3 Things To Look Out For At 49ers Training Camp: Offense Edition

Congrats football fans, we made it to the end of the offseason.

After months of no NFL Sunday Ticket, no Joe Buck or Troy Aikman on the call and no touchdown celebrations, the 2022 NFL season is finally on the horizon.

The first step: NFL training camp, as a number of franchises have already welcomed both rookies and veterans back into the facilities, more than a month-long hiatus since mandatory minicamps took place. The remaining teams are scheduled to have their respective rookies report to camp either Saturday or at the beginning of the week, with veterans expected to report a few days after that.

Among those final teams are the San Francisco 49ers, with both rookies and vets reporting Tuesday, July 26th. The 49ers may not have made major additions via free agency or the draft, but the future is now for the Bay Area team as veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be traded before the start of the regular season, leaving second-year top prospect Trey Lance with the keys to the kingdom.

While there are a ton of key areas to keep an eye on, here are three of the most interesting points to look out for as we preview the offense ahead of 49ers training camp.

The Development of Trey Lance

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

With Jimmy G looking ever more likely to be traded after the Adam Schefter report Wednesday, Trey Lance the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, is expected to undergo his first full season as the 49ers starting QB.

A product of FCS North Dakota State, Lance got his first taste of the NFL in his rookie season, appearing in six games for the 49ers. The biggest glimpse into his potential came in the two games he started against the Arizona Cardinals in October 2021 and the Houston Texans at the start of 2022. Good and bad came out from both games as the young QB went 1-1 in the two contests, his most impressive game the latter with 249 passing yards and two touchdowns. Lance finished with 603 passing yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs, and a 57.7 completion percentage while running for 168 yards and 1 TD in his rookie campaign.

Now heading into the 2022 season as the guy, Lance has shown flashes of growth over the offseason, especially during OTAs in early June. The reports out of camp last month were incredibly positive, as even national media caught on to the Lance buzz early.

“Everything I’m hearing out of SF is that Trey Lance is making major strides not only as a player but as a leader in the building with Jimmy G not present,” Peter Schrager said on Good Morning Football in June.

The 49ers have invested numerous resources into the development of Lance, hiring former Broncos QB Brian Griese as the quarterback coach this offseason to help nurture the young gunslinger.

The results have been great so far.

Looks like Trey Lance is working on manipulating Brian Griese pic.twitter.com/9K9nSZQHWy

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) June 8, 2022

Since then, reports have surfaced that Lance experiences arm fatigue during practice and games, causing the 22-year-old to be less effective as a passer.

“I’ve said when I saw Trey Lance play, aesthetically, it’s ugly. It’s not Philip Rivers ugly, but it’s not a pretty delivery,” sports personality Colin Cowherd said on his podcast recently. “It’s really rough…his delivery, they’re kinda rebuilding it. He gets arm fatigue…he needs days off.”

An interesting thing to point out for a QB that can sling it almost as far as anyone down the field, as 49ers players got in on the reported rumors during a workout between Lance and Rocklin native WR Brandon Aiyuk.

Brandon Aiyuk posted a workout with Trey Lance on his Instagram.

The caption: “The only three throws from the day, his arm got fatigued after that…” 😂 pic.twitter.com/69sFPVql0D

— Fantasy Life (@MBFantasyLife) July 13, 2022

#49ers’ offensive players certainly seem to find reports of Trey Lance’s “arm fatigue” to be pretty funny: pic.twitter.com/trq7by0Ri8

— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) July 13, 2022

And now with Jimmy G’s agents seeking out trades, the reports of arm endurance should be put to bed, according to The Athletic’s David Lombardi.

I mean, we have people who actually believe that the 49ers still have Jimmy Garoppolo rostered only because they don’t believe in Trey Lance, after all.

It takes a lot of misinformation for that view to exist, considering that all actual evidence says otherwise

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 20, 2022

Transition: The 49ers wouldn’t be trading a former Super Bowl QB if they didn’t feel comfortable with their up-and-coming prospect. Case closed.

Will Deebo Get His Dollars?

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

The biggest saga of the offseason has lingered on into training camp as All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel is still without a new contract from the 49ers.

The all-around offensive weapon has been at odds with the Bay Area brass since feeling slighted during contract talks earlier in the year, leading to his official trade request in April.

