San Francisco 49ers OTAs: Latest Player Reports and Analysis

The San Francisco 49ers will not invite the media to watch OTAs until Thursday.

That means most of the top storylines coming out of OTAs so far are the storylines the Niners are putting out themselves. Like at rookie minicamp—head Coach Jim Tomsula spoke to Bay Area reporters about veterans like Nick Moody and NaVorro Bowman. Surprise—Tomsula praised both of them.

Once the 49ers open OTAs to the media (every team must open OTAs to the media for one day), they no longer can dictate the narrative. So we’ll get a better sense for who’s playing well and who is not. We'll see the Niners for what they are, not for how they'd like us to see them.

Until that time, here are the five most noteworthy storylines from OTAs in ascending order.

5. 49ers Sign Two Players Who Tried out at Rookie Minicamp

Al Goldis/Associated Press

At the recent rookie minicamp, the 49ers invited 10 players to try out for the team. Two of them made it—cornerback Mylan Hicks and offensive lineman Justin Renfrow.

The Niners announced the signings Tuesday. Hicks is an undrafted free-agent rookie from Michigan State. Renfrow was an undrafted free-agent rookie last year who spent time on the practice squads of the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.

Does either player have a legitimate chance to make the team? Absolutely. Linebacker Chase Thomas played five games for the Niners last season, and he tried out for the team during rookie minicamp just like Hicks and Renfrow.

If one of those two makes the team, it probably will be Hicks because the Niners desperately need cornerbacks. Hicks also plays safety and special teams, which increases his potential value to the Niners.

4. The Left Guard Competition

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes “Erik Pears and Brandon Thomas are considered the front-runners to replace [Mike] Iupati.”

The Niners drafted Thomas in the third round last year in hopes that he could replace Iupati in 2015. But Thomas had a torn ACL when the Niners picked him and missed his entire rookie season. He basically is still a rookie, and he hasn’t played football in 17 months.

He might be terrific, or he might need another year of development. We don't know yet. We’ll find out as he competes during OTAs with eighth-year veteran Erik Pears.

Pears started 16 games at right guard for the Buffalo Bills last season. He wasn’t particularly good (minus-25.0 grade from Pro Football Focus), but he was durable and dependable. Those qualities are essential. Thomas has to prove he has them to win this competition.

3. An Opportunity Presents Itself to Seventh-Round Draft Pick OT Trenton Brown

John Raoux/Associated Press

Trenton Brown, the 244th pick in the 2015 draft, might be one of the most important rookies on the 49ers next season.

Brown "has been stationed at right tackle" during OTAs, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Right tackle is a pivotal position for the Niners.

The starter, Anthony Davis, missed nine games last season. Without him, the Niners averaged only 3.9 yards per carry. With him, the Niners averaged 5.4 yards per carry. He was that good. And his backup, Jonathan Martin, was that bad.

Martin signed with the Carolina Panthers this offseason, and it's unclear who will replace him as the Niners' backup right tackle. Ideally, the backup would be a good run-blocker so the Niners running game wouldn't fall apart if Davis gets injured again.

Erik Pears has experience playing right tackle, but he's a terrible run-blocker. And he's competing to be the starting left guard, anyway. Which leaves an opening for Trenton Brown, who's a powerful run-blocker right now. He just needs to develop his pass-protecting technique—he didn’t play football until his junior year of high school.

2. Nick Moody on the Rise?

John Froschauer/Associated Press

Jim Tomsula went out of his way to talk up third-year linebacker Nick Moody at the recent rookie minicamp.

Here’s what Tomsula said, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee: “A guy that’s really moving around and feeling the defense the right way is Nick Moody. I’m pulling for Nick. He’s working really hard. He’s one of those guys you notice. I’m walking out of here and he’s got all his books…you know, you can just tell.”

Moody started the 49ers' final two games last season and was awful—he earned a minus-4.5 grade from Pro Football Focus in those two games alone.

He has the size and speed of an NFL linebacker but not the instincts—he played safety and special teams at Florida State. The Niners needed to teach him how to play linebacker and, according to Tomsula, they have. We’ll find out soon if he meant what he said or was simply boosting Moody’s confidence.

1. The Return of NaVorro Bowman

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

NaVorro Bowman is back.

He didn’t play last season—he was rehabbing a torn ACL and MCL. But this week, he’s a full participant in the OTAs.

“Bowman’s looking great,” said Jim Tomsula, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “Bow looks great. I’d say we’re more treating Bow like a vet than we’re treating Bow like a post-injury guy right now.”

“Treating Bow like a vet” might suggest the Niners aren’t working Bowman hard, they’re giving him some of the practice reps, not all of them.

Which would be smart. It would be devastating if Bowman reinjured his surgically repaired knee because the Niners pushed him too hard too fast. The Niners should treat him with care, ease him back into action.

That goes for the regular season, too. Bowman shouldn't play every snap, and he won’t have to if backup inside linebacker Nick Moody is as good as Tomsula says he is.

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