Ranking San Francisco 49ers' Most Important New Starters

Only 16 players remain from the San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl XLVII roster—a number that has dwindled significantly after what has been a wild offseason for the Red and Gold.

With so many departures this offseason—such as running back Frank Gore, linebacker Patrick Willis, defensive end Justin Smith and, most recently, right tackle Anthony Davis—the 49ers will insert a sizable number of new starters into their lineup in 2015.

Some of these roles are unquestionably more important than others. But each new starter will have a critical role in the team's future this season.

Additionally, the starting roles are not guaranteed. Training camp and the preseason will provide further analysis and information for San Francisco's coaching staff. While it is possible to predict many of the starters, the 49ers have yet to determine their opening day roster for Week 1.

But that doesn't stop the evaluation of determining which likely starters have significant expectations placed upon their shoulders.

Potential 2015 Starters

Some of the 49ers' would-be depth players may wind up becoming starters in their first season in San Francisco.

Many of these have received this chance thanks to the numerous offseason departures of longtime starters on the roster. Free-agent losses of players such as cornerback Chris Culliver, left guard Mike Iupati and right tackle Anthony Davis have opened the door for guys who might not have expected to start in Week 1 of the 2015 season.

Offensive Tackle Trenton Brown

Davis' retirement, as announced on the team's website, opened up a significant hole on the right side of the offensive line.

So it's a good thing that general manager Trent Baalke used a seventh-round pick in this year's draft on former Florida O-lineman Trenton Brown. The 6'9", 376-pound Brown might not be a favorite to crack the starting lineup. San Francisco has a number of other options, which could include sliding right guard Alex Boone over to the vacant position.

But head coach Jim Tomsula noted that Brown has shown some positive notes, per Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com:

"

Trent Brown has got tremendous ability. There’s a lot of development that needs to take place, but absolutely. I really like that guy, and I like the way he’s working. I’m not looking at you now telling you Trent Brown is going to start at right tackle. But I’m also not telling you he won’t. He’s just got a lot of work to do, but his potential and his development is really exciting.

"

"

He may be a 7th-round pick, but #49ers OL Trent Brown has already impressed Jim Tomsula. http://t.co/L1qdmiAM6g pic.twitter.com/YXiorJz9bf

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) June 7, 2015"

Brown may have a long way to go before he starts. Yet the potential is something worthy of a watch entering training camp.

Offensive Tackle Erik Pears

Just like Brown, offensive tackle Erik Pears has the chance to emerge as a starter in Davis' stead.

San Francisco picked Pears up as a free agent this offseason after he spent the last five seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He started 32 games over the last two seasons and played all of 2014 at the guard position, which gives the 49ers some added flexibility along the O-line.

San Francisco likely signed Pears as a swing tackle to back up Davis and left tackle Joe Staley. Part of this is because of the fact that he struggled last year in Buffalo.

According to Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus, Pears graded out with a minus-25.0 grade over the course of the season.

"

Erik Pears had a -25.0 grade at guard in 2014 (76 of 78), assuming #49ers signed him to back up at tackle where he’s played most of career.

— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) March 14, 2015"

While this was at the guard position, the grade calls into question whether Pears will benefit from the change in scenery or be a liability along the O-line.

Cornerback Shareece Wright

Losing cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox to free agency this offseason forced the 49ers' hand to pick up some added reinforcements at this position. While there is some developmental talent here—Keith Reaser, Kenneth Acker and Dontae Johnson—Baalke elected to add some veteran presence.

He picked up former San Diego Chargers corner Shareece Wright in free agency. The four-year veteran appeared in 14 games for the Chargers a year ago and posted 54 tackles and 10 passes defended.

But Wright was more of a liability in coverage than anything else. 

According to Deeney, Wright had a minus-11.1 and minus-16.4 coverage grade in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

"

Shareece Wright ranked in the bottom 10 among CBs in both years as a starter in SD. -16.4 coverage grade in 2014, -11.1 in 2013. #49ers

— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) March 13, 2015"

Those numbers might be enough to keep Wright as a mere depth option rather than a starter. But the change in scenery and a strong camp might be enough to make Wright the No. 2 cornerback opposite likely starter Tramaine Brock.

Outside Linebacker Aaron Lynch

Technically, second-year linebacker Aaron Lynch hasn't been a starter on the 49ers' depth chart. Last season, Lynch was placed behind veteran linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Dan Skuta on the roster, which limited him to starting just three games over the course of the season.

But Lynch still saw plenty of snaps—opportunities that allowed him to post 17 tackles and six sacks over a full season.

