Who are our "core players"?

Outside of Bowman?

Maybe category:
Offense
Kap
Hyde
Bush (if he has a full season)

Defense
Reid (if he can stay healthy)
Bethea

I am hopeful that some of the young unproven players can step into that role in the future - as early as the middle of this Season or perhaps next.

Tartt
AA
Lynch (total unknown for leadership at this point)
T. Smith (new to the Team and I hope he can really take over)

Other guys need to step up, and very hard to predict. Could be a total surprise.

Bump for this thread..... want to see how people's opinions have changed after watching some of the young guys for half a season....

Here is how I see it at this point:

Core Players (these are the guys we keep together for the long haul):
Carlos Hyde
Torrey Smith
Bruce Miller
Garrett Celek
Alex Boone
Aaron Lynch
Quinton Dial
Arik Armstead
Jimmy Ward
Jaquiski Tarrt

Bridge Players (guys that will see us through the rebuild but will get replaced at some point):
Kaepernick (if he doesn't restructure his deal, he'll be gone in favor of a FA vet)
Joe Staley
Anquan Boldin
Navarro Bowman
Ahmad Brooks
Eric Reid
Tramaine Brock

Goodbye Players (guys that will be gone before next season):
Vernon Davis
Pears/Devy/Martin debacle
Michael Wilhoite
Antoine Bethea
Corry Lemonier
Vance McDonald

Still Evaluating Players (guys that have shown something, but still need to prove that they are part of the solution):
Quinton Patton
Bruce Ellington
Tank Carradine
Eli Harold
Kenneth Acker
Blake Bell