NFL preview: San Francisco 49ers
The Niners showed some life after Mike Singletary took over as their coach last season, but they sure don't appear to have enough talent to be anything more than mediocre.
Projected finish: 7-9 (2nd in NFC West)
Frank Gore might rush for 1,500 yards, but that's mostly because the 49ers plan to deploy perhaps the most run-heavy offensive attack in the league. They also figure to have one of the worst passing games anywhere. They do have some positives on defense, mostly at linebacker, but there are just too many holes on both sides of the ball to expect San Francisco to be better than average at either offense or defense.
Shaun Hill beat out former top overall pick Alex Smith to be the starting QB for the 49ers. While the undrafted free agent showed some spunk in the chances he got during the past two years (he's got a career QB rating over 90), he's still a long way from an established starting NFL QB. Most of the offense will run through Gore, who has an impressive career average of 4.7 yards per carry, but who hasn't exceeded 4.3 yards per attempt in either of the last two seasons. That figures to be true for a third straight year if Hill can't make opponents pay for stacking defenders in the box to stop Gore.
Second-year WR Josh Morgan is arguably the team's No. 1 receiver despite catching a mundane 20 passes as a rookie. Otherwise the 49ers have veteran Issac Bruce, the banged-up Brandon Jones and Jason Hill at the position. TE Vernon Davis could become the best receiver on the team, if he'd learn to maximize his potential and behave. Among the likely offensive line starters that need to play over their heads for this offense to succeed are Joe Staley, David Baas, Eric Heitmann, Chilo Rachal and Adam Snyder.
Former Cincinnati first-round pick Justin Smith is probably the best player on the 49ers defensive line. DE Issac Sopoaga and NT Aubrayo Franklin also figure to start up front. Tackling machine Patrick Willis and veteran Takeo Spikes make inside linebacker the strongest area on the team for the 49ers. San Francisco needs former first-round pick Manny Lawson to be better on the outside, and would sure like Parys Haralson to meet or exceed his eight 2008 sacks on the other side.
I'm still not sure that CB Nate Clements is worth all of the money the 49ers are playing him, but he should be one of the best players on the team. Shawntae Spencer, Marcus Hudson, Tarell Brown and Allen Rossum aren't exactly great names to have penciled in at the other cornerback spots, however. SS Michael Lewis is an established NFL starter, but the same can't be said of Dashon Goldson, the listed first teamer at free safety.