Skuta is gone now, and Brooks may not be listed as a starting outside linebacker. That position battle has yet to be determined.

Yet the 49ers are likely going to look at more of what they can get out of Lynch in an increased role. He'll get his snaps regardless. But a strong camp might relegate Brooks to the backup role while Lynch emerges as a full-time starter in 2015.

Cornerback Dontae Johnson

While the addition of cornerback Shareece Wright gives the 49ers a veteran option to replace the free-agent losses of corners Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, second-year pro Dontae Johnson could easily slide into the mix as the No. 2 cornerback opposite Tramaine Brock should the latter return healthy in 2015.

Wright's earlier struggles in San Diego may be enough to convince San Francisco's coaching staff that a developing player like Johnson is the better option to cap off the starting lineup within the secondary.

Johnson played in all 16 games last season and started three of them as various injuries depleted the 49ers' cornerback position. During that stretch, he posted 26 tackles, six passes defended and one interception that was returned for a touchdown.

In his second year, Johnson is getting some added reps with the first-team unit during OTAs, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (h/t Niners Nation).

Johnson will be in the mix along with other corners such as Wright, Brock, Chris Cook, Keith Reaser, Kenneth Acker, Marcus Cromartie and others. And he recognizes the competition.

“Honestly, we’re just trying to compete and push each other,” Johnson said, per Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com. “We’re as strong as our weakest man, so we’re trying to make everybody strong. Whoever does rise to the top, we’re still all going to be ready in case one man goes down. It’s next man up.”

San Francisco's defense ranked No. 1 in the NFL last season with 29 interceptions. Cox and Culliver (a combined nine interceptions between them) were big reasons behind the success.

Look for Johnson to emerge as a starter in 2015 if he can continue his development.

Defensive Tackle Darnell Dockett

San Francisco's defensive line will look vastly different than it did at the start of the 2014 season.

Losses of defensive ends Ray McDonald (released) and Justin Smith (retired) have opened up the door for other players to step up into starting positions. While third-year pro Tank Carradine is a strong candidate to earn a starting job—he's discussed later—other reinforcements will have a chance to make an impact.

Such is former Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett.

The 34-year-old veteran spent many years torturing San Francisco within the NFC West. And Dockett reiterated that he isn't so concerned with the multitude of departures from the team this offseason.

"

Don't ask me about who's retired and what's going on with football this and that.... We will still WIN! Just watch! #savage #adversity

— DARNELL DOCKETT (@ddockett) June 6, 2015"

Having spent much of his career at defensive tackle, San Francisco will likely ask Dockett to bump out to the end position given the depth it has along the interior of the line (Glenn Dorsey, Quinton Dial, Ian Williams).

While he might be listed as a starter, Dockett might best be used as a situational pass-rusher given his age, recent injury history and his Pro Football Focus grades.

"

Darnell Dockett has a career +50.2 pass rush grade, but his -122.9 run defense grade is the lowest of any interior DL over the PFF era.

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) March 1, 2015"

San Francisco has a deep D-line despite its losses. As such, the defense will look to rotate various players in and out of formations as necessary. 

Dockett may not receive the lion's share of snaps in 2015, but his presence and abilities to hold up his end of the line cannot be understated.

Left Guard Brandon Thomas

The 49ers invested a 2014 third-round pick on a highly talented yet injured offensive guard in Brandon Thomas out of Clemson.

It is time for that investment to pay off after Thomas redshirted his rookie season.

The free-agent departure of left guard Mike Iupati opens up the door for a player like Thomas to make an impact. San Francisco has some other options here, which include backup O-lineman Andrew Tiller and second-year center Marcus Martin. But Thomas should still be considered the favorite to win the starting job.

This is the argument David Fucillo of Niners Nation makes: "I still fully expect Thomas to be the team's starting left guard when the 2015 season gets underway. It remains to be seen how well he will perform in that role, but he is going to get a significant opportunity this season."

Perhaps the best indication is that Thomas has been lining up with the first-team offense during OTAs, per the team's website.

"

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"

San Francisco's offensive line suffered a lot of attrition last season and remains a question mark after the departures of Iupati and right tackle Anthony Davis. It's a unit that also allowed 52 sacks in 2014—a number upon which the O-line will need some improvement.

Thomas will seek to be a part of the solution.

Wide Receiver Torrey Smith

The 49ers needed an element of speed at the wide receiver position this offseason.

And they got it when they signed free-agent wideout Torrey Smith. 

