After a string of injuries derailed the 2020 season, the San Francisco 49ers hope to bounce back this year. They have a tough road ahead, as the NFC West is one of the most competitive divisions in the league. All four teams have the potential to make the playoffs, which means the 49ers will have to play their best all year long.
The front office did a great job this offseason. The 49ers are set up to be a “win-now” franchise while having enough prospects to increase the longevity of success. San Francisco is in a fantastic position to be a great team for years to come. For that reason, there could be some new faces on the starting lineup.
A few prospects have been making some noise throughout training camp and the preseason. This is all good news for San Francisco, as the coaching staff will have some tough decisions to make heading into the regular season. However, it will give the team the best roster moving forward. With that said, here are two 49ers' first-stringers in danger of losing their starting jobs.
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49ers Starters to Watch
Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo has actually looked great this offseason. Even so, the 49ers' front office traded up in the NFL Draft to select Trey Lance and he's also looked stellar so far. The odds are the veteran will win the starting job, but based on the draft capital the 49ers used to acquire Lance, that could change in a heartbeat. Each quarterback offers something valuable, which makes the decision difficult for Kyle Shanahan and the coaching staff.
Garoppolo has rapport built with the entire offense already. Star tight end George Kittle backs up the veteran quarterback, which likely means most of the locker room is in agreement for now. Additionally, Jimmy Garoppolo has been a solid quarterback when he's on the field, as he helped lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl in 2019. Although that's true, the coaching staff can't ignore the talent and potential of Trey Lance, as he continues to make a case to be San Francisco's starting quarterback.
Raheem Mostert
Raheem Mostert was out last year due to injury and hopes to play a key role in the 49ers backfield. However, the front office selected Trey Sermon in the NFL Draft, who has the potential to become a vitale piece to the 49ers run game. Additionally, it doesn't help that San Francisco utilizes a committee in the backfield, increasing the chances of Mostert losing valuable playing time.
The speedster is the favorite to work as the starting running back, but there are reasons to believe he loses that role this year. Not only is Trey Sermon a promising rookie, but the front office signed Wayne Gallman during free agency. Gallman comes off the best year of his career after filling in for an injured Saquon Barkley with the New York Giants. Between Sermon and Gallman, they should be receiving a solid amount of carries throughout the year, dwindling Raheem Mostert's role altogether.
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