Who Are San Francisco 49ers' Biggest Wild Cards Entering 2015 Season?
2015 has already proved to be a tumultuous year for the San Francisco 49ers.
The year has marked a change in almost the entire coaching staff. Losses of a number of key players have also clouded the future of this franchise. Veterans such as running back Frank Gore, cornerback Chris Culliver, offensive guard Mike Iupati, defensive end Justin Smith and linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland are gone now either via free agency or retirement.
That forces San Francisco to place other players in their stead. These replacements, among others, will have to contribute for the 49ers to be successful this season. But who are the wild cards? Which players will shoulder the brunt of the team's efforts in 2015?
Some of these players are returning to established roles in which they previously gained prominence. Others are stepping into featured roles for the first time.
All will be counted upon in regard to ensuring this year's campaign is successful for San Francisco.
But can each of these players live up to the increased pressure in 2015?
Potential Wild-Card Players
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A person could make the argument that each and every player on the 49ers' 53-man roster could be a wild card this season. Relative unknowns have broken out and emerged as X-factors before, such as former 49ers linebacker Chris Borland a year ago.
Will any such players fall into this category in 2015?
Running Back Carlos Hyde
Veteran running back Frank Gore is gone via free agency, and the 49ers are poised to start second-year pro back Carlos Hyde as the team's featured runner.
Hyde had just 83 carries for 333 yards and four touchdowns as Gore's backup last year. But the second-round pick of the 49ers in 2014 is all but guaranteed to receive a great workload this season.
Despite some additions in the receiving game this offseason (wideouts Torrey Smith and Jerome Simpson), head coach Jim Tomsula's team will likely not stray from a run-first approach on offense. The 49ers ranked No. 4 in the NFL last season with 2,176 yards on the ground.
Needless to say, Hyde will have to be up to the task if San Francisco wants to continue this trend.
To meet this demand, Hyde dropped his weight down to 228 pounds in order to gain extra quickness, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com.
"#49ers RB Carlos Hyde (228 pounds) said he's dropped 7 pounds to gain quickness. Lightest weight since high school.
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) April 29, 2015"
Hopefully this will be a part of the solution that allows Hyde to pick up where Gore left off.
Running Back Reggie Bush
The 49ers picked up 30-year-old veteran back Reggie Bush this offseason in an attempt to give opposing defenses a different look out of the backfield.
Bush might not be the downhill, between-the-tackles type of runner that has long made up San Francisco's running back crop. Instead, Bush offers an option that allows the team to use him as a receiver out of the backfield. This is the prediction for his use made by David Fucillo of Niners Nation.
Bush has 466 receptions for 3,489 yards over his nine-year career.
The veteran also noted, per CSN Bay Area, that the 49ers' efforts to establish a backfield receiving game will be noteworthy this season.
"Reggie Bush: #49ers throwing out of backfield 'understatement' *VIDEO* http://t.co/JTUdxqxtQU #NFL #49ersTalk pic.twitter.com/cVQ9yrPdjP
— Comcast SportsNet (@CSNAuthentic) May 20, 2015"
If this works, San Francisco's offense will be that much more dynamic in 2015. But Bush will have to overcome an injury-riddled 2014 campaign that limited him to just 11 games for the Detroit Lions.
Tight End Vance McDonald
Third-year pro tight end Vance McDonald is quickly approaching bust status after being selected by the 49ers in Round 2 of the 2013 NFL draft.
Since San Francisco drafted him, McDonald has appeared in just 23 games and has hauled in a mere 10 receptions for 149 yards—numbers that fall far short from what should be expected out of a second-round offensive target.
2015 might be the final test for McDonald before the 49ers admit a mistake. General manager Trent Baalke drafted tight ends Blake Bell and Busta Anderson in this year's draft to add some competition and potentially find a long-term replacement should McDonald's struggles continue.
At best, McDonald emerges as that complementary piece to fellow tight end Vernon Davis—an element missing since the free-agent departure of tight end Delanie Walker prior to 2013.
But McDonald remains dangerously close to being replaced.
Wide Receivers Jerome Simpson and Quinton Patton
San Francisco's top two wideouts in 2015 will probably be Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith.
That leaves the No. 3 receiver spot up for grabs in a competition that should likely include wide receivers Jerome Simpson, Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington.
Ellington's spot on the roster is relatively safe given his special teams abilities. But less can be said about Simpson and Patton.
The Niners picked up Simpson in free agency this offseason after he missed all of 2014 with injuries and off-field concerns.
David Fucillo of Niners Nation writes: "Patton and Ellington are the favorites to get work behind [Boldin and Smith], while Jerome Simpson is a tough one to figure out. The 49ers are spending an inexpensive flier on a guy who has a ton of talent, but dealt with his share of off-field issues."
Patton is another X-factor who could break out in 2015 or remain in obscurity at the pro level. Since being drafted in Round 4 of the 2013 draft, Patton has appeared in just 10 games and has hauled in only six receptions for 78 yards.
Will he break out this year?
Veteran safety Antoine Bethea thinks he has the opportunity, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.
