San Francisco 49ers: 5 Role Players Who Will Affect the Outcome of the Season

Jim Harbaugh enjoys harking back to the old-school days of football yesteryear.

In a readily conspicuous approach to roster dynamics, the San Francisco 49ers head coach promotes players who can fulfill roles on all sides of the ball. Offense, defense, special teams—if you can play it, and do it proficiently, then you’re big time.

There are a handful of such 49ers that qualify for this list. There are also a few of the traditional varietal that deserve recognition.

Shall we take a gander at the aforementioned? Seems like as good a time as any to put faces to ideas.

Note: RB Kendall Hunter does not qualify for this list. He’s the heir apparent to Frank Gore and will receive ample carries in 2012.

Demarcus Dobbs

Could there possibly be anyone else to spark the advent of this list?

Demarcus Dobbs is  a one-of-a-kind treat that truly honors the forefathers of the game of football.

The former Georgia Bulldog made the team as a defensive end. He’s now slated as the No. 3 tight end, as well as a gunner on special teams (via CSNBayArea.com).

Not a bad promotion indeed.

At 6’6’’, 275 pounds, Dobbs is a prototypical 4-3 defensive end—just a hair shorter and lighter than Julius Peppers. But as a San Francisco 49er under the Harbaugh regime, the man functions as a prototype of a defensive end/tight end/special teams extraordinaire.

Sounds more atypical if you asked me.

In any case, he’ll put pressure on the opposing quarterback as a situational edge rusher; line up with the offense in an H-back-type role; and perform special teams’ functions in quite the humble fashion.

Mr. Dobbs is as versatile as the number on the back of his uniform—No. 40.

Let me know the last time you saw such a change during preseason.

Fabricated Twitter handle: #JackOfAllTrades40

Brandon Jacobs

Where did the 49ers rank near the bottom in two particular categories?

Red-zone and third-down scoring percentage. Yep—some of the most crucial situational areas on the field.

Well, enter Brandon Jacobs, and now things look a whole lot brighter.

The 6’4’’, 265-pound back is an absolute bruiser when it comes to inside runs. He converted all short-yardage attempts in the preseason opener, including a 23-yard burst to the sideline in Minnesota Vikings territory.

Jacobs was the recipient of much derision after he left New York due to his purported affinity to dance around on the outside instead of charging through the middle.

Preseason game or not—Jacobs has eliminated that reputation and passed with flying colors in his situational role.

Once he returns from his knee injury, it’ll be time to extend that short-yardage success into an area called the red zone.

#265SituationalDominance

Leonard Davis

Another player masquerading as a tight end?

In a move that should not surprise anyone familiar with Harbaugh’s tendencies, the head coach utilized yet another player in a role that was not necessarily his to begin with.

Aside from ending sentences with prepositions, Davis is the next man in line for a multi-functional role. The decade-long veteran reported at tight end for multiple plays during the third quarter in Sunday’s game against the Broncos (h/t Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com).

Harbaugh loves him some heavy packages that utilize extra linemen. Using Davis in that role is his latest (and possibly greatest) move in that regard.

Davis already had a pivotal role as a backup guard behind first-year starter Alex Boone; now he’ll diversify his functional commodity just a little more to the end of the O-line.

#SecretWeapon #49ersRunGame

Kyle Williams

(Let the Kyle Williams bashing begin.)

Yes—believe it or not, the scapegoat of last season’s playoff loss will provide a discernible impact in 2012.

At wide receiver, Williams will contribute as an underneath possession receiver. He’ll back up Mario Manningham out of the slot and show why the 49ers retained him after what some deem as an unforgivable offense.

On special teams, Williams will play the role of No. 2 return man behind Ted Ginn Jr. His superior has a propensity for injuring himself to the point of non-functionality.

Ginn injured the same ankle on Sunday as the one that kept him out of the NFC Championship game. Williams replaced Ginn on punt returns and did an admirable job.

He’ll continue operating in that role since Ginn could very well miss the start of the regular season. That also means an extended position as the team’s No. 4 receiver.

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“…(He’s) playing very well. Good in the return game and good on [the] offensive side of the ball,” said Harbaugh (via CSNBayArea.com).

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#RedemptionFactor

Perrish Cox

Since roster cuts are still pending, identifying a linebacker or safety who will impact the 49ers as a role player isn’t a reasonable projection. Those position battles are just that undecided.

At cornerback, however, Perrish Cox is the absolute man of the hour in a situational role.

Even after taking a year off (due to off-field ramifications), Cox has thoroughly excelled in the 49ers offseason. He’s tied for second in the NFL with two preseason interceptions in addition to eight tackles and four deflected passes.

Secondary coach Ed Donatell (held the same role with the Broncos) has done wonders with the talented corner. Cox himself has been nothing but professional since Day 1 and continues to do so as preseason action wraps up.

Behind Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown and Chris Culliver, Cox is as valuable a backup corner as there is in the NFL. Expect big things out of him come September and beyond.

#UnderratedExcellence

Honorable Mentions

Will Tukuafu (DT/HB/TE)

LaMichael James (RB/KR)

C.J. Spillman (S/ST)

Larry Grant (LB/ST)

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