49ers mailbag: Who gives the biggest boost to the offense — Hurd, Taylor or McKinnon?
Somehow, some way, the pads are coming on for training camp practices in a little under a week, which means reporters will get to watch live football for the first time since that game in early February.
We’ll be masked, sanitized and properly distanced from the players, of course, but will have our first opportunity to check in on the defending NFC Champs. With that, let’s get to your questions with another mailbag.
Eric asks: Biggest boost to the offense (if healthy) — McKinnon, Taylor or Hurd — and why?
I think it’s Hurd. He gives the 49ers a dynamic they don’t have at receiver, and he might end up being one of the most versatile players on offense if he plays like the 49ers hope over the next few seasons.
Hurd, of course, had a string of good practices during last year’s training camp and caught two impressive touchdowns in the preseason opener before his season-ending back injury.
But he could also give Kyle Shanahan a versatile red zone option. He could line up anywhere, even the backfield given his background at running back at Tennessee (also, Jauan Jennings played quarterback in high school and the thought of a zone read with Jennings and Hurd in the backfield has to have crossed Shanahan’s mind, right?).
I think Taylor is second on the list because of how valuable he could be on third down. He was Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite target when he first arrived in 2017 before a back injury derailed his 2018 — and then last year’s Jones fracture.
McKinnon is intriguing. But I’d imagine his role might be muted in the early going because the 49ers are returning two halfbacks from last season in Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman. San Francisco already has a strong rushing attack, whereas there could be a vacuum of playing time at receiver due to the departure of Emmanuel Sanders and the Jones fracture to Deebo Samuel.
Tim asks: Which players have the most to gain/most to lose with this unique training camp and no preseason?
Shanahan said during a radio hit on KNBR last week he thought running backs were the ones most affected by not having the preseason. It’s logical because rushing during a game, when defenders are actually trying to tackle you, is a different experience than in practice, where you get hit a couple of times before defenders let you run to the end zone.
That could make it more difficult for running backs like undrafted rookies Jamycal Hasty and Salvon Ahmed, who would eat up the majority of preseason carries under normal circumstance. But it’s more likely those guys are headed to the practice squad given Mostert, Coleman, McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr. are known quantities with NFL experience.
I’m also interested in the returner situation. Richie James Jr., the team’s top return man from the last two years, could miss time after fracturing his arm during the offseason program. He’s hardly a lock to make the team even if he’s healthy — and another option, Travis Benjamin, recently opted out of the season.
That would leave Taylor and Dante Pettis as the likely options to handle punts and kicks. Pettis hasn’t been trusted (or nearly as good) in that area since setting the NCAA record for punt return touchdowns at Washington. And Taylor has dealt with foot and back injuries the last two years after being sure-handed in that role in 2017.
Unfortunately for the 49ers, they won’t have the preseason to figure all that out.
As far who gains the most from the preseason, I think it’s the fans, for not having to watch, and the veteran players who don’t have to worry about getting hurt. Shanahan also said it’s far easier to schedule his training camp without having to account for traveling, games and the day after games, which are usually dark at the facility for players.
Brandon asks: Better season, Raheem Mostert or Matt Breida?
I think it’s Mostert. He’s the featured back in well-designed offense that’s really good at run blocking. Breida is likely going to be Miami’s No. 2 back behind Jordan Howard in Chan Gailey’s offense.
Gailey, 68, hasn’t been an NFL coordinator since 2016, though his offense with the Jets that season did rank 12th in rushing yards (and 30th in scoring).
510 asks: He spent the 2nd half of the season in Kyle’s doghouse, he didn’t dress for the SB, but I don’t think they have giving up on him, nor have I. Thoughts on Petits this year? Can he get out the doghouse? Any chatter amongst the writers or staff on how he looks?
Pettis should be the guy who benefits the most from the Sanders departure and Samuel injury. As a second-round draft pick, the team clearly thought he was more talented than Kendrick Bourne (undrafted), though he hasn’t made good on that talent just yet.
Shanahan’s most-used compliment toward Pettis is the fact he can play all three receiver spots, which the 49ers could use given their lack of experience throughout the position group.
To me, Pettis is a very high variance player. He could come out and become a productive piece of the offense, with something like 50 catches and 600 yards, or he could get cut before the season starts. It’s hard to tell.
Ask me again after we get a chance to watch practice starting at some point this weekend. The pads are scheduled to come on Monday, Aug. 17.
Jeffrey asks: Who has replaced the voice of DeFo (DeForest Buckner) as a leader on the defense?
I wouldn’t say Buckner was an overly vocal leader. He led by example. And by that I mean he always practiced and played very hard. He was assignment-sound, productive and extremely durable. He had all the right habits and guys naturally wanted to follow in his footsteps. He modeled professionalism.
The vocal leadership role has been Richard Sherman’s for the past two years. Sherman was the sage veteran who had been a key player on multiple Super Bowl teams. The defense’s resident hype man was, unquestionably, Kwon Alexander, who completely changed the energy of the defense.
So I don’t think there’s necessarily a void in vocal leadership on defense. But I do think guys like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa can step into Buckner-like leadership roles because of how they approach the game and how hard they play. Both of those guys would credit Buckner for being in that position.