“I feel like last year he could’ve stepped in and made some plays for us,” Bethea said. “This year, he’s having the opportunity to go make a name for himself, fight for the position, and that’s what he’s going to do.”
San Francisco's receiving game ranked No. 30 in the NFL last season with just 3,063 yards. Any help from this crop would be of substantial benefit.
Defensive End Arik Armstead
First-round picks usually wind up being Week 1 starters for NFL teams looking for an immediate impact. The 49ers picked up former Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead with their first pick in the 2015 draft.
But there is no guarantee that Armstead emerges as a starter his rookie year even after veteran defensive end Justin Smith retired during the offseason.
Part of the reason why Armstead's 2015 role may be limited is due to his pedestrian numbers in three years with the Ducks. Between 2012 and 2014, Armstead totaled just four sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss.
Another setback to his development is an NFL rule that states prospects cannot participate in their new teams' offseason programs until they complete their collegiate spring finals—the Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows lays out further details.
"Arik Armstead trying to stay busy while 49ers offseason goes on without him ... #49ers #ducks http://t.co/tVVvSaQ2jv
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) June 3, 2015"
This will hinder Armstead's chances to climb the depth chart. But the 49ers will want to get the 6'7", 296-pound specimen onto the field as soon as possible.
But his best games may not be until much later.
Cornerback Dontae Johnson
2 of 6The 49ers lost two of their premier cornerbacks during the offseason: Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox. This tandem combined for a total of nine interceptions and 33 passes defended last season.
Assisting with the loss will be the healthy return of cornerback Tramaine Brock, who played in just three games in 2014, and the free-agent acquisition of fellow corner Shareece Wright.
But Wright struggled in coverage duties with the San Diego Chargers last season. He committed eight pass-interference penalties and 11 infractions overall, which ranked eighth among cornerbacks, per Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus.
Wright may benefit from the change of scenery. Yet continued struggles could open up the door for second-year pro Dontae Johnson.
Johnson appeared in all 16 regular-season games for the 49ers last year. During that stretch, the former fourth-round pick netted one interception and six passes defended. Aside from an ugly performance in Week 17 against the Arizona Cardinals, Johnson had an impressive rookie campaign, per Pro Football Focus (h/t Paul Klein).
"Dontae Johnson PFF grades. These don't tell the whole story but I'm excited to see more of him this year pic.twitter.com/fC38APF6Zy
— Paul Klein (@paulklein133) March 14, 2015"
With the shakeup in the secondary, Johnson is now preparing himself for his second season at the pro level.
“I’ve been working in the weight room just getting strong, faster and more explosive,” Johnson told Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com. “I want to continue to get better. You take it and learn from it. I’m just going to take that information and progress this year.”
Johnson will have some big shoes to fill. San Francisco's secondary ranked No. 5 in the league last year in fewest passing yards allowed (3,531).
Tight End Vernon Davis
3 of 6Tight end Vernon Davis is coming off one of the worst seasons of his nine-year pro career.
In 2014, Davis totaled just 26 receptions for 245 yards and two touchdowns—the lowest combined numbers since his rookie campaign in 2006 and numbers far below what 49ers fans have come to expect out of the longtime threat.
Davis enters the final season of his five-year, $36.75 million contract, per Over the Cap. This could serve as motivation, but one could also wonder if the 31-year-old veteran's career is starting to decline?
Can Davis resurrect his career and re-establish rapport with quarterback Colin Kaepernick? B/R asks that question in the video above.
"#Chemistry. We're gonna make it happen this year. pic.twitter.com/xEWpzfmiE6
— Vernon Davis (@VernonDavis85) May 25, 2015"
Another thought is that Davis will benefit from the additions of speedy wideouts Torrey Smith and Jerome Simpson. For years, Davis was the lone deep threat on San Francisco's offense. Smith and Simpson should allow Davis to run more of the traditional tight end routes and open up increased opportunities underneath.
San Francisco safety Antoine Bethea goes into further detail, per Taylor Price of 49ers.com:
"Having those guys on the outside, Torrey Smith, Jerome Simpson, Quinton Patton—they're going to stretch the defense. That'll give Vernon ample opportunities to make plays. That'll allow guys like Reggie Bush to be able to hit those holes. It's going to pay dividends for our offense to have those guys outside wide stretching the defense. Just having those weapons out there is going to help [Kaepernick] a lot, too.
"
Davis' attendance during offseason workouts is also a good sign. He missed these a year ago, and one can easily draw a comparison to the lowly statistics put up over the season.
Hopefully 2014 was simply an anomaly. The 49ers do not want to see a repeat of those efforts. But Davis will have to prove that he is still the player who was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013.
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Offensive Guard Brandon Thomas
4 of 6San Francisco has a substantial void to fill at left guard after the free-agent departure of Mike Iupati.
A number of candidates could step into the starting job. Offensive lineman Erik Pears is one such player—as is second-year pro Marcus Martin—should center Daniel Kilgore be healthy enough to return to his old position after missing the second half of 2014 with a leg injury.
But the No. 1 slot could end up going to second-year pro guard Brandon Thomas.
