Five San Francisco 49ers with Most to Lose During Training Camp
Five San Francisco 49ers With Most to Lose in Training Camp
The San Francisco 49ers were one win away from becoming Super Bowl champions. Colin Kaepernick took over for the injured Alex Smith nine games into the season. While head coach Jim Harbaugh was questioned by many for leaving Smith on the bench even when he recovered from his concussion, there was no denying he made the right move by keeping Kaepernick on the field.
Now Alex Smith has since left to join Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs, and this is clearly Kaepernick’s team. The Niners are a team on the upswing and they have a ton of talent, but do they have enough to get back to the Super Bowl next year?
They did lose a lot of key contributors from last year’s team; Dashon Goldson signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Michael Crabtree will not suit up this year because of a torn Achilles he suffered during OTAs.
But there are still a ton of bright sides to look at regarding this team. Patrick Willis is one of the best middle linebackers in the entire NFL, Aldon Smith is one of the most lethal sack specialists around and Vernon Davis is coming off of a breakout season.
Nevertheless, Harbaugh and company have some lofty expectations heading into next season. Teams will be zoning in on Kaepernick and the read option, hoping to stop this lethal force out of the backfield. With training camp rapidly approaching, some positions are set but others are still up for grabs. Here are the five 49ers players with the most to lose during training camp.
Zach Slotter is a writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @zslot6, Like his Facebook page or add him on Google.
5. A.J. Jenkins
AJ Jenkins was the 49ers' first round pick in 2012. He caught a grand total of zero passes as a rookie. With Crabtree out and Mario Manningham likely missing a chunk of the season with injury, Jenkins needs to prove he can be that number two guy alongside offseason acquisition Anquan Boldin.
4. LaMichael James
LaMichael James was taken in the second round of last year’s draft. He only played in four regular season games last year with 27 carries, but he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. He will be battling Kendall Hunter for backup duties to Frank Gore, and if he doesn’t perform in training camp, he won’t see the field this year.
3. Glenn Dorsey
Glenn Dorsey is a former top five pick who has a career total of four sacks in five years. Coming over to the 49ers he too has a chance to come in under the radar and try to resurrect his career. A weak training camp will likely result in a quick cut for Dorsey.
2. Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha came over after a disastrous two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Once known as the best corner in football, now he needs to just prove he should make a team. Asomugha is in a good situation, as he won’t have to start in the Niners secondary. He just has to make something happen on the field now.
1. Eric Reid
Even though he is only a rookie, Eric Reid was the Niners first round pick and they obviously were high enough on him to let Goldson walk. Reid has to come in and start right away on one of the best defenses in football; talk about pressure.
