt returner the Niners have had since Ted Ginn, but Moore left after the season.
Kirk has been a productive kick returner in his career, but will head coach Kyle Shanahan prefer to protect him and give those duties to Jacob Cowing? He did that two years ago but was not remarkable. If he doesn't fill that role this year, can he nail down a roster spot as the number five wide receiver?
Second-year player Junior Bergan, drafted specifically because of his return expertise in college, might also be in the mix, but would doing that one thing justify a roster spot? Is he a good enough receiver that he provides value at that position? Who returns punts will have a big impact on several players.
Who starts is usually pretty straightforward for most position groups. This year, however, injuries, timelines, and secondary responsibilities will play a bigger role than usual in the development of some of the newcomers.
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