Thomas has yet to play a game at the NFL level. He redshirted his rookie season after the 49ers selected him in Round 3 of the 2014 draft.
With Iupati gone, Thomas now has the opportunity to get the starting job at left guard.
"Meet the second-year lineman (@BTHOM63_100) who has been lining up as #49ers LG. http://t.co/A1LLlOGRG3 pic.twitter.com/RMi9QgccII
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 26, 2015"
And Thomas is making good impressions throughout OTAs. According to head coach Jim Tomsula, per Fox Sports, Thomas' collegiate injury is becoming less of a factor each day.
"When you come back off a leg (injury), you’re medically cleared but now you have to get football going," Tomsula said of Thomas. "There’s a period of time there, (but) you see it now. Those little hitches in the giddy-up, they’re going away every day. it’s just getting better. He’s doing really well."
Thomas will look to improve an O-line that allowed 52 sacks last year. While the ground game will probably remain a staple in the San Francisco offense, it has to improve pass protection. Missing all of 2014 could hurt Thomas' development here, but at least he'll have the chance to prove himself in this role and possibly earn the starting job.
Defensive End Tank Carradine
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Perhaps no other member of the 49ers defense will have more expectations placed upon him than third-year pro defensive end Tank Carradine.
Carradine was inactive for much of 2014 and appeared in only nine games that year. Being placed on the non-football injury list during his 2013 rookie season unquestionably hindered his development. But the 6'4", 276-pound pass-rusher flashed some promise late last year.
Over the final four games of the season, Carradine posted eight tackles and three sacks.
San Francisco would love for him to replicate and increase those numbers over the course of a full year.
For years, the 49ers defense relied upon the impact of retired end Justin Smith. Smith would frequently lock up multiple blockers, which freed up lanes for San Francisco's pass-rushing crop. Players like linebacker Aldon Smith benefited from Justin Smith's abilities. This also gave the 49ers the ability to rush no more than four players and leave the remaining seven to defend against the passing game.
The elder Smith is gone now, and the 49ers are faced with the question of how to replace him.
Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area broke down how Smith's retirement opens up an opportunity for Carradine:
"The 49ers selected Carradine, who was coming off ACL surgery did not suit up for a game in his rookie season, with the No. 40 overall pick. Last season, Carradine made a minimal impact while appearing in nine games. He finished with three sacks—all coming in the final three games.
Now, the 49ers need to get production from a player who showed unique pass-rush skills as a senior at Florida State with 13 sacks. But as much as the 49ers would like Carradine to pile up sack numbers, it might be more important that he selflessly creates opportunities for outside linebacker Aldon Smith.
"
"VIDEO: Tank Carradine: Defensive line will be 'different' this year http://t.co/JhHWeLQVyQ #49ers #NFL pic.twitter.com/wrEScxl2ER
— Comcast SportsNet (@CSNAuthentic) May 22, 2015"
Instead of primarily rushing the passer, Maiocco suggests that Carradine fills the role once held by Smith. This is how San Francisco's defensive front was at its best. And it will fall upon Carradine to get the job done.
The 49ers posted only 36 sacks last year, which ranked No. 21 in the league. Carradine's abilities will need to directly influence whether that number increases in 2015.
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick
6 of 6Perhaps the biggest wild card for the 49ers in 2015 will be quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
2014 was not the prettiest of seasons for San Francisco's signal-caller. The four-year veteran compiled a 60.5 completion percentage but also tossed a career-high 10 interceptions. His 86.4 quarterback rating last season was the lowest since securing the starting job in 2012.
Kaepernick's faults are many. He tends to lock in on his receivers and force unnecessary throws. His decision-making isn't the best. And he takes a lot of unnecessary sacks. Kapernick's 52 sacks ranked second in the league last year behind quarterback Blake Bortles of the Jacksonville Jaguars (55).
The 27-year-old veteran won't have as many excuses this year.
San Francisco made substantial efforts to upgrade the offense this offseason. Signings of wide receivers Torrey Smith and Jerome Simpson provide the necessary deep threat to complement Kaepernick's strong arm.
And he also spent part of the offseason working with legendary quarterback Kurt Warner and quarterbacking expert Dennis Giles, per Jim Corbett of USA Today.
Have Kaepernick's abilities improved? Is his throwing motion more fluid? Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com provides a small glimpse into the results:
"Colin Kaepernick in slow-mo at today's #49ers OTA pic.twitter.com/CtLl62DTVp
— Tyler Emerick (@TylerEmerick) May 29, 2015"
More importantly, will Kaepernick be able to put these developments into practical use on the field against worthy defenses?
Additionally, are the quarterback's offseason workouts of further concern? B/R raises this question in the video above.
Plenty of questions surround Kaepernick. The 49ers placed their faith in him by rewarding him with a six-year, $114 million extension a year ago—although San Francisco worked plenty of "outs" into the contractual language.
Kaepernick has more than enough talent. Whether he can fully reach it might ultimately decide the 49ers' fortunes in 2015 and potentially if they want to continue with Kaepernick on the roster.
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated. Contractual information courtesy of OverTheCap.com.
Peter Panacy is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers.
Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.
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