With the 49ers set to kick off their season in just a day or two, there’s no shortage of players who look ready to take a real jump. A few of them have the kind of setup that can turn a good year into a career year, and the list starts with health, experience and better usage all lining up at the same time.
Puni is one of the cleanest bets. He’s heading into his third NFL season after a rookie year that was excellent, then a second year that was slowed by health.
Once he got right, though, he closed strong. Now he enters the season fully healthy and with a better sense of how to get through the grind.
Puni should make the Pro Bowl.
Mustapha fits that same mold. He was strong as a rookie, but injury interrupted his first two seasons and kept him from ever really getting rolling.
Even when he returned last year, he still wasn’t fully healthy. Now he’s in year three, and the mix of health and experience should finally show up the way it was always supposed to.
Mustapha is in for a great year.
White may be the most obvious candidate to pile up numbers simply because the opportunities are there. His sack totals have gone from one as a rookie to five in his second season, then down to 1.5 last year.
That makes a jump feel unlikely on paper. But with Nick Bosa coming back from an injury, Mykel Williams still hurt and Romello Height set to be only a part-time rookie, White is going to have plenty of work in front of him.
He could have a career season.
Stout is another player who could benefit from a bigger role and smarter deployment. He was already good as a rookie, but new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris might unlock even more. Morris has talked about using him at safety, linebacker and in the slot, and that kind of versatility should make Stout more productive and more disruptive than he’s been before.
Then there’s Collins, who spent his rookie season easing in before finishing as the 49ers’ best run defender. That makes his slow preseason start easier to overlook.
With Osa Odighizuwa helping create cleaner looks and Collins now in year two, there’s reason to expect a more polished version of him this season. Raheem Morris should be able to use him better, too, which gives Collins a real chance to put together a strong year.
In Other News...
Grant Cohn Is Somehow Becoming Part Of The 49ers Opener Story
The 49ers trip to Australia for their international opener against the Rams has produced the usual flood of game-week content, but one familiar Bay Area voice has become part of the conversation for a different reason. Grant Cohn, the veteran reporter known for his sharp criticism of San Francisco, has drawn attention overseas not for a practice note or matchup breakdown, but for the way he has documented the experience around the game.
His social media posts about local food and cultural stops have caught on with audiences well beyond the standard football crowd, turning a routine road assignment into something of a sideshow. Cohn has long been a polarizing figure around the 49ers because of his public clashes with players and the confrontational style he often brings to his coverage, and now even that reputation is being folded into a story that started with the opener itself. [Read more 🡒]
Deebo Samuels New Role Puts 49ers Rookie In Week 1 Spotlight
DeZhaun Stribling has quietly climbed into a meaningful spot on the 49ers preseason depth chart, and the timing could not be better for a team sorting through injuries and shifting roles at receiver before Week 1 against the Rams. The rookie has moved up enough to be considered for a significant offensive role, and the latest chart points to him lining up as a starting wideout alongside Mike Evans.
Deebo Samuels designation as the primary kick returner adds another layer to the picture, hinting at a reduced load on offense and opening the door for Stribling to see real early-season snaps. For a San Francisco passing game already adjusting on the fly, the rookies next chance may come right away, and it will be worth watching how quickly the staff leans into that opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
49ers First Injury Report Raises An Early Lineup Concern
The first injury report of the season gave the 49ers an immediate dose of reality, with several familiar names showing up before the week has even really settled in. Nick Bosa and George Kittle were both listed, and the report also brought a new concern on the defensive side when rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins appeared for the first time with a knee injury. It is the kind of early-week update that can quickly shape how a staff approaches practice, especially when core pieces are already under the microscope.
For now, the encouraging part is who was not there. Christian McCaffrey was absent from the report, and Mike Evans also did not appear, which helps keep at least some of the focus on the players who are actually dealing with issues. Still, Collins new injury designation stands out as the one to monitor, because even in September, the 49ers know how quickly a depth concern can become a bigger storyline if it lingers. [Read more 🡒]