San Francisco 49ers: 5 Biggest Questions for the 2011 NFL Season

The San Francisco 49ers are hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but there are still plenty of question marks surrounding this team.

Although the 49ers come into this season with the same starting quarterback in Alex Smith, they are also employing a new head coach in Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh has been successful in the college ranks and they hope that he can change the losing culture of a team that has not had a winning season in eight years.

The 49ers are not void of talent. Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore and Justin Smith have all proven to be among the best in the league at their respective positions over the past few years. Still, the team has to prove that they can be solid throughout the depth chart if they want to compete in the National Football League.

Can San Francisco finally take the next step and take over the weak NFC West?

Before we know that, these questions will need to be answered.

Will the Lockout Affect the Team into the Regular Season?

The first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints did not look pretty. The 49ers lost 24-3 and gave up six sacks to a defense that kept the quarterbacks under pressure the entire night. Of course, this was just the first preseason game against a very talented and aggressive team. Fans should definitely expect a better performance in each preseason game leading up to the regular season.

That being said, the San Francisco 49ers are at an obvious disadvantage this year. While the lockout did not take away any games, it removes a lot of valuable practice time in the offseason. With a new head coach and two new coordinators, the players were not able to learn the new system outside of a few practices led by Alex Smith. The absence of OTA’s will keep the teams with new coaches at a disadvantage heading into the season.

The 49ers are also counting on many young players to contribute this season. They also want to develop second round pick Colin Kaepernick to be their quarterback of the future. Every practice is necessary and the lockout should keep him on the bench longer than anticipated.

Can Aldon Smith Become the Dominant Pass-Rusher the 49ers Drafted?

When a team drafts a player the seventh overall pick, a certain level of impact is expected. With Aldon Smith, the San Francisco 49ers need him to help a pass rush that has been lacking over the past few years.

While he will not be simply given the starting gig, he will receive lots of playing time for an inexperienced outside linebacking group. Ahmad Brooks has seemed to take control of left outside linebacker, but Smith and Parys Haralson should be competing for the role of right outside linebacker.

Early reports from camp have generally been solid for Aldon Smith, but he still has a lot to prove. If he can become the dominant pass rusher the 49ers hope, it will help the defense move to elite status among NFL teams.

What Young Players Will Step Up into a Starting Role?

With the departure of numerous players to free agency, the San Francisco 49ers are counting on a lot of first time starters to step into their role. NaVorro Bowman and Ricky Jean-Francois will replace Takeo Spikes and Aubrayo Franklin respectively, and they will be very important to the run defense this season. The team saved some money long term by not re-signing the veterans and they hope they do not regret losing them.

The 49ers also have some players who are not currently starting, but can earn themselves some playing time by continuing to work hard in camp. At cornerback, the two presumed starters of Shawntae Spencer and Carlos Rodgers have been hurt, opening the door for two young players to show what they can do. Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver have already impressed the new coach and might have earned themselves some playing time for when the season starts.

Fans have also been hoping for Kyle Williams to step up this season and play more snaps on offense as well as return kickoffs and punts. He is a deep threat in the Ted Ginn mold, and he should be able to replace the disappointing veteran on the roster.

How Will the Offense Shape Up Under Jim Harbaugh?

To this point, the players have seemed very encouraged by new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Many have said that the new system is a difference of night and day from his predecessors. Mike Singletary had a very conservative approach to offense. He wanted to run the ball down the other team’s throat, even when everyone knew it was coming.

Jim Harbaugh has shown in his brief career that he is able to employ a balanced offense to keep opponents guessing. He will bring the West Coast offense back to San Francisco where it belongs and will hopefully improve the league’s 24 best scoring team from last season.

Alex Smith might be the biggest beneficiary as he has shown that he does his best when the field is opened up for him to find passing lanes. If Smith can grasp the offense quick enough, he could be in line for the best season of his career.

How long will Alex Smith remain at quarterback?

Despite the Alex Smith being in his best situation to succeed, he is without question on his way out of San Francisco. The San Francisco 49ers signed him to a one year contract as a holdover until Colin Kaepernick was ready to succeed at the NFL level.

The lack of an offseason training camp will certainly hurt Kaepernick, but many hope that he will be ready to start by the middle of the season. He has already shown flashes of success in the first preseason game with 47 yards rushing. The second round draft pick out of Nevada is the type of dual-threat player that can help a team win in many ways.

If Alex Smith struggles out of the gate, fans will be clamoring for Colin Kaepernick to get on the field as soon as possible.