Five San Francisco 49ers Positional Battles To Monitor

For San Francisco 49er fans, optimistic preseason expectations have begun in recent years to become redundant—and unfulfilled—promises. Each year since the abysmal Dennis Erickson/Terry Donahue era, they've heard the proclamations:

"This is the year the 49ers turn the page."

"This is the year San Francisco climbs that elusive .500 mark."

"This is the year we contend for the playoffs."

Such upbeat predictions can start to weigh on a fanbase that in years past expected a playoff run in the least, and it doesn't help that many of those same fans are reeling from the latest annual let-down from their hometown hockey franchise down the road in San Jose.

So lets not raise the optimism level to new heights just yet; new leadership from the top of the organization down to the coaching staff, and high draft grades give hope for a promising 2009 season, but 49er fans have learned to be cautious.

In order for this season to surpass expectations, certain key players need to rise to the occasion, with some veterans finally living up to their potential, and a few newcomers making the immediate impact the talent-starved 49ers need to contend for the NFC West title.

Following is a look at five key position battles—not all starting—that will be waged in the coming months that could bridge the 49er gap from pretenders to contenders.

5. Defensive Line

For purposes of simplicity, lets refrain from distinguishing this positional battle between defensive end and defensive tackle, as a few players on the roster are in that "tweener" role that can alternate within the D-line, most notably last year's first-round selection Kentwan Balmer.

Already appearing to be headed toward bust-status, Balmer could give the 49er defense a huge boost if he lives up to his first-round billing in his sophomore campaign. Coming out of North Carolina as a defensive tackle, Balmer was fancied as a 3-4 end, but has made little impact of note.

Justin Smith has his spot on the defense locked down, and Ray McDonald has emerged as a serviceable end opposite Smith, but Balmer was brought in to wreak the kind of havoc the defense has been unable to create, enabling the likes of division rival Arizona to throw at will without concern for a pass rush. 

Aubrayo Franklin and Issac Sopoaga, another tweener, are set to man the tackle position again, but the wild card could be seventh round pickup Ricky Jean-Francois. Once considered a third-round talent before attitude and behavior concerns dropped him to near-free agent status, "RJF" comes into the season with low expectations but high upside.

Don't be surprised to see the former high school All-American steal reps, if not a starting spot, especially if the current stable of tackles continue their rather unspectacular standard of play.

4. Backup Running Back

Not only does Frank Gore have the starting spot on lockdown, but the 49ers' single-season rushing leader is on his way to possibly being the most celebrated runner in team history. In order for that to happen, Gore needs to stay healthy, and whoever spells him this season will play a critical role in keeping the Pro Bowler off the injury list.

For all intents and purposes, the NFL has become a two-back league; running backs are faced with the option of shouldering the full-load and fizzling out by age 30 (see: Shaun Alexander) or sharing the rock and pro-longing their playing days.

In San Diego, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles have punctuated the need for quality depth at the position, when the starter needs a breather, and more importantly when the starter goes down. Elsewhere, teams such as the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins have rode an even two-back set to success.

The fanfare that comes with being a third-round pick may publicly give Glen Coffee the head start on being Gore's top backup, but the punishing rookie will have to hold off preseason hero Thomas Clayton, the 49ers' practice-squad mainstay that lights it up each year in the games that don't count.

Clayton is chomping at the bit to get that elusive roster spot, and he has the size and speed to bump Coffee down the charts. Also on their heels will be free-agent signee Kory Sheets, the former Purdue speedster who also suffered from character issues on draft day. His 4.3 speed could be enough to at least get him a roster spot.

3. Tight End

On paper, the 49ers have talent to spare at the tight end spot. Occupying the starting role is former sixth-overall pick Vernon Davis, the resident diva for the 49ers that never hesitates to speak his mind, where multiple dropped passes don't keep him from being the "best" tight end in football.

But for all the missed receiving opportunities plaguing Davis, he remains a physical specimen that takes pride in the less glamorous part of football—blocking—and his performance in that area makes him hard to take off the field.

Enter the recently drafted Bear Pascoe, a good ol' boy Fresno State product that might be the exact opposite of Davis—aside from the blocking. Deriving his work ethic from his upbringing on a rough Porterville, CA ranch, Pascoe was equally productive as a receiver and blocker as an all-Western Athletic Conference performer for the Bulldogs.

If Pascoe can match Davis' prowess on the offensive line while showcasing the pass-catching ability that saw him haul in 112 passes as a Bulldog, "VD" might not need any mid-game showers this season.

As always, added to the mix is reliable playmaker Delanie Walker, a former wide receiver in a tight end's body that has the knack for the circus catch and the kick-returning ability that makes you wonder why he doesn't get more opportunities.

2. Wide Receiver

Or more specifically, the "X" receiver, playing opposite the legendary Issac Bruce. Likely to be a two-man race, it's up to promising second-year man Josh Morgan to prove that college sensation Michael Crabtree is not quite ready to assume the reins.

And while the 49ers are adamant that the two-time Biletnikoff Award-winner will have to earn his way onto the field, the job is no doubt Crabtree's to lose. Morgan showed flashes of minor brilliance at times last year, but wasn't consistent enough to prove he's ready to be option number two in this league just yet.

Crabtree on the other hand has looked NFL-ready almost since the time he set foot on the Texas Tech field, dominating the receiving statistics and taking over games when they mattered most.

Should he make an impact early, it will have a number of implications, not the least of which being the validation of the Niners passing on an offensive tackle at the 10 spot.

Should he not get the starting nod, it will be an early disappointment for the touted rookie, but regardless it looks to be Crabtree and Morgan as the top-two receivers for the 49ers in the coming years. If they can form the kind of passing tandem that Jerry Rice and John Taylor comprised in the late 80s and early 90s, the passing game will be in great shape.

1. Quarterback

Two understatements that fit right here:

1. "Quarterback is the most important position in football"
2. "The 49ers need to settle on a QB"

Yeah, thanks for the startling revelation, right? It's a no-brainer, but one of supreme importance, not just for the men vying for the signal-calling duties, but the teams as a whole.

Coaches need to know who their guy is.

Receivers need to know who to get in-sync with.

Lineman need to know who they are protecting.

Most importantly, the team needs to know who is leading it.

If leadership is the going to be the deciding factor, Shaun Hill appears to have the inside track on the spot.

Say what you want about his journeyman status, his lack of physical prowess or the occasional wobbly duck he throws up in live play. The man is 7-3 as a starter and along with Mike Singletary made 49er football exciting again for a few weeks last fall.

But it's hard not to give a second look to Alex Smith.

While many pundits have been all too eager to label Smith with Ryan Leaf-status, the former No. 1 overall pick deserves a hint of slack for all the coaching changes and injuries that have plagued his career.

Smith hasn't lived up to the billing her arrived with in San Francisco, but it's not for a lack of effort (or willingness to take a beating in the pocket).

If Smith finds a way to fulfill the promise he had when the 49ers selected him in 2005, the physical skills he brings to the table that Shaun Hill lacks could put him under center before the year ends.

The bottom line however is wins, and Hill has found a way to get there. And considering the baggage that Smith brings with him, it's probably best for both that Hill starts the season the team goes from there.

If he is more than a midseason change of pace and can have maintain his winning percentage as a full-time starter, Arizona's stance atop the NFC West could be short-lived.

Of course, it's going to take more than a solid quarterback to have this team poised for a playoff run.

In the coming weeks and months, these positional battles between seasoned vets and anxious up-and-comers should provide excitement and—hopefully this time—valid optimism for 49er faithful.