Three positions where the 49ers can make changes after disappointing start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers will likely be without a Pro Bowl-worthy linebacker for half the season.
And they’ll be without at least two of their top four wide receivers for the next week.
The 49ers have struggled to find reliable replacements for those positions.
Furthermore, they still can’t seem to solve their problems in the defensive backfield with their pass coverage in nickel situations.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff have some issues to work out after their first three games of the season.
The 49ers must consider whether they can make improvements in key positions through demotion and promotion.
Here are three positions where the 49ers could make changes to their depth chart after two straight poor performances, with losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams:
Line defender
The 49ers appeared to show their displeasure with veteran linebacker De’Vondre Campbell when they left second-year tight end Dee Winters in the mix on Sunday against the Rams.
But Winters suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter and was unable to return.
“We want to continue to work to get the best guys on the field and Dee has had a good training camp and he has shown that he deserves the opportunity to push him (Campbell),” Shanahan said.
The 49ers gave Campbell a one-year, $5 million contract after veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks reneged on a verbal commitment at the start of free agency and left for the Dallas Cowboys.
San Francisco wanted to sign a veteran linebacker to replace Dre Greenlaw, who is expected to return midseason after tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl.
Campbell has struggled in pass coverage as an all-down linebacker. He has allowed 14 receptions on 16 targets for 149 yards and one touchdown in three games. He also picked up a 25-yard critical pass-interference penalty that put the Rams in position for the game-winning field goal on Sunday.
The 49ers could also consider pushing linebacker Curtis Robinson into a more prominent role, while base linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles has also struggled.
Wide receiver
Deebo Samuel is expected to miss at least one more game with a calf injury. And first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall is also out for at least one more game. He is on the reserve/non-football injury list after being shot in the chest during an attempted armed robbery on Aug. 31.
Jauan Jennings played a key role on Sunday, catching 11 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns.
Brandon Aiyuk has just 11 catches for 119 yards in three games after missing the entire offseason and training camp due to a contract dispute. He ultimately signed a five-year, $134.1 million contract.
The 49ers turned to Ronnie Bell as their third receiver in Week 3, but he wasn’t the right choice when needed.
Bell has one catch for 12 yards in three games. He had a critical late-game drop that kept the 49ers from getting into field-goal range for a potential game-winning attempt.
The 49ers should have a better option at wide receiver in veteran Chris Conley. He is a key contributor on special teams and has 221 career catches for 2,926 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 seasons.
Rookie Jacob Cowing hasn’t quite earned his prominent role yet, Shanahan said.
“He’s still working on getting out there,” Shanahan said. “He’s trying to get more comfortable with the offense and just earn a role. (He’s) getting closer every week, (but he’s) still got a little bit to go.”
Corner defender
The 49ers felt good about their nickel defense when the season started. But veteran Isaac Yiadom, who comes in for nickel situations, has been exploited in coverage.
Yiadom has allowed 10 completions on 13 targets for 123 yards and a touchdown. He was also assessed a 48-yard pass-interference penalty against the Rams’ Tutu Atwell.
If the 49ers feel it’s time for a change, they’ll likely go with second-round draft pick Renardo Green.
Green played five snaps against the Rams on Sunday, showing he’s done enough to earn the coaches’ trust.
However, Green was assessed a holding penalty in the end zone on a third-and-1 play from the 6-yard line late in the third quarter.
The 49ers entered the season with the players they believed had the best chance to win games.
The question is whether they have seen enough in the three games to justify changes to their line-up.
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