San Francisco 49ers 2023 Training Camp Preview
The San Francisco 49ers can not seem to get over the hump the past couple of seasons. They have lost in the Super Bowl once and the NFC Conference Championship twice in the past four years. However, the fact that they are extremely competitive is still a good sign that the Lombardi trophy is within reach. The 49ers are headed into the 2023 season without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster. San Francisco is instead going into training camp with a QB battle between Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, and Sam Darnold. The 49ers are returning wide receivers Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and running back Christian McCaffrey.
Now, onto the defensive side of the ball. San Francisco has lost another defensive coordinator after DeMeco Ryans was named head coach of Houston Texans. The 49ers hired former head coach Steve Wilks to be the new defensive coordinator. Their defense is one of the better units in the entire NFL. They have All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa and All-Pro Fred Warner. Also, the 49ers signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a four-year deal this offseason. San Francisco has made changes to the coaching staff, the offense, and the defense this offense. It will be interesting to see how the team looks and gels in training camp. Will this be the San Francisco 49ers team that finally wins the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl ring?
Three Position Battles to Watch
Quarterback: Trey Lance, Brock Purdy
The first position battle is for the most important position on the football field. These two players had drastically different expectations upon entering the league. Lance was selected third overall in the 2021 NFL draft. He has struggled thus far in two years as he has been unable to stay healthy. Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant as he was selected with the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He was forced into the starting role last year because of injuries and he performed well. He went 5-0 to close out the season before getting injured in the NFC Conference championship game.
Now, both will be entering the 49ers training camp returning from different injuries. Purdy is a capable starting quarterback as a pocket passer but he lacks a great deep ball and upside as a runner. Lance is a dual-threat QB with a quick release that honestly has not had a chance to showcase himself due to injuries. Ultimately, I see this job possibly going back and forth all year if one of them is not able to definitively take over the team. If San Francisco wants a chance at a Super Bowl then one of these quarterbacks will have to take a huge leap in 2023.
Kicker: Jake Moody, Zane Gonzalez
This is an interesting position battle that people do not see often. Robbie Gould was the kicker for the 49ers over the past six years. However, he is now a free agent which leaves an important hole in the roster. Earlier in the offseason, San Francisco traded for kicker Zane Gonzalez. He had an outstanding college career but Gonzalez is now on his fourth team as he heads into the seventh year of his career. He is a solid option at Kicker.
However, the 49ers drafted kicker Jake Moody out of Michigan in the 2023 NFL draft. He never missed an extra point in college and finished with an 82.9 field goal percentage. Also, Moody is a strong placekicker which is an area the 49ers struggled with due to Gould’s decreasing power. The San Francisco 49ers spent a third-round pick on Moody so it is his job to lose. However, kickers in the NFL have a short leash and can be gone at any moment so Gonzalez will keep Moody on his toes.
Offensive Tackle: Matt Pryor, Jaylon Moore
San Francisco does not have the strongest offensive line unit going into 2023. All-Pro Trent Williams will hold down the left tackles position with Colton McKivits starting at right tackle. However, the backup tackle position is up for grabs between Matt Pryor and Jaylon Moore. Pryor is onto his third team heading into his fifth year in the NFL. He played 16 games for the Indianapolis Colts last year while starting in nine of those games. On the other hand, Moore is going into his third year with San Francisco. He played 17 games last year but only started in two games.
Both of these players have struggled so far in their careers. Offensive tackle is an incredibly important position on the field especially for the 49ers who have had constant quarterback health issues. They will need one of these tackles to step up so they can have a solid backup option. Pryor has more experience on his side but Moore has already been with San Francisco for two years. Moore is a disciplined tackle with good size and athleticism but still needs to improve a lot if he wants to give the 49ers stability at the tackle position.
Ready To Breakout: WR Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk is a talented wide receiver that is headed into his fourth year. He had a solid rookie season, a decent second season, and a good third season. Last year he set career highs in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Aiyuk used his fantastic athleticism and run-after-catch talent to finish with 78 receptions, 1015 yards, and eight touchdowns. I think he can improve on all these numbers in 2023. He has had his issues in the past with head coach Kyle Shanahan and he lacked overall chemistry with former quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
However, he seems bought in on the 2023 season as he was a standout in the 49ers OTAs. Aiyuk has to share the ball with Samuel, Kittle, and McCaffrey so it will be tough to demand a high target share. Nevertheless, he can take any pass to the house due to his elusiveness and run-after-catch ability. The quarterback position is not figured out but there is a chance that Aiyuk can develop a strong connection with either Lance or Purdy. I think if he has a stable target share in the 70s then his talent and mindset heading into his fourth year will lead to a 1200-yard and double-digit touchdown season.
Rookie To Watch: TE Cameron Latu
Latu is a rookie to watch as people have seen tight ends succeed consistently in the 49ers’ offense. He has good size at 6’4 and 242 pounds with solid speed. He can improve as a route runner and as a blocker but he showed some promise as a dual-threat tight end. Latu was selected in the third round so he will be a bit of a project. However, he is sitting behind Kittle who is arguably the best dual-threat tight end in the NFL.
He is likely to be a third-string tight end but he has a good chance to take over the backup tight end spot. Also, Kittle has had a long injury history which gives Latu even more opportunity to make an impact in his rookie season. If the 49ers coaching staff can help unlock Latu’s potential as a solid run blocker and downfield threat then there is no reason he can not find success in his rookie season.
Fantasy Sleeper: Jauan Jennings
Jauan Jennings is a sleeper as he is wide receiver three on a stacked San Francisco 49ers offense. He will be overshadowed by weapons such as Samuel, Aiyuk, Kittle, and McCaffrey. However, this means he will have great value as a very late-round wide receiver. He is heading into his third year in the league with a solid grasp on the wide receiver three role. Last year his target share and yards greatly increased over his rookie season. However, he was not able to deliver in the touchdown department only scoring one time.
Jennings has played all 16 games in his first two seasons so he is a reliable option if any of the 49ers core goes down with injury. He has a clear role as a big third-down possession wide receiver. Now, he needs to take his skill as a possession wide receiver who is competitive at the catch point and translate it into red zone targets. If he can become a solid red zone option for the 49ers then he will likely increase his touchdown numbers making him an interesting deep fantasy sleeper wide receiver in 2023.