Not much has happened since then as General Manager John Lynch and co. have stood firm on the notion that Deebo is not for sale.

“Well, we haven’t traded him, and — I’ve used the word fool — I’d be a fool to trade him, so yes, Deebo will be part of the 49ers this season,” 49ers General Manager John Lynch said, per NBC Sports Bay Area.

Lynch’s comments have rung true since then, as Samuel made an appearance at the 49ers’ mandatory minicamp in June. Choosing to do sporadic work off to the side of the field instead of full-on practice, his presence alone was a sign of positive negotiations between the two parties.

Fast forward to the present, we know Deebo is back in the Bay after posting a photo on social media of him leaving SFO, and we know he’s about to get paid, at least according to his trainer Tuesday.

“He about to get paid” — Deebo Samuel’s trainer, with Deebo Samuel standing right next to him.

Yet another indication that Samuel’s contractual status with the 49ers is headed in a very positive direction https://t.co/yaSkGUbFAH

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 19, 2022

So where does that leave us on the Deebo timeline with training camp next week?

Expect the All-Pro to do the same as he did for minicamp in June: Report, but not take part in practice until he signs the dotted line. Samuel will likely hit the weight room and/or do cardio activities off the field to avoid suffering any injury that could hinder his negotiation leverage with the 49ers brass.

Just like what the Arizona Cardinals and QB Kyler Murray did on day 1 of training camp Thursday, Deebo and the 49ers will likely do with his contract as well.

Whenever the two sides come to an agreement, the wide receiver will be back on the field. Until then, he’ll be doing everything he can to guarantee a contract figure in the range of $25 million annually.

The Depth In The Trenches

Jason O. Watson/Getty Images

Lastly, the 49ers have a few questions to answer regarding the offensive line this season. Training Camp may be where we get those answers.

Ever since former All-Pro center Alex Mack announced his retirement last month, the Red & Gold have been left with a gaping hole in the trenches. The 49ers’ depth chart currently has Jake Brendel and undrafted rookie Dohnovan West on the roster, leaving the competition for starting center wide open this season.

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan said on the 49ers Talk podcast Wednesday that there could be some moving parts on the offensive line early, but that everything she’s heard and seen over the offseason is that Brendel held up well during first-team reps.

“I Know OTAs, minicamp is not a true indicator of how well the two players are working together, center and quarterback, [but] we say very few botched exchanges,” Lee Chan said Wednesday. You saw Trey Lance under center, there was only a few times during all the practices…I think there was maybe one or two bad exchanges so at least to start out with, it looks like they’ve been working together well.”

Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The loss of Laken Tomlinson (signed with the New York Jets) presents a big challenge for the 49ers as well, but the expectation is that second-year guard Aaron Banks could fill that role in the coming weeks, according to 49ers writer Matt Maiocco Wednesday on 49ers Talk. Daniel Brunskill is also an option to fill one of the two guard spots in 2022.

The 49ers could also look to the free agent market for a replacement center if they feel the need to add a veteran. Players like J.C. Tretter, Matt Paradis and Billy Price could be viable options to shore up the center and O-line positions in Trey Lance’s first year as the starter.

Personally, I prefer the 49ers do the latter and sign Tretter to a one-year deal.

Having a left tackle to right tackle combination of Trent Willams, Tretter and Mike McGlinchey will allow Lance to feel more comfortable in the pocket against the lethal defensive rush that the NFC West has to offer. Making your young QB feel as protected as possible should be the key for the 49ers throughout training camp and the preseason, allowing younger linemen, like Banks, the opportunity to develop next to top-tier veterans at their positions.

The San Francisco 49ers officially kick off their 2022 NFL training camp with rookies and veterans reporting Tuesday, July 26th.

For all things 49ers and NFL, stay locked in here on Sactown Sports.

Related

49ers’ RB depth could change Christian McCaffrey’s roleFaithful Flashbacks #9: The Alley-Oop CatchThe 49ers’ O-Line could determine Christian McCaffrey’s ceilingEntering 2026, health remains the 49ers’ greatest concernTrent Williams Ranked No. 40 in NFL Top 100Kyle Shanahan provides key 49ers injury updates ahead of preseason finale