Jun 13, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster (56) sprints down the field during the San Francisco 49ers minicamp at Levi’s Stadium. Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
By Dave Del Grande, The Sports Xchange
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As the San Francisco 49ers reported to training camp Thursday (July 27) they were greeted by something different these days — good news.
Linebacker Reuben Foster, whom the team traded up to select No. 31 in the draft this year, was cleared for action for the first practice Friday. This comes after months of debate and concern over the condition of a rotator cuff injury from Alabama’s national semifinal victory over Washington.
Foster used the team’s social media account to exclaim: “Guess what? It’s training camp and the kid just got cleared yesterday and I’m so excited. We’re going to have an exciting season, an exciting training camp and I can’t wait.”
Foster was rated by most as a top-10 player, including NFLDraftScout.com, but when he remained unselected through the top 20, then 30, rumors circulated that he had problems, including the shoulder and growing curiosity about bizarre conduct at the Scouting Combine, from which he was sent home early.
49ers doctors and trainers limited Foster to non-contact drills during the offseason program while eyeing training camp as a potential full go. As it turned out, that’s exactly what happened as Foster officially got the green light on Wednesday.
“I would say that we pride ourselves in doing all our due diligence not afterwards but before we make decisions,” general manager John Lynch said. “And we had done exhaustive research on Reuben Foster in a lot of different areas, medically was one area. We feel great about our doctors, our medical program here. … He’s fully cleared and no limitations; we’re excited about that.”
So now what? Foster must battle for a job.
Foster starred in college as a middle linebacker. But with NaVorro Bowman locked into that position with the 49ers, the rookie, who is known to cover sideline-to-sideline, must beat out either Ahmad Brooks or Malcolm Smith on the outside to earn a starting spot.
Likely, Foster will be pitted against Smith at the right outside spot. The 49ers signed Smith away from the Oakland Raiders in free agency.
THE FACTS:
TRAINING CAMP: SAP Performance Facility, Santa Clara, Calif.
HEAD COACH: Kyle Shanahan
1st season as 49ers/NFL head coach
THE BREAKDOWN
2016 finish: 4th NFC West (2-14-0)
STATISTICS
TOTAL OFFENSE: 308.1 (31st)
RUSHING: 126.2 (4th)
PASSING: 181.9 (32nd)
TOTAL DEFENSE: 406.4 (32nd)
RUSHING: 165.9 (32nd)
PASSING: 240.5 (14th)
2017 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
All times Pacific
Aug. 11, at Kansas City (Fri), 6:00
Aug. 19, DENVER (Sat), 7:00
Aug. 27, at Minnesota, 5:00
Aug. 31, L.A. CHARGERS (Thu), 7:00
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Brian Hoyer. Backups — Matt Barkley, C.J. Beathard, Nick Mullens.
The job has been handed to Hoyer, who will have to demonstrate he’s more than just a journeyman to keep the club from looking elsewhere next offseason. Beathard, a rookie from Iowa, has a legitimate chance to beat out perennially disappointing veteran Barkley for the backup role.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters — Carlos Hyde, FB Kyle Juszczyk. Backups — Tim Hightower, Joseph Williams, Kapri Bibbs, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, FB Tyler McCloskey.
No team has less quality depth at this position, so the pressure is on Hyde to stay healthy. He should benefit from having a legitimate fullback for the first time in his career.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Vance McDonald. Backups — Garrett Celek, Blake Bell, George Kittle, Logan Paulsen, Cole Hikutini.
The 49ers went to camp with so much depth at this position last year, they dealt two guys for draft picks before the season started. It could happen again this year.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Pierre Garcon, Marquise Goodwin, Bruce Ellington. Backups — Jeremy Kerley, Trent Taylor, Aaron Burbridge, DeAndre Smelter, Aldrick Robinson, DeAndre Carter, Victor Bolden Jr., BJ Johnson, Kendrick Bourne.
One of Kyle Shanahan’s quests in the preseason will be figuring out if he can get his two top wideouts — Garcon and Kerley — on the field at the same time. You’ve got to believe he will. Goodwin gives Hoyer a deep threat the 49ers haven’t had in recent years.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Joe Staley, LG Zane Beadles, C Jeremy Zuttah, RG Josh Garnett, RT Trent Brown. Backups — LT John Theus, LT Darrell Williams, LG Brandon Fusco, LG JP Flynn, LG Richard Levy, C Daniel Kilgore, C Tim Barnes, RG Erik Magnusson, RT Garry Gilliam, RT Norman Price, RT Andrew Lauderdale.
The key battle up front will be between holdover Brown and newcomer Gilliam at right tackle. Also to be determined: Is Kilgore, a regular starter for the 49ers in recent years, good enough to unseat any of the three projected starters in the middle of the line? His versatility could prove invaluable even as a non-starter.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — DLE Solomon Thomas, NT Earl Mitchell, DT DeForest Buckner, DRE Arik Armstead. Backups — DLE Elvis Dumervil, DLE Tank Carradine, DLE Ronald Blair, DLE Noble Nwachukwu, NT Quinton Dial, NT D.J. Jones, DT Chris Jones, DRE Aaron Lynch, DRE Pita Taumoepenu.
New management did wonders to the depth of the unit with the additions of Thomas in the draft and Mitchell and Dumervil in free agency. It’s going to be interesting to see if any/all of the club’s last three top picks — Solomon, Buckner and Armstead — can live up to their pre-draft hype.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — LOLB Ahmad Brooks, MLB NaVorro Bowman, ROLB Malcolm Smith. Backups — LOLB Eli Harold, LOLB Ray-Ray Armstrong, LOLB Jimmie Gilbert, MLB Brock Coyle, MLB Donavin Newsom, ROLB Reuben Foster, ROLB Dekoda Watson.
With Bowman secure in the middle, three inside linebackers — Smith, Armstrong and Foster — will attempt to transition to the outside. But the competition there is steep, too, with Brooks a proven commodity and Harold an impressive youngster.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Dontae Johnson, RCB Rashard Robinson, FS Jimmie Ward, SS Eric Reid. Backups — LCB Keith Reaser, LCB K’Waun Williams, LCB Zach Franklin, LCB Will Davis, RCB Ahkello Witherspoon, RCB Adrian Colbert, RCB Prince Iworah, RCB Will Redmond, FS Don Jones, FS Vinnie Sunseri, FS Lorenzo Jerome, SS Jacquiski Tartt, SS Chanceller James.
The competition should be fierce for all except Reid’s starting spot, with recent starters Tramaine Brock and Antoine Bethea no longer around. Third-round pick Witherspoon has a chance to earn playing time right off the bat.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Robbie Gould, P Bradley Pinion, LS Kyle Nelson, KOR/PR Jeremy Kerley, K Nick Rose, KOR/PR Bruce Ellington.
The 49ers might have floundered last season, but their special teams weren’t to blame. Pinion was a solid punter, and Phil Dawson was one of the most consistent placekickers in the league. Gould has some big shoes to fill.
