The San Francisco 49ers are in their second week of training camp. There have already been several injuries, but there have also been a lot of good things, too. It should be a fun season.
We opened the 49ers Webzone Mailbag this week to find out what was on your mind. Let's jump in and take a look.
Do all these injuries have anything to do with the electrical substation, Marc? - Shawniieboy
I'm still doubtful. I know the timing has made people suspicious, especially with the number of injuries piling up, but I haven't seen anything overwhelming that connects the substation to what's happening with the 49ers. The team has also denied any connection.
I think the 49ers should take a longer look at their performance staff. Something seems to be off. Injuries are a part of football. But this team has way too many soft tissue injuries that are mostly avoidable. It may be time for a change there.
I've read conflicting reports where one claims Purdy looks jacked with extra zip on his passes, and another where he is floating more passes than normal. What have you seen? I'm assuming Purdy is who he is at this point in his career (meant as a compliment), but notice anything? - Scott B.
I wouldn't read too much into how much zip Brock Purdy has on his passes, or how much he's floating some of his throws. Quarterbacks will work on things during training camp, similar to how pitchers do in spring training. Not to the extent, but they experiment. I'm sure there are days he pushes the ball more than he does on other days.
I'm more concerned with Purdy developing chemistry with his new receivers. I want to see consistency more than zip. I'm not concerned with the 49ers QB, though. He's looked good so far. As long as he stays healthy, they'll be just fine.
Do you see Samuel as a starter or getting snaps through the game? While I think we have improved the corps dramatically, my concern is having he and Evans on the field at the same time - Defenses cram the line again. - Lowbridge
If the 49ers had signed Deebo Samuel, and Ricky Pearsall was healthy, then I think Samuel would be coming off the bench. But with Pearsall being out for the season, and with some other injuries to wide receivers, it's very likely that Samuel will be a starter.
But don't forget about Demarcus Robinson. He came on strong late last season, and I'm not sure they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs without Robinson. So don't count him out.
The Evans question is a fair one, though. If you put two bigger (and less speedy) receivers on the field and defenses don't have to respect the threat of speed vertically, they could potentially squeeze things down. That's where I hope some of the young guys like Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing, and De'Zhaun Stribling can help. The 49ers need enough speed and separation to keep defenses honest. I like the Evans addition, but they have to find a way to keep defenses from crowding the box.
How much do you expect De'Zhaun Stribling and Romello Height to contribute in Year 1? - Dave B.
I think Stribling has a better chance to contribute early simply because the opportunity is there at receiver, especially with the injury situation. He's already getting positive attention in camp, and his size and ability to make plays downfield give him something the 49ers have been looking for. I'm not ready to say he's going to have a huge rookie season, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's getting meaningful offensive snaps early in the season.
Height is a little harder to predict because he'll likely be a rotational player, coming in on obvious passing downs. As a situational pass rusher, he'll be expected to come in and get after the quarterback. He'll get plenty of snaps as a rookie, but Stribling could play more.
Both have an opportunity to make an impact early on. If they are healthy, I would expect Stribling and Height to be more impactful than most of the rookies the 49ers have had in recent years. That's the hope, at least.
Who's been studs in training camp so far? And who needs to step it up? - Ed H.
Studs:
- Stribling: He's not only been good for a rookie. He's been good period.
- Evans: He's a Hall of Famer. He's going to be a stud regardless.
- Fred Warner: No surprise here.
- Renardo Green: Nick Wagoner said Green has got his hands on a ball every practice. Guy Haberman said Green is his number one player so far.
- Ji'Ayir Brown: I never thought I'd include him, but maybe Raheem Morris is just what he needed.
- Christian McCaffrey: Looks better than he did a year ago.
- Kaelon Black: Runs with power.
- Osa Odighizuwa: The best defensive lineman in camp so far.
- Connor Colby: Matt Barrows says Colby is running away with the battle for the starting left guard position. Barrows said, "He could end up being the best left guard that they've had there in a while."
As far as who needs to step it up, anyone who's missing a lot of time due to injuries will be in this group. Christian Kirk is on that list. So is Malik Mustapha.
I'm still debating on paying a lot of money just to watch the 49ers play football on my TV this year. Can I get a list of 5 reasons this team will make it worth my money? - Jarrod H.
I like this question, even if it is a little on the pessimistic side. Let me give you five reasons to watch the 49ers this season.
- It's your team! Stay faithful. Don't quit on them.
- Brock Purdy. I think we're still going to see a quarterback who can make this offense go when things aren't perfect around him. But he has more talent around him this year. It should be fun.
- The receiver room. Evans, Samuel, Stribling, Robinson and some of the younger guys give Shanahan a lot more options. If they can stay healthy, I think this could be a fun group to watch. The offense, in general, should be really exciting to watch this season.
- A potentially different defense. I'm really curious to see what Morris does with this personnel. The early indications are that we're going to see some different looks and more versatility. I am also certain we'll see a more aggressive defense.
- The unknown. This team is never boring. And sometimes we don't even know what we'll get. There are new faces, a new defensive coordinator, questions about the offensive line, and a lot of young players who could have an impact. That could go really well, or there could be some bumps. Either way, I think there's enough uncertainty to make this season interesting.
What have you seen from not only De'Zhaun Stribling, but also Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing, and Mike Evans in training camp with the injury to Ricky Pearsall? - Shawniieboy
Stribling has probably been the guy who has jumped out the most to me among the younger receivers. He's a big target, he moves well for his size, and he's been getting opportunities. The Pearsall injury obviously makes his development even more important. I'm not saying he's ready to replace everything Pearsall would have brought, because that's not really fair to either player, but Stribling now has a chance to establish himself much earlier than anyone probably expected.
Watkins is another guy I'm watching closely because his speed gives the offense something it needs. Cowing has experience in the system and has a chance to make his case, particularly with the return-game competition. And he may be the fastest guy out there.
Evans has looked like the veteran you expected him to be before the quad issue. The concern now is simply getting everyone healthy. I like the depth more than I did a year ago, but losing Pearsall and then seeing Evans and others miss time makes you realize how quickly that depth can get tested.
That's all we have for this edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag. Thanks for all the questions. We'll be back in a couple of weeks with a brand new mailbag.
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