6 Burning Questions Facing San Francisco 49ers Ahead of Week 10 Bye

Is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert a one-game wonder?

His one game wasn’t that wonderful if he is one-game wonder. During his first start with the 49ers, he threw two interceptions and posted a passer rating of 76.2.

But Gabbert did good things. He threw two touchdown passes in the first half even though he was facing a good defense and playing with the worst offensive lineup in the NFL.

Gabbert didn’t have running back Carlos Hyde, wide receiver Anquan Boldin or tight end Vernon Davis. And Gabbert still won and never got sacked despite facing pressure 50.0 percent of the time he dropped back to pass, according to Pro Football Focus.

Can Blaine Gabbert replicate that performance Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks?

That’s one burning question. Here are five more facing the 49ers as they head into their bye week.

Is Colin Kaepernick Done in San Francisco?

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If Blaine Gabbert flops against the Seattle Seahawks after the bye week, will the 49ers bench him and go back to Colin Kaepernick?

If Kaepernick starts the final few games of the season, will he be the starter next season? Or is he done in San Francisco?

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks Kaepernick is done. “I think that he feels like he has been undermined by this organization, he hasn’t been supported by this organization,” Barrows told KNBR. “And I think he wants out.”

If Barrows is correct, it sounds like Kaepernick has checked out already. If he were to start again for the Niners, he probably would protect himself for his next contract and his next team. He would have no incentive to play hard.                               

When Will Arik Armstead (DL) Become a Starter?

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Niners rookie defensive lineman Arik Armstead ranks No. 1 in pass-rushing productivity among 3-4 defensive ends who have played at least 25 percent of their team's snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

J.J. Watt ranks No. 2.

You’d think Armstead would get more playing time considering how well he has played. But the Niners don’t seem to trust him to stop the run. They play him only on passing situations, like 3rd-and-medium or 3rd-and-long.

So Armstead has been on the field for only 152 snaps this season, per Pro Football Focus. The Niners constantly sub him in and out. He can’t develop a rhythm or feel for the game.

The Niners are holding Armstead back. It’s time to make him a starter and bench veteran Glenn Dorsey.

When Will Bruce Ellington (WR) Get Some Real Playing Time on Offense?

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Second-year wide receiver Bruce Ellington has played just 49 snaps on offense this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

He should be playing more. Ellington is an explosive receiver who can line up outside, in the slot and even in the backfield, similar to Tavon Austin of the St. Louis Rams, or Randall Cobb of the Green Bay Packers.

Ellington should be the Niners’ No. 3 receiver right now. And Torrey Smith and Quinton Patton should be the starters. Those three have futures with the franchise.

Anquan Boldin and Jerome Simpson do not have futures with the franchise. Boldin is 35 and will be free agent at the end of the season. Simpson is 29 and has played miserably since returning from a six-game suspension.

The Niners should sit those two and play the young receivers.

Will Tank Carradine (DL) Move to Defensive End in the Sub-Packages?

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On November 9, a reporter asked 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula if Tank Carradine has struggled with his transition from 4-3 defensive (what he played in college) to 3-4 defensive end.

“I want to utilize Tank in some areas,” Tomsula answered. “Those edge three rushes and moving him around on that front and getting him rolling that way.”

The Niners mostly have used Carradine on “those edge three rushes,” meaning as a three-technique defensive tackle rushing against a guard on passing downs. He doesn’t seem suited for this role.

Nor does he seem suited to play in the 49ers’ base defense. He isn’t good enough against the run to be a two-gapping defensive end, and he isn’t athletic enough to drop into pass coverage as an outside linebacker.

Carradine’s best position probably is defensive end in a four-man front, which the Niners use in their sub-packages. On passing downs, the Niners should play Carradine and Aaron Lynch at defensive end and Arik Armstead and Quinton Dial at defensive tackle.

What Is the Team’s Biggest Weakness?

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The 49ers are one of the worst teams in the league. Naturally, they have holes all over their roster. Which hole is the biggest? Which position should the 49ers target with their first-round pick in 2016?

The Niners probably would love to draft a quarterback in the first round, although there may not be a quarterback worth a first-round pick next year. Cal’s Jared Goff has lost four games in a row and hasn’t seemed like a first-round prospect since he started facing good defenses.

Instead of reaching for a quarterback, the 49ers should draft an offensive lineman with their first-round pick. Offensive line is the Niners’ biggest weakness, even though Jason Cole of Bleacher Report says retired right tackle Anthony Davis will return to the team next year.

Davis is a good right tackle, but he’s unreliable—he played only seven games in 2014 before he retired in June. Anything the Niners get from him would be a bonus.

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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