Last year, San Francisco posted the 30th-best receiving game in the league with just 3,063 yards. A major part of that problem was that the team lacked speed on the outside—someone to take the top off opposing defenses and open up options underneath.

The acquisition of Smith helps solve this issue, and it provides a replacement for recently departed wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

The four-year veteran who spent his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens has a career average of 16.9 yards per reception. The 6'1", 205-pound receiver is also a worthwhile red-zone target. Sixteen of his career 30 touchdowns have come within this area.

This skill set provides that necessary element the 49ers desperately needed.

"

Number of receptions on targets of 20+ yards including postseason (2011-2014): All #49ers WR combined - 53 Torrey Smith - 51

— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) March 9, 2015"

Smith will pair up with his former teammate Anquan Boldin as the team's top receivers in a base offense.

With this added weapon, quarterback Colin Kaepernick should have additional options both down the field and on intermediate routes. This will force defenses to respect the deep ball once more, which should allow for a more dynamic offense in San Francisco.

Running Back Carlos Hyde

The free-agent loss of running back Frank Gore hurts the 49ers offense. But it also opens up a prime opportunity for second-year pro Carlos Hyde to emerge as not just the featured back, but also as a lethal piece of San Francisco's running game.

Hyde is joined by running backs Kendall Hunter, Reggie Bush and Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne. While each of those complementary pieces may receive respective roles, Hyde still appears to be the favorite as the 49ers' No. 1 back.

Billy Kerr of Niners Nation writes:

"

Frank's departure leaves the position open for Carlos Hyde to take. Carlos showed flashes of great running last season when he spelled Frank. He has good speed, quickness, and quite a bit of pop. He will need to replace Gore's ability to wait for holes to open up and blocking ability. These are things that will be learned with experience.

"

The 23-year-old back enjoyed some of this experience in 2014. Even though he had just 83 rushing attempts, Hyde was able to post an average of 4.0 yards per carry and rushed for four touchdowns.

Training camp and the preseason should provide even more of an opportunity.

"

#49ers RB Carlos Hyde participated in individual drills today. Jim Tomsula said he'll get more involved in minicamp. pic.twitter.com/O7QQUfjRpH

— Tyler Emerick (@TylerEmerick) June 5, 2015"

Hyde's importance to the 49ers offense cannot be understated. While San Francisco added some help to the receiving game by signing wideouts Torrey Smith and Jerome Simpson, it's hard to imagine head coach Jim Tomsula straying from an offensive scheme that centers around the ground attack.

The 49ers ranked No. 4 in the NFL last season with 2,176 yards gained on the ground.

With Gore gone, Hyde will seek the opportunity to continue that trend.

Defensive End Tank Carradine

Tony Avelar/Associated Press/Associated Press

Defensive end Tank Carradine will have a chance to shine in 2015 after notable departures of Justin Smith and Ray McDonald.

As stated previously with the acquisition of defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, the 49ers defensive line will be vastly different than it was a year ago.

"

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"

With defensive ends Ray McDonald and Justin Smith gone, San Francisco now has a chance to insert its 2013 second-round pick, Tank Carradine, into the fold at a starting position along the D-line.

Carradine struggled to get on the field last year after missing his entire rookie season with a lingering collegiate injury. He appeared in just nine games in 2014 and didn't start any of them. He spent most of the first half of the season on the inactive list—his stats were largely due to his lack of pro development as a result of his injury.

But Carradine showed flashes of brilliance down the stretch, especially after the late-season dismissal of McDonald. Over his final four games in 2014, Carradine posted 11 tackles and three sacks. His snap count also increased dramatically toward the end, according to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus.

"

Tank Carradine ended up playing 28 defensive snaps. He had 24 in his career coming into this game.

— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) November 28, 2014"

Carradine was a pass-rushing force at Florida State. The defensive end posted 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss in two seasons with the Seminoles.

But as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com suggests, Carradine's 2015 role might be best suited to allow the other pass-rushing members of the front seven to rush the quarterback. Maiocco writes:

"

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.

Justin Smith played a huge role in Aldon Smith’s success as he routinely tied up blockers to allow the outside pass-rusher to come free on inside moves en route to the quarterback. Aldon Smith enters this season with 44 sacks in 50 career games.

"

San Francisco's pass-rushing defense was at its best when Justin Smith occupied multiple blockers, which in turn allowed Aldon Smith to accumulate a massive amount of sacks. 

Whether Carradine can fill the same role will have a direct impact on just how effectively Smith and the other pass-rushers will perform in 2015. 

And the defense will likely be the most important element to the 49ers' success this season.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.

Peter Panacy is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers.

Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.