San Francisco 49ers: Which 49ers Lost Their Starting Jobs on NFL Draft Day?
Another NFL draft weekend has come and gone, and now that the smoke has cleared, itโs time to
take a look at how this affects the current starters on the 49ers.
Of course, this comes with the caveat that if there is no training camp, itโs entirely possibleย that even a first-round pick might see himself in a time-share since heโd have had no time toย acclimate himself to a NFL playbook.
Iโm also not going to drag out the tired corpse of Alexย Smith again, since we know his time is pretty well done. Since Coach Harbaugh gave him aย playbook, one assumes heโll be back even if itโs short-term. The Niners will address that positionย next season if Colin Kaepernick flames out, though I happen to like what I saw of him on tapeย and covering the Senior Bowl.
However, we know Smith is, for all intents and purposes, a "deadย man walking" and yet, will in all likelihood keep the job this season for a reduced rate.
With that said, letโs be "half glass full with chocolate milk" and assume things settle down and weย actually see football and training camps. (In this example, the milk is hallucinogenic.)
Ahmad Brooks
1 of 3
Of all the current veterans on the 49ers, Brooks is both the guy who likelyย threw something at the TV when Missouri defensive end/outside linebacker Aldon Smith wasย picked, and was the guy who should have seen it coming.
The Niners used a rotation at OLB lastย season, consisting of Brooks, Parys Haralson, Travis LaBoy and Manny Lawson. Lawson andย LaBoy are free agents and likely will not be brought back. Both Brooks and Haralson were OK but not great.
Haralson has been more consistent and productive over the past few years, thoughย he did see a backslide in 2010, in part due to injury.
Brooks will remain with the team as youย can never have too much veteran depth, but if Smith looks even remotely like the linebacker theย team believes he will be, Brooks will be riding the pine quite a bit.
Shawntae Spencer
2 of 3
The 49ers didnโt go after a cornerback early (in part because Patrickย Peterson didnโt drop to them) but still added Chris Culliver in the third round.
Spencer isย younger than Nate Clements (and not nearly as overpaid) but Clements is a tackling machine.ย Cullins is a good cover corner who can play man and blitz on occasion if needed. Spencer wasย much less productive last year than Clements was, and this isnโt exactly the secondary of theย Jets or Packers.
While Culliver still needs to adjust to the NFL, unless he implodes he shouldย have Spencerโs job in very short order. Of course, all three players might be in for trouble if free agency ever starts.
Eric Heitmann
3 of 3
The center position is really murky right now. Heitmann is the only remainingย vet at the position since David Bass is an unrestricted free agent, as is backup Tony Wragge.
Itโsย likely that the team makes a serious run at Bass, but if they come up short, itโs hard to rely onย Heitmann after his severe neck injury, one which put him on injured reserve last season.
Bothย Daniel Kilgore and Mike Person can play center as well as guard, and if the dominoes fall badlyย in terms of retaining Baas, I think it likely that one of the rookies gets a shot to start the season.
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