It’s hard to argue with the fact the San Francisco 49ers have had a strong offseason.
After already strengthening the roster with veterans like Dee Ford and Kwon Alexander via trade and free agency, the team continued to build its core with a strong draft that netted top prospects in defensive end Nick Bosa and wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
However, even with the overall improvement, there are still some issues that linger and question marks that need to be resolved. Here are four concerns that remain about the 49ers after the NFL draft:
Interior Offensive Line
San Francisco allowed 125 quarterback hits in 2018, which was second most in the NFL. While many of the issues with pass blocking had to do with struggles at guard and center, the 49ers didn’t address the interior in the draft.
It’s possible that a healthy Weston Richburg will help solve some of the issues. The prized free agent center battled a painful leg injury for much of last year. Beyond that, the Niners have to hope Laken Tomlinson, Mike Person, or Joshua Garnett can step up and improve the overall play at guard.
Secondary
General manager John Lynch and company invested five picks in the secondary in the 2017 and 2018 drafts. That made it unlikely the team would continue to invest draft capital there. At some point, it just makes more sense to let the guys they have develop and see what’s actually there.
Still, the 49ers had serious issues with coverage last year, and Richard Sherman isn’t getting any younger. Can Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore take steps forward? Can Jason Verrett, Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward stay healthy?
Simply put: There are more questions than answers right now in a crowded, but suspect, back end of the defense. It could be another long year for the defense if those questions don’t have definitive answers by the end of camp.
Health at Wide Receiver
The 49ers made receiver a priority in the draft by selecting Sameul and Jalen Hurd in the second and third rounds, respectively. While the overall production of the group should be improved, whether they can all stay healthy is still a concern.
Four of San Francisco’s top five receivers missed time due to injury last season, including projected No. 1 option Dante Pettis. He was sidelined twice with knee injuries. Samuel himself had his freshman and junior seasons cut short by injuries, and his physical style makes him more of an injury risk.
Tackling and Communication
The assumption is that the additions of Ford and Bosa will improve the pass rush and cover for any issues behind them, but there still needs to better communication and fundamentals than the defense showed last season.
The 49ers were plagued by missed assignments and poor tackling for much of 2018, and it remains to be seen if that will improve with mostly the same pieces at linebacker and in the secondary.
The new addition here, Alexander, brings speed and playmaking ability to the unit. On the other hand, he’s struggled as a tackler. Alexander missed 70 tackles from 2015-2017, which was the most for any inside linebacker during that span per Pro Football Focus.
