The 49ers have an outside chance of making the playoffs. Do they use these final 3 games to give their young players quality reps, or do they continue to roll with the veteran players?
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Technically, the 49ers are still alive for a playoff spot. Before you yell at me, that is a possibility. Mathematically, the team isn’t eliminated, but the team is realistically eliminated. Dre Greenlaw rushed back and laid his body on the line in a must-win game on Thursday.
Nick Bosa fought back from a hip/oblique injury to compete against the Rams. Mooney Ward is dealing with a family tragedy but has returned to the lineup. Talanoa Hufanga is playing football with a club on his hand. Why mention these players and their situations? They all returned with the hopes of the team making a playoff run. Now, that is all but finished.
The question is, with the playoffs out of reach. Is it time to play the rookies more, or let the vets continue to play?
Now, the team can’t bench everyone. A 53-man roster won’t allow that. Also, I’m not advocating for nearly everyone to rotate or sit out for the last three games. Football players want to play football. No, not you, De’Vondre Campbell. I’ll give some examples of player situations that could be worth a look at other players and why.
Wide Receiver
Deebo Samuel has underwhelmed in 2024. Thursday’s performance punctuated Samuel’s down season. The team has a decision to make with Samuel, and he shouldn’t be outright benched but should lose reps to Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing. The designed plays to Samuel can be used to develop the two rookie wide receivers.
The 49ers have to see what they have in the youngsters to make an informed decision surrounding the position this offseason. Pearsall was the team’s first-round selection. Rookie mistakes are going to happen for the two receivers, but rookie mistakes in the name of development aren’t the same as vet mistakes. More Pearsall and Cowing down the stretch to help them develop and develop rapport with Brock Purdy.
Offensive Line
Now, this is much more tricky. Purdy had a tough time on Thursday with the Rams defensive line creating so much pressure, but are the options behind Aaron Banks and Jake Brendel that much worse? Spencer Burford has experience on the left side of the offensive line in college and could see himself in competition to replace Banks should he leave in free agency.
Brendel has been among the worst centers in football. Maybe take a look at Nick Zakelj or Drake Nugent? This isn’t nearly as easy as how I’ve laid it out since Purdy does need protection to avoid injury, but at this point have Banks or Brendel helped him that much more to warrant their playing time?
The last three games should be about figuring out who is a part of the problem and the solution for the 2025 49ers. Dee Winters has struggled through injuries, but if he’s available to play, let’s get Fred Warner some time to rest his fractured ankle. I understand it’s hard to explain these situations to veterans and the other guys in the locker room who are still working hard, but the organization should look in the mirror and realize the focus needs to be finishing the season as healthy as possible with eyes on the offseason and retooling.
What are your thoughts? Should the team let the kids play or stick with the vets? You could pose the same question for multiple positions, like Evan Anderson and defensive tackle. Let us know in the comments.