Is it late July yet? We're in that slow, quiet 40-day period between the San Francisco 49ers' mandatory minicamp and training camp. Not much is happening right now, so we decided now would be a good time to open the 49ers Webzone Mailbag to hear from fans of the team.
Thank you for your great questions. You always come through for us. Let's get to it.
Do you feel the coach will make an effort this year to give CMC more rest? - Lowbridge
That's my hope. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and Running Backs Coach Bobby Turner like to have Christian McCaffrey on the field as much as possible. So will they make an effort to take some of the load off their superstar running back? I'm not so sure.
Isaac Guerendo can be an explosive backup, but he dealt with some injuries last season. And he's better as a receiver than he is as a rusher. But I like Guerendo a lot and have high hopes for him.
It's way too early to know what to expect from Jordan James. He's a rookie, and we haven't even watched him in training camp yet, so we'll have to wait and see.
That said, Shanahan and Turner have to figure out a way to keep from running McCaffrey into the ground. I'm not sure if they agree, though.
Another thing to consider: A few weeks ago, Shanahan mentioned having to protect McCaffrey from himself during OTAs and minicamp, so that's another layer to this. McCaffrey hates missing practice and despises coming out of games even more. So maybe the question should be whether or not Shanahan, Turner, and McCaffrey will give McCaffrey more rest this year.
It's after June 1. What FA do you see them bringing in on 1 year deals? We definitely need another WR, no? - Will S.
It depends on how Shanahan and John Lynch feel about Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, and Jordan Watkins. Can they carry the load until Demarcus Robinson and Brandon Aiyuk return?
And speaking of Aiyuk, no one knows when he'll return or how he'll look when he returns. Players don't normally look the same in that first year after returning from an ACL injury—unless your name is Adrian Peterson.
Do the 49ers need to add a veteran wide receiver? The fanbase believes so. But does Shanahan and Lynch? If they do, three of the top available receivers are Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, and Gabe Davis. Cooper and Allen have been linked to the 49ers, and Davis has already met with the 49ers. So any of these three could be options.
Beyond the wide receiver position, injuries can always impact decisions, but I would also keep an eye on the safety market. Justin Simmons and Julian Blackmon have been linked to San Francisco, but it's been that way for a couple of years.
Who's gonna be the 49ers' Week 1 Kicker? Jake Moody or Greg Joseph? - Johnny Y.
I'm sticking with my prediction that it's going to be Jake Moody. Like him or not, he was very good before his injury last season (13-14, 93%), and very bad after returning from the injury (11-20, 55%). The coaches made a mistake in bringing him, and I think they know it.
The 49ers have too much invested in Moody, and new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer seems to like him. That gives Moody an edge. He's going to have to be awful in training camp and preseason to lose his job. And that's not likely to happen.
Matt Maiocco, of NBC Sports Bay Area, said the same thing on KNBR last week. "I think Jake Moody would have to, I don't know necessarily implode, but he would just have to give off the bad vibes that they would feel like it's necessary to move on. I think that, in a lot of ways, it has given Jake Moody a new lease on life with the 49ers. And I do think that he is—maybe not the overwhelming favorite—but certainly the clear favorite to win that job."
At the end of last season, I was all for moving on from Moody. But after seeing his numbers before and after the injury, I'm not sure I'm ready to bail on the young kicker yet. And Moody has tweaked his approach, making it shorter, which could help him be more accurate.
Do you guys think IG can play the "Deebo" position and be more productive next season? That is how I see him being used going forward. - CaptNiner
That might be an interesting way to use Guerendo. He will already be getting snaps in the backfield as a running back and will be a target out of the backfield. Might the 49ers line him up out wide like they did Deebo Samuel, for those quick passes that made Samuel famous? I'd like to see that. I'm just not sure how Guerendo would respond to that. But I'd try it and see what happens.
Some have mentioned using Cowing or Junior Bergen in the "Deebo role" as a receiver. But you can't just go out and easily replace Samuel. NFL teams have been looking for the next "Deebo" since 2019. But they don't grow on trees—Deebo Samuel is a unicorn.
Of the undrafted free agents, who has the best chance of making the 49ers' opening day roster? - Ed H
I doubt any of them will make the initial roster, but I'd give the edge to LB Stone Blanton. Next, I'd say RB Corey Kiner and WR Isaiah Neyor have the best odds. I'm intrigued by Neyor because he's big and fast.
But again, I don't expect any of them to make it unless Blanton makes it as a special teamer.
One thing going for Kiner is the history Shanahan and Turner have of choosing the low-drafted/undrafted running backs over the higher-drafted ones. They chose Elijah Mitchell over Trey Sermon and Jordan Mason over Ty Davis-Price. So be warned, Jordan James!
What's the biggest area of concern going into training camp? - WideNiner
Injuries are always the biggest concern, but I assume you're asking about the position group that is the biggest area of concern. So here are my biggest concerns heading into training camp:
- I'm going to put wide receiver at the top of the list, simply because of what we've already discussed. The 49ers will be thin at the position early in the season when it comes to veteran experience.
- I feel good with the starting offensive line, but I am a little concerned about the depth.
- Which corners will step up to help Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green?
- What will happen at safety? Malik Mustapha won't be ready to start the season. Can Ji'Ayir Brown bounce back from a down season? Will Marques Sigle be able to crack the starting lineup?
What is a realistic expectation for the 2025 season outcome? Also, what is a goal you believe this 2025 49er team should accomplish? - 49ers Empire
I'm not ready to say the 49ers will be playing at home in the Super Bowl, but it is possible. They have a favorable schedule, and many are overlooking them. They should be better than they were a year ago (which isn't saying much), and they are much more focused than they were this time last year. If they turn that into a postseason birth, anything can happen. And if they end up with home-field advantage, which includes a week of rest, that may be all it takes to get to the Super Bowl. Granted, getting past the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Rams won't be easy.
What goal should they accomplish? I'd say win the division. The Rams will be very good, but the 49ers may be just as good. And with an easier schedule, San Francisco will have the upper hand.
With Luke Farrell on board - and WR maybe a bit light, can you see more 2 TEs sets? - Lowbridge
I think it's very possible we could see more two-tight end sets until Robinson and Aiyuk return. Not only are the 49ers light on proven wideouts, but Shanahan will likely want to re-establish his vintage rushing attack that limped its way through 2024. Part of the problem last year was injuries to McCaffrey, Mason, and Trent Williams. But part of it was also the lack of a good number two tight end who could block well in the run game. The 49ers hope Luke Farrell helps with that.
That's all we have for this edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag. We'll be back with a new one in a few weeks.